The Silent Disease Osteoporosis, known as the silent disease because bone loss occurs without symptoms, leads to fragile bones and an increased risk of fractures. According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, this disease poses a health threat to more than 28 million Americans with women accounting for 80 percent of this total.
Many people discover they have osteoporosis when their weakened bones cause painful fractures.
Each year, this disease causes more than 1.5 million fractures of the hip, wrist and vertebrae. Because there is no cure for osteoporosis, the key to fighting this condition is prevention. Diet, vitamin D and exercise play key roles in avoiding osteoporosis. Painless and accurate medical tests can provide information about bone health. Bone Mineral Testing, or bone measurements, use X-rays at very small amounts of radiation to determine the bone density of the spine, hip, wrist or heel.