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 ...

How strong are your bones? At least 1 in 5 women older than 50 in the U.S. have osteoporosis, but many don’t realize it.

Preventive screenings, such as bone density tests, can help identify potential medical problems. Medicare covers some costs. Bone density tests may help prevent expensive reparative treatments.

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

If you’re someone who’s at risk for developing osteoporosis, you’re probably well-accustomed to receiving regular bone density tests. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA or DXA) is a radiologic ...

Having a quick spine check as part of a routine bone scan could uncover hidden fractures that affect millions of people. This ...

Beth Skwarecki is Lifehacker’s Senior Health Editor and has been writing about health, fitness, and science here since 2015. Beth was the recipient of the 2017 Carnegie Science Award in science ...

Osteoporosis is a bone disease that’s common in the United States, affecting almost 20 percent of women and 5 percent of men over age 50. Osteoporosis occurs when bones are weakened by hormone shifts ...

Many people think that osteoporosis is a women’s disease and that it is a natural part of aging. This is a myth. While women are more susceptible, especially after menopause due to a decrease in ...

BACKGROUND: The National Cancer Institute estimates that one in eight women in the United States will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. Next to skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common type ...