THEM BONES

By Dr Fiona Bisshop

Sticks and stones may break your bones, but so can a big sneeze if you have osteoporosis. This is a condition that most people have heard of - if you have it your bones will be less dense and break more easily. But how do you know if you have it?

Well, it’s not that obvious. Until you actually break a bone, you get no other symptoms at all to warn you of your increased risk of fracture with osteoporosis. It doesn’t cause pain or arthritis.

What increases your risk? Having a family history of osteoporosis, being testosterone deficient, going through early menopause, being deficient in vitamin D, being on long-term steroid medication, and having HIV are just a few of the things that are associated with osteoporosis . Vitamin D is essential for bone health, you get it from sunlight exposure, so people who cover up and those with dark skin are often very low in this vitamin.

So what can you do to find out if you have it?

There is a screening test called a bone mineral density test. It’s a kind of x-ray that measures the density of the bone in your hips and in your spine (the two places most likely to fracture if you have osteoporosis). If you are in a risk group, then your doctor will probably suggest that you have the test. Testing vitamin D levels in the blood is another way to assess your risk.

There are a number of treatments available to help with osteoporosis, but they are more effective the earlier they are started, so it’s worth getting a test if you are at risk.

Dr Fiona Bisshop is an experienced LGBT doctor. She works at the Central Brunswick Medical Centre