The advantages of the sonometer are that it is portable and inexpensive; however, it is not as sensitive a diagnostic tool as DEXA (5). .
Since bone loss generally occurs without physiological warning, osteoporosis patients cannot be diagnosed until an accident has occurred. Once an accident has occurred, back pain, gradual loss of height, stooped posture, and fracture of the verterbrae, wrist, or hips are usually indicative of osteoporosis (MayoClinic.com 2). The disease exists in two forms, which have been designated primary osteoporosis and secondary osteoporosis (Encarta 2001). .
Primary osteoporosis is a condition of reduced bone mass that is generally associated with menopause and advancing age. Consequently, primary osteoporosis is found primarily in elderly men and women, and menopausal women (Marcus 12). The three forms of primary osteoporosis are postmenopausal osteoporosis (Type I), age-related osteoporosis (Type II), and idiopathic juvenile osteoporosis (Encarta 2001). .
Postmenopausal osteoporosis, also known as estrogen-deficient or Type I osteoporosis, involves the loss of trabecular bone (Marcus 13) and afflicts women with ovaries that no longer produce the hormone estrogen (Encarta 2001). Accelerated bone loss in these women initiates approximately eight to ten years following the onset of menopause, which then typically results in the loss of one-third to one-half of their bone mineral density (BMD) (Rosen et al 161). Though the mechanism behind the bone loss has not been clearly identified, research suggests that it is directly related to the decrease in estrogen production caused by menopause. Data from new studies has shown that at very low concentrations of endogenous estrogen levels, elderly women exhibit low BMD as well as a higher risk of fracture (162). Therefore, I t appears that this low level of estrogen causes an imbalance in coupled bone turnover, where bone resorption increases while bone formation is maintained (Marcus 36); this then causes a gradual net decrease in bone mass.
