Another chance to have your bone density tested
20 Feb 2015
There are still a few places left on the extra day of testing on Tuesday, 3 March 2015 at the Sugden Centre
More women die each year from fractures caused by osteoporosis than die from breast cancer. This is a frightening and unnecessary statistic for a condition that is frequently preventable and – if diagnosed – treatable.
Osteoporosis literally means ‘porous pones’. It occurs when the rate of bone renewal does not match the rate of breakdown, eventually resulting in weak, brittle bones. Osteoporosis has no symptoms unless you break or fracture a bone, and many individuals do not realise they have the condition until this happens. Too often, people are diagnosed with osteoporosis years after they have had the condition, if they are diagnosed at all: this is too late for them to have the most effective treatment.
In the UK, one in two women and one in five men over the age of 50 fractures a bone. Most of these fractures occur because the individual has osteoporosis. In many cases, the sufferer has the condition as a result of a lifetime’s failure to take preventative action. In fact, osteoporosis has been called “a paediatric disease with geriatric consequences.”
For this reason the Sugden Centre will be hosting a day of bone density screening on Monday, 2 March 2015, when tests will be conducted by Tracey Hunt MSc, BSc (HONS) and Isobel Pugh MSc, BA (HONS).
Tracey and Isobel will assess your bone density and fracture risk using a machine called a ‘Quantative Ultrasound Scanner’ or ‘QUS’. The test measures the bone density in your heel, and is very useful for assessing your risk of fracturing (breaking) your legs, arms, hips and wrists – common fracture sites for sufferers of osteoporosis. The machine is safe, painless, and has no side effects!
After the test is completed, your results will be printed off and explained to you. There will also be time for you to ask questions, if you have any! Along with your results and explanation, you will receive an information pack with evidence-based nutrition, exercise and lifestyle advice to enable you to safeguard yourself against the condition, greatly enhancing your chances of having strong and healthy bones for life.
Although the test itself is not diagnostic, if you have a low score, you will be given a copy of your results to give to your GP. The test serves as a useful ‘filter’ to help your GP decide whether or not the individual needs further investigation, meaning that it usually speeds up, or improves, your chances of access to a more detailed diagnostic test.
Payment
The test costs £30 and you can pay by cash or cheque at the end of the appointment.
Booking
If you would like to book a test, please email:
- Tracey at tracey@bonematters.co.uk