Osteoporosis and Bone Density

Living with bone density issues can make you feel fragile. But UMass Memorial Health rheumatology and endocrinology experts offer compassionate care to help boost your bone strength. We also provide the treatments and guidance you need to manage your bone health and prevent fractures.

What Is Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is one of the most common conditions affecting bone health. It’s a bone disease that causes your bones to become thinner and weaker, increasing the chances of a fracture. Bones in the hip, wrist and spine are the ones most at risk for fractures due to osteoporosis.

An estimated 54 million Americans have either osteoporosis or low bone mass, which increases the risk of osteoporosis.  While females are four times more likely to develop osteoporosis, it also affects males.

Osteoporosis Risk Factors

Osteoporosis often develops through natural aging or as a side effect of certain medications. Sometimes, the cause may be an underlying primary condition, including hormonal abnormalities, that we can address once we identify them.

Other osteoporosis risk factors include:

• Calcium absorption issues 
• Diabetes
• Eating disorders
• Excessive alcohol consumption
• Premature menopause
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Smoking
• Vitamin D deficiency

Osteopenia is also a loss of bone mass and can progress to osteoporosis. You may not know you have it until you fracture a bone. That’s why it’s important to receive a bone density test (also known as a DXA scan or DEXA scan). This test can find problems early so you can get the treatment you need.

DEXA Scan: Bone Density Test

A DEXA scan is a bone density test. It gives you a number known as a T-score. This score compares your bone density to that of a healthy young adult. Zero represents normal bone density. The more negative your number, the weaker your bones are and the more likely you are to fracture one.

If your T-score is:

• Between -1 and -2.4: You have osteopenia. 
• -2.5 or below: You have osteoporosis.

DEXA scan locations. 

What If I Have Osteoporosis? 

If you have osteoporosis, your provider uses a fracture risk calculator called FRAX. They use your T-score, age, height and other data to calculate your chance of fracturing a bone in the next 10 years.

If there’s a 20% or higher chance of having a fracture in the spine, pelvis, hip, shoulder or forearm — or a 3% or higher chance of a hip fracture — then your provider will talk to you about osteoporosis treatment options to reduce your future fracture risk.