Osteoporosis
Allergy & Immunology, Rheumatology & Asthma Specialists located in Amarillo, TX
Osteoporosis affects 4% of men and 18% of women ages 50 and older. Unfortunately, most don’t know they have the disease until they break a bone. Constantine K. Saadeh, MD, FAAAAI, FACP, FACR, and the rheumatology specialists at Allergy A.R.T.S. in Amarillo, Texas, provide comprehensive care for osteoporosis. They offer risk assessments, perform in-office bone density screenings, and create customized treatment plans to strengthen your bones if the disease develops. To learn if you’re at risk or already have osteoporosis, call the office or click the online booking tab today.
Osteoporosis develops over many years as your bones lose density and strength, turning brittle, fragile, and prone to breaking easily. Everyone can potentially develop osteoporosis because people naturally lose bone as they get older.
Throughout your lifetime, your bones stay strong because old bone is regularly replaced with new bone. But after 40, that natural process slows down, and you lose bone faster than it’s replaced. As a result, you’re at risk for osteoporosis.
Your risk of osteoporosis also rises if you:
Though osteoporosis usually progresses at a slow pace throughout adulthood, there’s one exception, and that’s after menopause. Some women lose up to 20% of their bone density in the first 5-7 years after menopause.
You won’t know you have osteoporosis unless you have a bone density screening. Why? Because osteoporosis doesn’t cause symptoms. The first sign usually comes in the form of a broken bone.
Osteoporosis causes such weak bones that they can break with little force. A vigorous cough or falling from a standing position is enough to fracture a weakened bone.
People with osteoporosis frequently break their hip or wrist. It’s also the primary cause of spinal compression fractures, which occur when the vertebrae collapse because they’re too weak to support your body’s movement and weight.
The current guidelines recommend screening for women 65 and older and postmenopausal women with a high risk of osteoporosis.
However, whether you need screening and when to get it depends on your risk factors. The first step is meeting with your provider for a risk assessment.
Allergy A.R.T.S. offers on-site bone density scans. These scans use low-level X-rays to measure bone density, diagnose existing osteoporosis, and reveal your risk of developing the condition.
The first line of treatment includes medications and lifestyle modifications. Medications called bisphosphonates slow bone loss. Lifestyle changes focus on increasing calcium and vitamin D and weight-bearing exercises, which are essential for triggering bone production.
Call Allergy A.R.T.S. or book an appointment online to learn if you’re at risk or to get treatment for osteoporosis.