Osteomyelitis – What is it, Causes, Symptoms and Treatments!
Osteomyelitis – What it is, Causes and Treatments we should all know. In addition, Osteomyelitis is an inflammatory condition that affects one or more bones , usually caused by bacterial or fungal infection . Osteomyelitis can remain localized or spread through the bloodstream, compromising other parts of the bone and tissues of the body.
Osteomyelitis is the medical term for a bone infection , usually caused by bacteria. Osteomyelitis most commonly affects the long bones in the legs, but other bones , such as those in the back or arms, can also be affected.
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In some cases, the infection can enter bone tissue from the bloodstream. Osteomyelitis patients typically experience deep pain and muscle spasms in the area of inflammation, as well as fever. So, check now Osteomyelitis – What is it, Causes and Treatments:
Top Causes of Osteomyelitis: Your bones are usually resistant to infection , but they can become infected when:
- A pre-existing blood infection spreads to a bone :
- There is an injury, such as a bone fracture:
- Bacteria enter the wound during or after surgery, such as a joint replacement operation:
- There is a pre-existing health condition, such as diabetes, which means that the bone does not get a constant blood supply, so the white blood cells that fight infections cannot reach the site of injury:
Blood infections that spread through the bone are more common in children than adults. This could be because children’s bones are still developing, which makes them more vulnerable. Also, a child’s immune system (the body’s natural defense against infection and disease) is still developing, so it’s less effective at fighting infection .
Symptoms of Osteomyelitis: Most cases of acute osteomyelitis involve one of the long bones in the legs. However, sometimes the bones in the arm or back (the vertebrae) can be affected.
Symptoms of Acute Osteomyelitis Include:
- A sudden high temperature (fever) of 38C (100.4F) or above – although children under one year of age usually do not have this symptom:
- Bone pain, which can often be severe:
- Swelling, redness, and heat at the site of infection :
- A general feeling of being unwell:
- The affected part of the body is tender to the touch:
- Range of motion in the affected part of the body is restricted:
- Lymph nodes (glands) near the affected body part may be swollen:
In teenagers and adults, these symptoms tend to develop within a few weeks of an injury or accident, such as a broken bone . Young children who cannot speak may be unable to report their painful symptoms to you. You should look for the following signs:
Treating Osteomyelitis: Osteomyelitis can be treated with antibiotics , although surgery can also be used in severe cases.
Antibiotics: Acute osteomyelitis , if diagnosed quickly, can be successfully treated with an antibiotic for at least four to six weeks. For part of the treatment, you will need to take the drug intravenously (directly into a vein), usually in the hospital. If you are well enough, you can receive injections as an outpatient, then you can go home the same day.
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Once your symptoms start to improve, a switch is usually made to antibiotic pills that you can take home. In cases of Osteomyelitis , there is a choice of antibiotics available to treat the infection and two antibiotics are often used in combination. This is known as dual therapy. Occasionally, the bacteria causing the infection are resistant to standard antibiotics , and antibiotics that are used less frequently are needed.