All about Paget's disease of the bone  causes of Paget's disease of the bone risk factors for Paget's disease of the bone complications of Paget's disease of the bone symptoms of Paget's disease of the bone diagnosis of Paget's disease treatment for Paget's disease of the bone |
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What're the symptoms of Paget's disease of the bone?
Paget's disease usually produces no symptoms, although bone pain, bone enlargement, or bone deformity may occur. The condition often is diagnosed only after an X-ray of the bone or the results of a routine blood test indicate that Paget's disease
may be present. However, some people do experience symptoms, the most common of which is mild pain (sometimes described as "deep bone" pain). Another symptom is a feeling of warmth over the affected area. And if the skull is affected, the person may experience headaches. Bone pain may be deep, aching, and occasionally severe and may worsen at night. The enlarging bones may compress nerves, adding to the pain. Sometimes Paget's disease distorts the adjacent joint structure and leads to the development of painful osteoarthritis. Stiff joints and fatigue may develop slowly and subtly. The patient may have joint pain or stiffness if there is damage to the cartilage of the joints, which may lead to arthritis. When Paget's disease affects the skull or spine, it puts pressure on nerves, which can cause headaches, hearing loss, neck pain, or blindness. Increased head size, bowing of the legs, or curvature of the spine may occur in advanced cases. Fractures may happen spontaneously or be caused by accidents, and healing is difficult because the bones are weak. If the bones of the skull are affected by Paget's disease, enlargement of the skull can occur and may result in a loss of hearing. When the long bones in the legs are affected, they can become bent under the body's weight because of their weakness. Little or no injury to a bone can cause fractures in the weakened bones. Fractures that occur when no traumatic injury is present are known as spontaneous fractures. |
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More information on Paget's disease of the bone
What is Paget's disease of the bone? - Paget's disease of the bone is a chronic bone disorder in which bones become enlarged and deformed. Paget's disease causes abnormal bone growth.
What causes Paget's disease of the bone? - The exact cause of Paget's disease of the bone is unknown, but it is suggested to be due to a slow viral infection of bone and may include a heredity factor.
Risk factors for Paget's disease of the bone - Age and heredity are the only known risk factors for Paget's disease. Men and women are affected at similar rates.
Complications of Paget's disease of the bone - Complications of Paget's disease of the bone include osteoarthritis, fractures, nerve compression, heart failure, bone cancer (osteogenic sarcoma).
Symptoms of Paget's disease of the bone - Paget's disease usually produces no symptoms, although bone pain, bone enlargement, or bone deformity may occur.
How is Paget's disease of the bone diagnosed? - A diagnosis of Paget's disease can be made when higher than normal levels of a chemical called alkaline phosphatase are found in the blood.
What is the treatment for Paget's disease? - Paget's disease is most often treated with bisphosphonate drugs combined with additional drugs to lessen bone pain. |
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