Looking for a Bone Density Test Near You? Bone Health Assessments in Hillingdon & Southall

If you’re looking for a bone health assessment near Hillingdon, Uxbridge, Southall or West London, Puri Pharmacy offers an in-store Bindex® ultrasound assessment designed to help identify your probability of osteoporosis. The assessment costs £89, takes around 20 minutes, uses no ionising radiation and your result is explained during your appointment.

Where can I get a bone density test near me?

What happens during the Puri Pharmacy bone health assessment?

What is Bindex?

NICE describes Bindex as a pulse-echo ultrasound technology that measures cortical bone thickness at the upper tibia and calculates a Density Index which estimates hip bone-mineral density.

Is a Bindex assessment the same as a DEXA scan?

No.

This distinction is important.

A DXA or DEXA scan uses low-dose X-rays, usually to measure bone mineral density at the hip and spine. It is the established investigation used in formal osteoporosis assessment and monitoring.

Bindex works differently. It uses ultrasound at the tibia and generates a Density Index that helps assess the probability of osteoporosis.

Uses ultrasound	Uses low-dose X-rays
Measurement taken at the tibia	Usually measures hip and spine
No ionising radiation	Uses a small amount of radiation
Helps assess the probability of osteoporosis	Measures bone mineral density
Can help guide next steps	Used in formal diagnosis and monitoring

A Bindex result should therefore not be described as replacing DXA in every situation.

Instead, it can provide a convenient way to get more information about your bone health and identify whether further assessment may be appropriate.

Who should consider checking their bone health?

Age is important, but it is not the only consideration.

Your risk may be higher if you have experienced menopause, particularly early menopause; have previously broken a bone following relatively minor trauma; have a parent who fractured a hip; have a low BMI; smoke; drink excessive amounts of alcohol; have taken systemic corticosteroids; or have certain conditions that affect bone health.

NICE recommends a formal fracture-risk assessment for women aged 65 and over and men aged 75 and over, as well as younger adults with relevant clinical risk factors.

A private bone health check is not a substitute for appropriate NHS assessment when clinically indicated.

Can osteoporosis exist without symptoms?

Yes.

Osteoporosis is often described as a silent condition because a person may not feel that their bones are becoming weaker.

Spinal fractures can sometimes occur without the severe pain people would normally associate with a broken bone. Loss of height, changes in posture and unexplained back pain can sometimes be associated with vertebral fractures.

This is one reason why understanding risk factors can be more useful than simply waiting for symptoms.

What happens if my result suggests increased risk?

A bone health assessment is useful only if the result leads to an appropriate next step.

If your result or wider history suggests that further investigation is appropriate, this may include speaking to your GP or another healthcare professional about formal fracture-risk assessment, blood tests or DXA scanning.

NICE recommends tools such as FRAX or QFracture to estimate fracture risk in appropriate patients, with DXA used where clinically indicated.

Your Puri Pharmacy assessment is therefore intended to help you understand where you are now and what, if anything, you should consider doing next.

How much does the Puri Pharmacy bone health assessment cost?

The Bone Health & Osteoporosis Risk Assessment costs £89.

It includes your bone health risk assessment, Bindex ultrasound measurement, immediate results, an explanation by a healthcare professional and a personalised discussion about next steps.

Appointments are available at Puri Pharmacy in Hillingdon and Southall.