Australia’s First Medically Led REMS Bone Health Scanning Service at Ponti Health
Did you know?
"67% of Australians, or 6.2 million people, aged over 50 are now living with poor bone health – a 34% increase from the 2012 report.”
- Healthy Bones Australia
Bone Health - Why is it so important?
Bone health is a critical part of general health. Poor bone health can lead to poor outcomes as we get older.
This is where bone mineral density and bone architecture has been compromised to the point where there is an increased risk of fracture even with very minimal trauma. This is very significant as osteoporosis becomes more and more common with increasing age, but there are things we can do to slow the decline of our bones and maintain resilience with age.
Peak bone mass is usually attained between 20 and 30 years old and gradually declines from there.
A variety of factors affect the decline of bone density, including:
Age
Certain medical conditions
Lifestyle
Diet
Medications that have bone-related side effects
Pregnancy
Hormonal changes through peri - post menopause.
Medications have an important role in the treatment and maintenance of bone health, but there are also many people who also want to avoid medications as long as possible. This may be possible with a proactive approach through one's life.
The trouble most people often have is that they only check on their bone health much later in life when things have already gone downhill and there is a lot less that can be done in terms of prevention and maintenance.
Where people paying attention to their bone health earlier in life may be able to maintain the bone integrity over a longer period and not become fragile as they get older.
How do I optimise my bone health?
Improvements in cardiovascular disease treatment and prevention mean that people are living longer. However, if people are living longer with a poorer quality of life due to conditions such as osteoporosis, then it begs the question of what we are doing to treat and prevent osteoporosis.
Far too often people are waiting until much later in life to track their bone health, where a proactive and preventative approach early on can be far more beneficial.
There are things that can be done to help optimise bone health. These include adequate calcium consumption, good vitamin D levels and intentional resistance exercises as well. Bone health should be a priority as we are all living longer and longer.
"Start early, know your benchmarks, this means focussing on your bones and assessing your bone health earlier, ideally between ages 25-35 years of age"
Think you might be at risk?
Assess your bone health today with a REMS Scan!
Osteoporosis is what my grandmother had - How do I make sure it’s not going to happen to me?
Osteoporosis is sometimes called a silent condition as its effects are not seen at times until somebody has had a fracture. However, once a fracture occurs, this can be very debilitating and has a tremendous impact upon quality of life, especially if you are at an older age.
Did you know pregnancy and lactation results in bone mineral density losses of up to 10-15?
The body naturally requires more calcium to help a developing baby grow. This is obtained from the mother's diet or mother's calcium stores which are found in bone.
There is often good recovery of bone mineral density after pregnancy and lactation, but this may not always be the case. In very severe forms, pregnancy and lactation-associated osteoporosis may develop. The awareness of mineral density before and after pregnancy can be important in people who are at risk of osteoporosis.
Calcium intake and Vitamin D levels are also especially important during pregnancy to maintain optimal health for you and your baby.
Common medical conditions that contribute to osteoporosis include:
Celiac disease
Diabetes
Early menopause
Low testosterone levels
Thyroid & parathyroid disease
Rheumatoid arthritis
Inflammatory bowel disease
Medications that are used in seizure treatment and HIV treatment can also pose risk on bone mineral density as well.
‘Moreover, a staggering 2.1 million fractures due to osteoporosis are estimated to occur over the next decade – representing one fracture every 30 seconds by 2033.’
- Healthy Bones Australia Chair Professor Peter Ebeling.
The Ponti Difference - Same day results and no referral required
At Ponti Health we look at bone health as part of your general health. You are not treated as a number or a T-score. We look at how everything affects each other. How other aspects of your health may be affecting your bone health and look at what we can improve in order to optimise your bones.
We offer bone mineral density monitoring with REMS, the latest ultrasound technology in bone health. We're able to perform these scans along with blood tests to help track changes in your bone health over time. In addition, our broader team also consists of dietitians, physiotherapists and exercise physiologists who may be able to help with other aspects of bone preservation and maintenance through time.
Don’t wait! Assess your bone health today with a REMS Scan.
What is the difference between DXA and REMS?
DXA scans and REMS bone health scans are two different methods of analysing bone mineral density and bone health. DXA scan is the traditional method and uses X-rays in its measurements, whereas REMS uses ultrasound technology to obtain bone density and bone fragility measures without any radiation at all. REMS is TGA approved for bone mineral density and fragility score testing and monitoring and also for the diagnosis of normal bone mineral density, osteopenia, and osteoporosis. They both measure bone mineral density at key sites including the lumbar spine and the femoral necks.
Where DXA scan may be prone to errors with conditions such as arthritis, REMS is able to overcome that and provide a more accurate bone mineral density. REMS is also able to assess bone fragility and quality in both the lumbar spine and femoral necks, where DXA scans may only provide bone quality measurements at the lumbar spine.
REMS is non-invasive and takes about half an hour. It is an ultrasound scan that has no radiation exposure. It is done at the usual sites of bone mineral density measurement (lumbar spine and femoral necks) and it is not affected by conditions such as scoliosis or arthritis in the spine. Being an ultrasound it is also safe for pregnant women.
Points to Note:
We intentionally guide our patients to specific imaging centres and specialists based on our multi-disciplinary, collective knowledge across facilities. Our referrals are informed by our understanding of which locations have the most appropriate technology and provider for individualised needs.
When getting a DXA scan, it is recommended that it is performed at the same location when repeating scans. In the same way that comparing your weight on your bathroom scales may be different to tracking it at your doctor or at your pharmacy, there are differences in DXA machines which mean that exact comparisons between different scanners can be tricky. Consistency with the DXA machine takes out one major factor of variance and allows better comparison between measurements.
Medicare only covers DXA scans in very specific circumstances, your GP will be able to assist with more information.
Please call us on 02 72010015 or text us on 0452162189 if we can assist in deciphering any of the above.
Looking to optimise your bone health today?
Let us help! Book in for a REMS bone health scan at Ponti Health today!