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 ...

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 ...

Medicare may cover bone density tests if a doctor deems them medically necessary. This may be because a person has osteoporosis, estrogen deficiency, or primary hyperparathyroidism, for example. If a ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...