Osteoporosis Specialist

What is osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a disease that causes your bones to be brittle and more susceptible to fractures. Even mild stress, such as coughing, can cause your bones to break if you have osteoporosis.

Your bone is made up of living tissue that’s under constant construction, being broken down and rebuilt throughout your life. Osteoporosis occurs when the breaking down of your bones outpaces the rebuilding. 

Up until about age 30, your body is able to build bone faster than it breaks it down, creating a bank of bone mass. If you have more bone cells in your “bank” you may be able to reduce your risk of osteoporosis. 

Unfortunately, you can’t control all the conditions that increase your risk of osteoporosis. For example, women are at greater risk of the bone condition due to their smaller bone size. 

How do I know if I have osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis doesn’t cause symptoms and the only way to know if you have it, or if you’re at risk, is to get a bone density test. Delaware Arthritis is a full-service rheumatology practice and offers an on-site dual X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scan. This painless test measures the mineral density of your bones. 

You should schedule a DEXA scan if:

• You’re a woman over the age of 65
• You’re a man over the age of 70
• You’ve broken a bone after age 50

Your DEXA scan only takes about 10-20 minutes and doesn’t require any special preparation. 

What treatments are available for osteoporosis?

Our providers will develope individualized treatment plans for the management of osteoporosis based on your risk of breaking a bone in the next 10 years. If your risk is low, he may suggest you make modifications to your lifestyle to reduce the risk of falls and improve bone health. He may also suggest you add exercise to your routine to improve bone health, balance, and coordination.

If you’re at greater risk of fractures, our team of providers may recommend medications such as:

• Bisphosphonates
• Monoclonal antibody medication
• Hormone-related therapy
• Bone-building medication

Some of these medications may cause side effects and are better tolerated when given SubCutaneously (SC) or intravenously (IV). Delaware Arthritis has an on-site infusion suite for SC and IV infusion therapy. Our team will review all of your treatment options with you and together you determine the best treatment plan. 

To learn more about your osteoporosis treatment options or to schedule your DEXA scan, call Delaware Arthritis today or request an appointment online.