Here's Why Bone Density Scans Are So Vital During Menopause

Lots of menopause changes are noticeable — sometimes, very noticeable. But while hot flashes, night sweats, mood changes, and vaginal dryness may top the list of best-known menopause “side effects,” changes in bone density happen, too. Specifically, bone density declines once a woman reaches menopause, making her more prone to osteoporosis and fractures.

The good news: Bone density scanning can help identify bone loss early, so complications can be prevented. Also called DEXA scanning (short for dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scanning), bone density scanning is an important screening exam for all women in menopause, and sometimes even before.

In recognition of Menopause Awareness Month, John Terzian, MD, FACC, and the team at Bridgewater Primary Care & Cardiology, LLC, explain how bone density scanning works and why every menopausal woman should make it part of their regular healthcare routine.

Menopause and your bone health

When most of us think of the hormone estrogen, we think of its effects on our reproductive health and function. But estrogen plays lots of other roles, including helping us maintain healthy bones.

Our bones are living tissue, which means they continually replace old cells with new, healthy ones. This bone replacement cycle depends on your body being able to produce new bone tissue at the same rate it loses old bone tissue. 

For women, estrogen plays a key role in this cycle by stimulating the activity of special cells called osteoblasts. These cells help your body produce new, healthy bone tissue to replace tissue that’s damaged or simply old and worn. 

The very real risks of osteoporosis

During menopause, estrogen levels decline dramatically, which reduces bone production. Alarmingly, during the first 5-7 years of menopause, a woman can lose as much as 20% of her bone mass, largely because the body can no longer keep pace with the loss of old bone tissue.

This decline in bone mass can quickly lead to osteoporosis, a chronic condition that literally means “porous bones.” Osteoporosis dramatically weakens your bones, making them more prone to fractures. About half of all women over age 50 will break a bone due to low bone mass, or osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis fractures can affect any bone, but they often occur in the weight-bearing bones in your hips and spine. Worse, bone loss happens silently, without causing noticeable symptoms until a fracture develops. This is why bone density screening is so vitally important.

How bone density scans work

Bone density scans are quick, noninvasive, and painless. They can be whole-body or peripheral (p-DEXA), focusing only on the bones in your finger, hand, arm, or foot. 

During a whole-body DEXA scan, you’ll recline on an exam table while a low-dose X-ray machine scans your body. X-rays are emitted from an arm that passes over your body from above, while a separate scanner beneath you scans your body from below. A computer program combines these images to evaluate the density of your bones in your spine, hips, and wrists, and sometimes other areas, as well.

Peripheral DEXA scans use a smaller scanner to achieve the same goal.

Bone density tests can diagnose osteoporosis, and they can also identify low bone density, a condition called osteopenia that can be a precursor to osteoporosis. Based on your results, we can tailor a treatment plan that helps improve bone density and reduce your risk of fractures.

Scheduling your scan

Bone density testing is recommended for women once they reach age 65 or earlier for women with risk factors, like:

• History of heavy smoking or alcohol use
• Family history of osteoporosis
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Low body weight
• Diet low in vitamin D or calcium
• History of multiple fractures since age 50
• Early menopause or hysterectomy
• Loss of a half inch or more in height within one year

We may also order earlier or more frequent testing for women with certain medical conditions, like diabetes or thyroid disorders, too.

Regular bone density scans don’t just protect your bones — they help you avoid injury, remain active, and stay independent for as long as possible. To schedule your DEXA scan, request an appointment online or over the phone with the team at Bridgewater Primary Care & Cardiology in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, today.