IOWA Osteoporosis is not just a disease of the old and frail. It s a chronic condition that can begin silently and slowly in your 40s and 50s. It kills more women than breast cancer. But unlike breast cancer, there are ways to prevent it.
Osteoporosis causes bones to become thinner and more porous.
Because it develops slowly, many people do not know they have the disease until they suffer a broken bone. A recent donation from Mayo Clinic to Winneshiek County Memorial Hospital of a Dexa scan has made this test available to Decorah Clinic part of Mayo Health System patients and the general community. It compares a patient s measurements to a reference population based on age, weight, sex and ethnic background. Results from this test can determine whether a patient needs to make lifestyle changes or begin treatment measures for osteoporosis. If you develop osteoporosis, a variety of treatments are available to increase your bone density.