With age, virtually everyone loses bone density, a process that typically starts at age 30 and accelerates rapidly in women past menopause who do not take supplemental estrogen. In men, who enter ...

Dear Doctors: I just turned 65, and my doctor wants me to have a bone density test. What is it, and how does it work? Dear Reader: A bone mineral density test, or BMD, measures the strength of one’s ...

Are you due for a bone density test? The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force announced updated osteoporosis screening guidelines on January 14, 2025. Women 65 years or older, or postmenopausal women ...

Dear Doctors: I just turned 65, and my doctor wants me to have a bone density test. What is it, and how does it work? Dear Reader: A bone mineral density test, or BMD, measures the strength of one’s ...

Question: I am 62-year-old woman who has been fairly healthy most of my life. I try to walk daily and eat right. I’ve never had a fracture or bone health issues. But after my annual physical this year ...

Q: I’ve never had a fracture or bone health issues. Should I still get a bone density test? A: It depends. A bone density test uses a low dose of X-rays in a quick, noninvasive way to measure the ...

Q: I just turned 65, and my doctor wants me to have a bone density test. What is it, and how does it work? A: A bone mineral density test, or BMD, measures the strength of one’s bones. It’s an ...

I am writing regarding an article in the Jan. 19 Eagle entitled "Bone tests re-examined." This article summarized the findings of an article in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) which ...

Medicare may cover bone density tests if a doctor deems them medically necessary. This may be because a person has osteoporosis, estrogen deficiency, or primary hyperparathyroidism, for example. If a ...

Our bones often become less dense as we age, which can lead to osteoporosis and potentially to fractures, should bone loss continue. Women who are past menopause are at greatest risk for osteoporosis, ...

There is also solid evidence that treatment with a bone-preserving or bone-building drug is beneficial when a bone density test reveals a level of bone loss defined as osteoporosis in the spine or a ...