Latest news with #DEXA
Economic Times
2 days ago
- Health
- Economic Times
The silent disease affecting millions of men, and 4 powerful ways to fight it off
This silent disease weakens men's bones, leading to fractures. Around 2 million men in the US have it. Another 16 million have early bone loss. Experts advise men to discuss testosterone levels with doctors. Weight-bearing exercise, lifestyle changes, and bone density tests are crucial. Treatments like Kyphoplasty and Vertebroplasty exist for spinal fractures. Early action is key for strong bones. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Why it's dangerous 4 strong ways to fight osteoporosis - Dr. Paul Lewis Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads What if you already have it? Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads FAQs Osteoporosis is called a 'silent disease' because it develops slowly and shows no signs until a bone breaks, says Dr. Paul Lewis, Wexner Medical Center. It makes your bones weak and brittle, so even a small fall can cause serious injury. Around 2 million men in the U.S. have osteoporosis according to the National Spine Health 16 million men have osteopenia, which is like an early stage of bone loss. Most men don't even care about it — only 1% are worried about low bone density as per a survey by Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. But they should care — falls are the number one cause of injuries and deaths for people over 65, as stated by The New York are no warning signs until a fracture happens, says Dr. Paul Lewis. Even a small fall can cause a bone to break if your bones are weak. Losing bone mass makes your whole body more fragile, especially as you age, as per the talking to your doctor about testosterone by age 30. Testosterone levels go down with age, which weakens bones and increases your weight-bearing workouts like, walking, hiking, climbing stairs, lifting weights or resistance bands, yoga or balance exercises. Some fun sports help too like pickleball or movement to your everyday life: walk the golf course instead of riding the cart, take stairs instead of the elevator, or play actively with kids or pets, as mentioned in the report by The New Not exercising with proper form or doing too much can cause injury. You can lose up to 3% of bone mass every year without resistance trainingHabits such as smoking, drinking more than 2 alcoholic drinks a day, not moving enough, poor diet, ripping hazards in your home, or muscle or nerve-related issues can increase the risk of weak your doctor about a DEXA scan — it's a low-dose X-ray that checks your bone density. It helps doctors spot osteoporosis you already have osteoporosis and get spinal fractures, treatments exist such as Kyphoplasty: A balloon is inflated in the fractured vertebra to make space. Then bone cement is injected. Vertebroplasty: Bone cement is injected directly into the fractured vertebra, as mentioned in the report by The New is a condition where men's bones become weak and brittle, making them easy to 2 million men in the U.S. have osteoporosis, and 16 million have early-stage bone loss.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
The silent disease affecting millions of men, and 4 powerful ways to fight it off
Why it's dangerous 4 strong ways to fight osteoporosis - Dr. Paul Lewis Live Events What if you already have it? FAQs (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Osteoporosis is called a 'silent disease' because it develops slowly and shows no signs until a bone breaks, says Dr. Paul Lewis, Wexner Medical Center. It makes your bones weak and brittle, so even a small fall can cause serious injury. Around 2 million men in the U.S. have osteoporosis according to the National Spine Health 16 million men have osteopenia, which is like an early stage of bone loss. Most men don't even care about it — only 1% are worried about low bone density as per a survey by Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. But they should care — falls are the number one cause of injuries and deaths for people over 65, as stated by The New York are no warning signs until a fracture happens, says Dr. Paul Lewis. Even a small fall can cause a bone to break if your bones are weak. Losing bone mass makes your whole body more fragile, especially as you age, as per the talking to your doctor about testosterone by age 30. Testosterone levels go down with age, which weakens bones and increases your weight-bearing workouts like, walking, hiking, climbing stairs, lifting weights or resistance bands, yoga or balance exercises. Some fun sports help too like pickleball or movement to your everyday life: walk the golf course instead of riding the cart, take stairs instead of the elevator, or play actively with kids or pets, as mentioned in the report by The New Not exercising with proper form or doing too much can cause injury. You can lose up to 3% of bone mass every year without resistance trainingHabits such as smoking, drinking more than 2 alcoholic drinks a day, not moving enough, poor diet, ripping hazards in your home, or muscle or nerve-related issues can increase the risk of weak your doctor about a DEXA scan — it's a low-dose X-ray that checks your bone density. It helps doctors spot osteoporosis you already have osteoporosis and get spinal fractures, treatments exist such as Kyphoplasty: A balloon is inflated in the fractured vertebra to make space. Then bone cement is injected. Vertebroplasty: Bone cement is injected directly into the fractured vertebra, as mentioned in the report by The New is a condition where men's bones become weak and brittle, making them easy to 2 million men in the U.S. have osteoporosis, and 16 million have early-stage bone loss.
New York Post
3 days ago
- Health
- New York Post
The ‘silent disease' sneaking up on men — and 4 ways to battle it
Turns out that more men need to bone up on their bone density. Some 2 million US men suffer from osteoporosis, a slow-developing 'silent disease' that makes bones weak and brittle, according to the National Spine Health Foundation. Another 16 million men have osteopenia, which describes mild osteoporosis or pre-osteoporosis. Despite its prevalence, a new survey commissioned by The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center found that only 1% of men are concerned about low bone density. 4 Osteoporosis, which makes bones weak and brittle, affects 2 million US men. Graphicroyalty – No bones about it — this could be a grave error. Falls are the leading cause of injuries and injury-related deaths in adults 65 and older. Even minor falls can result in bone fractures if there has been a decrease in bone density and strength. 'Unfortunately, there are no warning signs before it presents with a fracture,' Dr. Paul Lewis, an interventional radiologist at Wexner, told The Post of osteoporosis. 4 Walking and other weight-bearing exercises may help stave off osteoporosis. The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center The good news is that there are prevention strategies — Lewis has four recommendations. First, men should start discussing testosterone with their doctor at the age of 30. Testosterone tends to decrease with age. Low T contributes to weaker bones and increases the risk of osteoporosis in men. Workouts that build bone density and improve balance should also be on their radar in their 30s and 40s. Think weight-bearing exercises like walking, hiking and stair climbing, resistance training with weights or bands and yoga or other balance exercises. 'Some exercises can combine into helping your heart as well, such as pickleball, tennis or other sports,' said Lewis, an associate professor at Ohio State's College of Medicine. 'Other practical options are walking the golf course instead of riding the cart, taking the stairs instead of the elevator [and] actively playing with your children or pets.' 4 Men in their 30s and 40s should look into workouts that build bone density and improve balance. junky_jess – Lewis warns that not participating in resistance training can mean a loss of up to 3% of bone mass a year. Don't push too hard, regardless of the activity — Lewis cautions that doing too much or exercising the wrong way, like with poor form, can lead to injury. Also, consider lifestyle changes. Tobacco use, more than two alcoholic drinks a day, physical inactivity, poor nutrition, falls related to environmental hazards and neuromuscular conditions increase the risk of osteoporosis. And finally, Lewis recommends getting a screening test, like a DEXA scan. 4 The DEXA scan, which reveals body composition and bone density, is shown here. Olga Ginzburg for NY Post The low-dose X-ray measures bone density to diagnose osteoporosis. If you do develop osteoporosis and spinal fractures, kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty are treatment options. In kyphoplasty, a small balloon is carefully inflated to make room in the fractured vertebra. A synthetic material known as bone cement is injected into the space. In vertebroplasty, bone cement is injected directly into the fractured vertebra without a balloon. 'Both procedures aim to relieve pain, restore vertebral height and enhance spinal stability, allowing patients to regain function and mobility,' Lewis said. 'They are performed under a twilight sedation and fluoroscopic imaging guidance. Patients experience minimal downtime and faster recovery compared to open surgery.'
Medscape
7 days ago
- Health
- Medscape
Body Fat Beats BMI in Predicting Death
'DEXA scans have not supplanted BMI because it's expensive and difficult to use,' Orlando said. A new DEXA scanner costs a practice between $16,000 and $45,000. BIA machines range from $129 to nearly $16,000, an expense Orlando said is well worth it. Clinicians may need to work with leadership at their practices to support the purchase of BIA machines and could use the study findings to convey the value these devices provide, said Ryan Singerman, DO, the section chief for Primary Care at Parkview Health in Fort Wayne, Indiana, who was not involved in the study. 'Not everyone is well-versed in the medical evidence or equipped to convince management of the need,' Singerman, whose practice uses BIA, said. Kyle J. Thompson, MD, a bariatric surgeon at Intermountain Health in Salt Lake City, Utah, said while BMI is still the clinical go-to, some patients are gaining awareness of BF% and may seek out clinicians who use the measure. Offering BF% analysis could bring more business, he said. 'By offering this service, you may increase the number of referrals you receive and see an increase in the volume of other services you provide, such as medical weight loss or bariatric surgery,' Thompson, who was not involved with the study, said. But with BMI as the current standard, no consensus exists on the definition of healthy BF%, which has implications for patient care. 'Minimal training is required to interpret the results produced by BIA, but there is still a significant amount of variability in how these results are used to guide clinical care,' Thompson said. Mainous said that the next step in replacing BMI with BF% is reaching a consensus on the definition through large, prospective trials. 'Once these standards are validated, measuring BF% with BIA will then become the standard of care,' Orlando said. 'Until then, clinicians can still use BMI alongside BIA in the office to augment risk stratification using published thresholds for healthy body fat percentage.' None of the study authors reported relevant financial disclosures. Lead image: Microgen/Dreamstime
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
At 68, This Workout Is Helping Me Prepare for a 100-Mile Walk in Portugal
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." In September, I'm going to be walking approximately 100 miles of the Camino de Santiago, from Porto to Vigo, in Portugal. Last October, I completed the Spanish portion of the route (that's me in the photo above). It was 78 miles and took six days. To stay strong and fit enough to complete the upcoming journey, I know I need to be strength training. I'm also eager to improve my bone density—something I keep tabs on through regular DEXA scans—because I have osteoporosis. In addition to upping my protein and calcium intake through my diet, my doctor told me regular resistance training is important. That's what inspired me to try Prevention's Fundamental Strength Workout, designed for women over 50 in particular. If you, like me, have osteoporosis or any other pre-existing conditions, talk to your doctor before trying any new exercise routine. I'm not totally new to strength training: I have a deck of cards that I bought on Amazon with suggested exercises for all the body parts—you just pick a half-dozen of them, flip them over, and you have a workout for the day. I've been doing this for over a year, but haven't done a structured strength training workout, other than a handful of group fitness classes, in a while. My game plan: I started doing the Functional Strength Workout in April three to four times a week. All you need is a pair of dumbbells and a chair. I still mixed in my playing card exercises as well. I also do Tai Chi workout videos on Youtube a couple of times a week. I'm 68, I'm at a point now where all I read about in my age bracket is like, 'You're going to fall, you're going to break your hip, you're going to break your arm, you shouldn't be on a ladder, you shouldn't do this or that. I liked that this workout plan acknowledged the realities of aging without screaming at you to watch it! You're an old person now. It's also very accessible. The other day, I thought I was going to go to the gym, but I didn't have time. So I just took 15 minutes in an open room in the office to get it in. I'm only using five-pound dumbbells which I keep at my desk. My favorite move was Heel-to-Toe Walk. At first I was wobbling all over and then I said 'oh, I see what the key is—not to look at your feet, but to look forward or focus on something else.' I had an appointment with a functional medicine doctor a few weeks ago and I mentioned to her that I was doing this exercise. She's very fit and she got up and tried to do it, and she was wobbling all over. Balance is so important for older people, and I've found that mine has improved through doing this move. I can even stand on one foot while I brush my teeth now without falling over. I felt myself improving in other ways as the weeks went by. In addition to the Heel-to-Toe Walk, the Chair Sit-to-Stand also got easier with time. I really think I could do more reps of both of those moves. Overall, it's a good routine to keep you moving so that life isn't as hard. My tip to other women around my age trying this—or any other strength training routine: Just keep at it. If you feel a little wobbly or shaky, just keep doing it. Sooner or later it's going to come more naturally. At the end of the day, I think this is a great jump start plan for people who are new to exercise or who haven't strength trained in a while. I'll definitely continue to incorporate a few of these moves into my routine. One of my doctors suggested adding more weight to my workouts so I think that's what I'll aim for next. But my biggest goal is my upcoming walk in Portugal—and I'm feeling strong and ready! You Might Also Like Can Apple Cider Vinegar Lead to Weight Loss? Bobbi Brown Shares Her Top Face-Transforming Makeup Tips for Women Over 50
