Making Bone Health a Priority at St. Elizabeth Women’s Health 

The team of experts at St. Elizabeth Women’s Health are committed to preventing osteoporosis-related fractures and slowing down bone loss. We offer DEXA scans to help assess your bone health and to help identify and treat osteoporosis, as well as offer bone health education on prevention and treatment for our patients. Taking steps now to improve your bone health will have valuable benefits for years to come.   

What is osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a bone disease that occurs when the body loses too much bone, the body makes too little bone – or both. This results in decreased bone strength and bone mass, which in turn significantly increases the risk of broken bones. Bones can become so weak that in serious cases of osteoporosis, broken bones result simply from sneezing or a minor bump.  

Osteoporosis Risk Factors 

There are significant risk factors for patients with osteoporosis, including: 

• Sex – females develop osteoporosis more frequently than males. According to the National Institutes of Health, more than 80% of patients diagnosed with osteoporosis are female. 
• Age – bones weaken with age. The  older you are, the greater your risk is for osteoporosis. 
• Post-menopausal – during the first few years of menopause, women go through rapid bone loss, increasing their risk of developing osteoporosis.
• Body size – slender, thin-framed women develop osteoporosis more frequently. 
• Race – the disease affects many races and sexes; however, Caucasian and Asian women are at the highest risk for osteoporosis. 
• Family history – susceptibility to osteoporosis and bone fractures can be hereditary. 

Can you prevent osteoporosis? 

While you can’t prevent certain osteoporosis risk factors, you can make the lifestyle choice to maintain healthy bones. Our experts recommend: 

• Eat a well-balanced diet. 
• Make sure to drink and eat foods with enough calcium and vitamin D – discuss using supplements with your doctor if necessary. 
• Don’t smoke. 
• Minimize alcohol intake.
• Stay active and healthy. 
• Do weight-bearing exercises regularly. 

Make an appointment today  

Contact St. Elizabeth Women’s Health at (859) 655-7400 to learn more or to schedule an appointment.