How to perform a self-assessment of osteoporosis risk

  Osteoporosis is a systemic bone disease characterized by a decrease in bone mass and destruction of the microstructure of bone, manifested by increased brittleness of bone, which predisposes to fractures even with minor trauma or in the absence of significant trauma. Osteoporosis is a chronic, multifactorial disease that commonly affects postmenopausal women and the elderly. The main manifestations are: ① bone loss: should include a decrease in the proportion of bone minerals and their matrix, etc.  ②Bone microstructure degeneration: due to imbalance of bone tissue resorption and formation, etc., which is manifested by destruction, thinning and fracture of bone trabecular structures.  ③Bone brittleness increases, bone mechanical strength decreases, fracture risk increases, and microfracture or complete fracture easily occurs due to reduced load bearing capacity. It is often referred to as the “silent killer” because it can occur quietly as a result of compression fracture of the lumbar spine or fracture of the distal end of the flexor, proximal femur and upper extremity of the limb under little external force. Self-assessment of disease risk and early intervention is a more important part of the process.  You can self-assess your risk of osteoporosis by answering the following questions International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) Osteoporosis Risk One-Minute Test (1) Have you ever injured your bones from a minor bump or fall?  (2) Have your parents ever had a hip fracture from a minor bump or fall?  (3) Do you regularly take hormonal drugs such as cortisone and prednisone for more than 3 months in a row?  (4) Have you lost height (more than 3 cm) from your youth?  (5) Do you regularly drink a lot of alcohol?  (6) Do you smoke more than 20 cigarettes a day?  (7) Do you often suffer from diarrhea? (due to gastrointestinal diseases or enteritis) (8) Answer for woman: Did you become menopausal before the age of 45?  (9) For women: Have you ever had no menstruation for more than 12 months in a row (except during pregnancy)?  (10) For men: Do you suffer from impotence or lack of sexual desire?  As long as one of the answers is “yes”, the test is positive.