A common condition that weakens the bones and raises the risk of fracture, usually without warning signs, and one that can be assessed and managed effectively
Osteoporosis is a condition in which the bones gradually lose strength and become more fragile, making fractures more likely. It affects around three million people in the UK. Because it usually causes no symptoms until a bone breaks, it often goes unrecognised, which is why assessing risk and bone strength matters.
Written for patients and reviewed by Dr Liubov Borukhson, Consultant Rheumatologist (GMC 7021928).
Several factors increase the risk of osteoporosis. You may be at higher risk if you:
Bone-health assessment looks at your individual risk and, where appropriate, measures your bone density. This is done with a DEXA scan, a simple, quick and low-dose X-ray that measures how strong the bones are. The result is interpreted alongside your wider health and risk factors, rather than in isolation.
Dr Borukhson offers dedicated osteoporosis and bone-health assessment, including arranging a DEXA scan where appropriate and explaining what the results mean for you. Where appropriate, she can also arrange specialised blood and urine tests for bone turnover markers. These give a picture of how active the bone is, which helps to monitor bone health over time and, in particular, to judge how well bones are responding to treatment.
The aim is to strengthen the bones and reduce the chance of fracture. Depending on your assessment, this may involve lifestyle measures such as exercise, diet and addressing vitamin levels, medication to protect or build bone where it is needed, and follow-up scanning to monitor progress. The right plan depends on your individual situation and is agreed with you.
Because osteoporosis is usually silent, the first sign is often a fracture that could potentially have been prevented. Identifying and addressing risk early, before a fracture happens, is the most effective approach. If any of the risk factors above apply to you, a bone-health assessment is worthwhile.
A bone-health assessment, including a DEXA scan where appropriate, can identify and address fracture risk early, often before any fracture occurs
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