Osteoporosis

Osteonecrosis

Osteonecrosis is a destruction of bone tissue that often results in fractures and breakage of bones. Those who are at high risk for osteonecrosis include those who have auto immune disorders such the following:

Lupus
Rheumatoid arthritis

There are many risk factors related to this disease that is often confused with osteoporosis, which is a different condition with similar symptoms. Unlike osteoporosis, which gradually diminishes the bone mineral density of the bones, osteoncrosis causes the destruction of the bone tissue and also interferes with the supply of blood to the bones.

While osteoporosis will affect all of the bones in the body, osteonecrosis will primarily affect the joints and the tissues surrounding the bones. This can lead to traumatic bone injuries such as hip fractures as well as trauma to the knees as well as elbows. Those who take medications such as steroids for other conditions are also at a greater risk to develop osteonecrosis.

Symptoms Of Osteonecrosis

The symptoms of this disease usually consist of the following:

Joint pain
Hip pain
Broken bones – especially hip breakage
Dislocation of joints

While those who suffer from osteoporosis are usually defined as postmenopausal women, anyone can suffer from osteonecrosis. Many people who suffer from this condition acquire it because they have an underlying health condition or from trauma to the area.

Because this condition can mimic many other conditions, most notably osteoarthritis, it is important for those who are suffering from symptoms of osteonecrosis seek out an accurate diagnosis from a physician. The most accurate way to diagnosis this condition, as well as other bone related diseases, is through the use of the DEXA scan. This is a diagnostic tool that can not only accurately measure the amount of as little as two percent of bone loss, but can also diagnose the loss of bone tissue that is the hallmark of this bone tissue disease.

The DEXA scan is a tool that will measure the bone mineral density in an individual. It consists of the use of two beams of x-ray that each consist of different energy levels. By using the DEXA scan, a radiologist or a physician can accurately measure bone mineral density.

The DEXA scan is used to measure bone mineral density in two areas of the body – the spine as well as the hips. These are the primary areas that are affected by bone disease such as osteoporosis. While the DEXA scan is an effective tool for measuring bone mineral density, it can also be used to determine other bone diseases as well.

Most doctors, when suspecting some sort of bone disease, either through the description of symptoms of the appearance of broken bones, will order a DEXA scan for their patients. Those who have underlying conditions that can lead to bone disease may be offered the DEXA scan on a regular basis as it can detect the smallest amounts of bone loss thus far. The scan is an imaging scan and is not painful or uncomfortable. It is recommended by doctors diagnosing patients with any type of bone disease and is considered the most effective tool for discovering bone loss.