Osteoporosis Pictures: Thin Bones, Scans, Symptoms Photos

Osteoporosis Pictures
Photos and Images

List of Diagrams

Osteoporosis Signs
Hip Fracture
Spine Curves
Foot Ultrasound
Dexa Scan

OSTEOPOROSIS SIGNS

Osteoporosis: The process where bones become weak and brittle. Osteoporosis gradually weakens the bones so that they become susceptible to the slightest trauma. The hips, spine and wrist are usually the first to break. As the loss of bone strength takes place over many years, there may be no immediate obvious symptoms which is why osteoporosis is often referred to as the 'silent epidemic'.

HIP FRACTURE

Hip fracture is another term for a broken hip. About 80 percent of all fractures happen to women and the average age of the patient is 80 years old. In 2006 there were 316,000 hospital admissions for hip fractures in America.

SPINE CURVES

As osteoporosis progresses and softens the bones in the body, it can result in loss of height. Ever notice how older people sometimes get smaller? It is the result of fractures in the bones of the spine. As each vertebra is injured the spine is squashed and compressed into a smaller height. This can eventually give the appearance of a stoop or hunched back (known as dowager's hump).

Old ladies with spinal curves: dowagers hump

FOOT ULTRASOUND

Foot ultrasound is a test for osteoporosis. Taking an ultrasound scan of the heel is another common way for evaluating the presence of osteoporosis. It is simple and cheap, but probably not as accurate as a DEXA scan.

DEXA SCAN

Dexa Scan to test bone density. This machine, considered the gold standard for testing for osteoporosis, measures the total bone content of the hips, spine and forearm and only takes a few minutes.

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