Bone pain
definition
Bone pain are severe pain caused by Bone tissue go out. They are often of dull character and are often difficult to localize for those affected. Often, therefore, the pain in the Muscular or ligamentous apparatus projected, making diagnosis difficult. Bone pain can occur at any age.
Children and adolescents often complain Bone pain in the Legs, whereas adults and older people over Bone pain in Ribs, Spine and hip to report. Bone pain can occur at rest or under stress. Furthermore you can Bone pain occur locally (this means relating to a certain part of the body, for example the poor) or generalized (that means affecting the entire body). By Bone pain secondary diseases can arise. From Bone pain Affected people suffer from a severe reduction in their quality of life, which also causes the emergence mental illness, how depressions, can promote.
In general, women are more likely to experience bone pain than men. Furthermore, older people suffer from bone pain more often than young people.
causes
A common cause of bone pain is broken bones. Bone fractures can occur at any age and are, for example, the result of a shock, a fall or an accident. Even if a bone is constantly overloaded, for example during a long run or if you are overweight, a bone can break. One then speaks of a so-called fatigue break. A distinction is made between open fractures, in which the bone spears through the skin and is visible from the outside, and closed fractures, in which the skin over the fracture remains intact. In addition to making the bone visible in the case of an open fracture, a bone fracture can also be noticeable through a misalignment and restricted or enormously increased mobility of the affected part of the body. There may also be severe bone pain, as well as swelling and redness. A broken bone can damage neighboring structures such as nerves and vessels. Heavy bleeding can also occur in the context of bone fractures. There is also a high risk of infection, especially with open fractures. In the case of an infection, the wound becomes contaminated with germs. If the germs reach the bones, they can lead to inflammation of the bone, which is called osteomyelitis. Even during an operation, the penetration of germs can lead to inflammation of the bone (osteomyelitis). Furthermore, germs from another source of infection can be carried into the bones via the blood.
Inflammation of the bone (Osteomyelitis) can in turn also cause considerable bone pain. In addition to bone pain, symptoms such as swelling, redness and restricted functionality of the affected body part are possible.
Bruised bones can also cause severe pain. They can be caused by the practice of contact sports.
Read more on the topic: Bruised bones and skin inflammation on the coccyx
Other important causes of bone pain are diseases in which there is a pathological change in the bone substance. One example is osteoporosis, which is popularly known as bone loss. In bone loss (osteoporosis) there is an excessive breakdown of bone mass. This excessive breakdown is in most cases caused by age or, in women, by the onset of menopause and the resulting changes in the hormonal balance.Furthermore, excessive breakdown of bone mass can occur as an undesirable side effect of various medications such as cortisone. Initially, the patients are symptom-free. However, as the disease progresses, bone mass continues to decline, making the bone prone to fractures. If the bone breaks, it causes sudden onset of bone pain. These types of fractures are called spontaneous fractures or spontaneous fractures, as they occur without excessive stress and without external force (in the sense of impacts, falls or accidents). The most common causes of bone loss (osteoporosis) are fractures of the vertebral bodies of the spine, fractures of the thigh bones and fractures of the forearm bones.
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Another disease that is characterized by a change in bone substance is that Osteomalacia. Osteomalacia develops in adults painful softening of the bone because of a insufficient mineralization of the bone. Often is a Vitamin D or calcium deficiency causal. Painful softening of the bones can also occur in childhood, but in children it is referred to as rickets. The decreased mineralization of the bone typically leads to dull persistent bone pain. In the further course there is one Instability of the bone with an increased risk of bone fractures, which in turn can be associated with severe, sudden onset of bone pain. Spontaneous fractures are also used here, as the bone breaks without any external influence. As part of the softening of the bones (osteomalacia), the most common fractures of the thigh bone occur. Bone loss (osteoporosis) and bone softening (osteomalacia) can occur in combination.
The Osteodystrophia deformans is another disease with altered bone substance, which can cause bone pain. In osteodystrophia deformans there is one pathological remodeling of the bone substancecausing the bone to gradually thicken and eventually deform. Most of these are from this conversion Spine, the hip and the Thigh bone affected. The remodeling of the bone is noticeable from the outside through reddening and swelling. The pathological remodeling of the bone substance (Osteodystrophia deformans) occurs particularly in people of advanced age.
Another clinical picture that one should always keep in mind when developing bone pain is Bone tumors. Are bone tumors Masses in the bone. These masses can be benign or malignant. A malignant mass is characterized by the fact that its growth continues to progress, it has a destructive effect on the healthy tissue and can ultimately also cause the death of the patient, while a benign mass does not grow into the healthy tissue, but rather a displacement of the healthy Tissue causes. Bone tumors can have their origin directly in the bone, but they can also be tumor settlements from another malignant tumor. If the bone tumor is a tumor colonization from a distant tissue, one speaks of a Bone metastasis. Most often bone metastases occur Breast cancer, Prostate cancer and Lung cancer on. In the beginning it can be caused by a bone tumor or a bone metastasis swelling, to Bone pain and to one Restriction of functionality of the affected body part. With further growth, the destruction of the healthy tissue can lead to deformations of the bone and to fractures (spontaneous fractures), which in turn can express themselves in severe sudden onset of bone pain. Malignant bone tumors affect the whole body and can therefore also cause a deterioration in the general condition. Another possible cause of bone pain in children is also conceivable. In children it can occur during the Growth phaseEspecially between the ages of two and eighteen, severe bone pain occurs in different parts of the body. Normally, they grow without pain, but some children have sudden pain attacks, especially in the legs, during the growth phase, usually at night. These bone pains go away on their own pretty quickly. Since this form of bone pain is associated with growth processes, it is known as Growing pains. Why some children suffer from growing pains is not yet fully understood. The affected children are not noticeable on the physical examination and show normal mobility of the affected body part.
diagnosis
Every kind of Bone pain should be clarified by a doctor. First of all, the person concerned is questioned in detail by the doctor in order to rule out some possible causes of the bone pain. The diagnosis can be successful if those affected can pinpoint the bone pain. An appraisal and a physical examination the affected area. In some cases, no further examinations are necessary. Are bone pain for example by one Broken bone limited, the diagnosis can often already be made by looking at it and simply touching it.
In less clear-cut cases, there are other procedures, such as a X-ray to disposal. Severe changes in bone substance, as well Fractures, bone tumors and bone metastases are often visible on x-rays. You can also use the Computed Tomography (CT) and the Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the bones can be displayed and help to establish the diagnosis. If a remodeling of the bone is suspected (for example in the osteoporosis) can also have a Bone density measurement be performed. In the case of bone tumors and bone metastases, taking a tissue sample from the painful bone, which is then viewed under a microscope, is the method of choice. An examination of the person's blood and urine can provide more information about the cause of bone pain.
therapy
The treatment depends on the cause of the bone pain and includes conservative, medicinal or surgical measures. The Treatment of broken bones can be done conservatively by immobilizing the affected bone using a cast. Complicated fractures, in which the bone is broken in several places, for example, are often corrected surgically. As part of an operation, the bone pieces are placed in their original position and, if necessary, fixed with nails. Also with the Inflammation of the bone (Osteomyelitis) surgical removal of the infected part of the bone may be necessary if a Therapy with antibiotics, has no success. The aim of treating bone loss (osteoporosis) is to slow the course of the disease. A cure is currently not possible. With the help of various measures, such as sporting activity an attempt is made to stimulate bone formation. Some medications can also help promote bone formation. In addition, the ingestion of Vitamin D and Calcium recommended. Vitamin D and calcium also play in the treatment of painful bone softening (osteomalacia respectively rickets) an important role. By eliminating the vitamin D or calcium deficiency, the progression of bone softening can be stopped. With pathological remodeling of the bone substance, the Osteodystrophia deformans, no cure is possible. The goal of therapy is one Relief of the discomfort, with the help of physiotherapy and drugs with pain-relieving effects. Medicines that stimulate bone formation can also be used. The therapy of Bone tumors and Bone metastases consists of a combination of surgical removal of the bone tumor Radiation and chemotherapy. Depending on the extent and location of the bone tumor, healing is possible. No treatment is necessary for the growing pains that occur in childhood.
forecast
The prognosis is highly dependent on the cause of the bone pain.
prophylaxis
Some causes of bone pain can be prevented through a healthy lifestyle with a balanced diet and regular physical activity.
Bone pain in certain situations
Bone pain with the flu
Almost everyone flu In addition to the typical flu-like symptoms, patients also complain of bone and joint pain. The reasons for this have not yet been fully clarified. But it is believed that it is smallest inflammation in the area of the musclesthat span the bones acts. This inflammatory pain is then passed on and gives the impression that the bone might hurt.
Often, bone pain is the sole and only symptom of the onset of the flu. Before a cough or runny nose and sore throat set in, patients initially complain about it load-dependent, then also about Pain in the bones at rest. As the flu progresses with the typical symptoms, the bone and joint pain often goes away on its own.
For the symptomatic treatment of bone pain, drugs such as Paracetamol in a dosage of 500 mg e.g. 2-3 times a day can be applied. Also one physical conservation can help recover from the flu and relieve bone pain.
Alternative medicine can be a treatment with numerous herbal supplements be performed. So tinctures or ointments offer themselves Cayenne pepper, Mint oil or Devil's claw such as Butterbur that can be applied over the bone to the sore muscles to relieve discomfort.
Menopausal bone pain
Quite often, women in particular complain Menopause come across bone and joint pain in very different parts of the body. The pain can occur either at rest or after a short period of physical exertion and during sport. The most common are Knee joints, Hip joints, Shoulder joints and Elbow joints affected.
One of the other numerous possible causative diseases should always be excluded medically. Here would be above all rheumatism and gout to exclude. Even that which occurs in parallel in some women during menopause osteoporosis should be excluded.
Why some women suffer from joint and bone pain during menopause is still not fully scientifically clarified. It is assumed, however, that hormones that lead to elasticity of the connective tissue at a young age are missing in the menopause and so lead to a Solidification of the bone membranes and the Joint capsules comes, which can lead to the recurring bone pain.
In the rarest of cases, hormone replacement therapy is performed solely for bone pain. Whether symptomatic treatment with a anti-inflammatory drug must be carried out, remains to be considered due to the possible side effects and the long time required.
Bone pain after chemotherapy
After and during chemotherapy, bone pain occurs almost regularly. The cause is usually a common side effect of the chemotherapeutic agent, which inhibits cell division in the entire body. This also leads to cell inhibition in the area of the bone, which can then also react with pain.
Furthermore, the mostly very aggressive chemotherapy drugs themselves are often responsible for bone pain during chemotherapy. The medication given through the veins is distributed throughout the body and begins to irritate not only the sensitive nerves of the skin but also the periosteum. In the skin area there is almost always numbness, paresthesia and pain, in the periosteum the main symptom is often bone pain, which can be very severe and excruciating.
The irritation of the periosteum often leads to periosteum inflammation. You might also be interested in this article: Inflammation of the periosteum of the heel
When the chemotherapy is completed, the bone pain also disappears, usually with some delay. Sometimes the pain can be so severe that appropriate pain management must be initiated. Chemotherapy rarely has to be stopped because of isolated bone pain.
