Lists of risk factors are common and often copied from one page to the next. Readers in Manteca who want to check such a list can compare it against others. No factor is ranked or weighed below. The steps cover how to compare lists and how to bring your own history to a clinician.
Compare lists from different sources
Read at least two
Open two or three lists from different publishers and put them side by side. Note which items appear on all of them and which appear on only one. An item that appears on only one list is a good question for your clinician.
Note the wording
Small wording differences matter. One list might say a factor is linked to bone loss while another says it causes it. Mark which verb each page used.
Start with a public overview
A federal women's health page on menopause and your health is a public source to include in your comparison. Use it as one column in your notes.
Add a foundation source
Add what the Bone Health & Osteoporosis Foundation publishes as another column. When columns disagree, record that and take the disagreement to your appointment.
Build your own history sheet
- Write down your age, your history of fractures and any family history you know of.
- List the medicines and supplements you take, using exact product names.
- Note any past test results and their dates.
- Mark which of these items appeared on the lists you compared.
Add a medical center reference
A hospital system's patient pages can help you check terms. A hospital system page on osteoporosis symptoms, causes and treatment is one option. As with the others, mark what it states and what it leaves out.
Taking your comparison to a clinician
Bring your history sheet and the comparison to a clinician and ask which items apply to you. The MedlinePlus page on osteoporosis is a useful place to look up unfamiliar terms along the way. Comparing risk-factor lists across publishers is a way to prepare, and only your clinician can say which items fit your history.