Bone Health
Looking for a bone health clinic? Call us at (260) 435-2735. The Bone Health Clinic is located in The Orthopedic Hospital's Outpatient Surgery Center, 7601 West Jefferson Blvd. Referrals are not needed.
As we age, healthy bones begin to thin and weaken. These changes can lead to osteoporosis and other conditions that make bones more brittle and easier to break. Many people don't realize they have a bone disease until they fracture a hip, spine or wrist.
Each year, osteoporosis causes about two million fractures in the U.S. alone. These fractures:
- Can be caused by a fall, bumping into a table or even sneezing
- May take months to heal and keep you from moving the same way you did before the injury
- Often lead to additional broken bones – once someone with osteoporosis breaks a bone, they are twice as likely to break another one
The bone health team with Lutheran Health Physicians evaluates, diagnoses and manages metabolic bone diseases that affect bone health. Common diagnoses include:
- Osteoporosis
- Stress fractures and fragility fractures
- Vitamin D deficiency
- Hyperparathyroidism
- Male andropause
- Osteodystrophies
- Osteomalacia
Screening and Treatment
Determining the health of your bones is as easy as completing a medical history questionnaire, having a physical exam and scheduling screenings. Screening techniques to detect osteoporosis may include:
- X-rays
- Bone density tests (also called DEXA or bone densitometry)
- Blood tests, to evaluate calcium metabolism and to measure bone cell population activity levels
Once the results are in, the bone health team will tailor a treatment program for you based on risk factors, symptoms and bone density. Treatment options may include:
- Hormone-replacement therapy
- Medical management with medications
- Bone-strengthening exercises
- Increase in calcium-rich and Vitamin D-rich foods, as well as supplements
The Bone Health Clinic is located in The Orthopedic Hospital's Outpatient Surgery Center, 7601 West Jefferson Blvd. Call (260) 435-2735 with questions or to make an appointment. No referral is needed.
Learn more about bone health from the NIH Osteoporosis and Related Bone Disease National Resource Center.