Osteomyelitis: Overview, Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

What is Osteomyelitis?

Osteomyelitis is an inflammatory bone or bone marrow infection. Any fungal or bacterial infection in the bloodstream enters the bone tissue. Major osteomyelitis causes include surgery or an injury that leads to an open wound.

Osteomyelitis symptoms include muscle spasms and deep pain in the body tissues accompanied by inflammation and fever.

Bone infections generally develop in long bones like that of our arms or legs, pelvis, or spine. With modernization in treatment techniques, osteomyelitis treatment can save the infected bone and can also prevent the spread of infection.

Osteomyelitis treatment if not initiated at the right time can even halt the supply of blood to the affected tissues that can ultimately lead to the death of the bone tissue. People who smoke or have chronic health complications like kidney failure or diabetes risk developing bone infections.

Osteomyelitis causes

Microorganism commonly, Staphylococcus Aureus can cause bone infection if it reaches the bloodstream. The infection may originate at one part of the body and if left untreated can spread and affect other body parts.

Several other osteomyelitis causes include:

1. A minor trauma that can lead to the formation of a blood clot around the bone which can lead to the development of secondary infection around the bone.

2. Soft tissue infection that extends down to the bone surface can directly lead to bone infection.

3. An open injury in the bone

4. A situation of bacteremia in which bacteria get deposited in the localized bone area which entirely leads to the destruction of the bone. 

How do germs enter the bone?

Germs can reach the bone tissue in a variety of ways:

1. Injury

Several wounds can carry germs into the deeper parts of the body and cause infections.

2. Bloodstream

Germs that are already present at one part of the body can travel to other sites via the bloodstream.

3. Surgery

Surgeries that involve bone replacement or fracture repair can directly lead to contamination by germs.

Osteomyelitis symptoms

The sign and symptoms of osteomyelitis depend on the type of bone infection.

Some common osteomyelitis symptoms include:

• Fever
• Chills
• Sweating
• Pain and swelling in the affected area
• Redness
• Fatigue and lethargy
• Drainage from the wound to the skin.

Other symptoms related to osteomyelitis include a change in walking pattern, swelling in ankles, etc.

There are cases when osteomyelitis is not accompanied by any signs and symptoms, especially in infants and people with weaker immunity.

Diagnosis

Doctors can use several methods to diagnose, depending on the signs and severity of the bone complications.

Physical examination includes inspection of swelling or pain in the foot. Several other diagnostic procedures can also be followed to determine the exact site of injury.

A blood examination is done to check the presence of any viable microorganism in the systemic circulation. Some other tests which can also be used for diagnostic applications include- urine culture, throat swabs, and stool analysis.

A bone scan test is widely performed to reveal the metabolic and cellular activity of the bones. This method uses a radioactive substance to analyze bone tissue. 

In cases where a bone scan test fails to provide any appropriate result regarding injury location, MRI must be performed.

At some times, a bone biopsy is also suggested.

Who can be affected by Osteomyelitis?

These bone complications can affect both children and adults. The causative organism may be different for people of different age groups.

Generally, in adults, the pelvis and vertebrate are the most commonly affected site for other infections. While in children the most affected tissues are the long bones of the hand and legs. 

People who are at a greater risk of developing the disease are

• People with a compromised immune system
• Diabetic people
• Old age people
• Patients who receive hemodialysis regularly.
• Drug abusers
• People with sickle cell anaemia

Treatment

There are several options that our doctor can follow to treat bone infections.

Antibiotics play wonders when used in the cure of bone infection. Antibiotics can be administered intravenously or orally depending on the requirement.

In case of severe infections intravenous route is used for the administration of drugs.

Several bone infections are also well treated by surgery by the removal of the infected bone. 

Prevention 

As of now we already know that people with weak immunity are more prone to develop bone complications and infections, so for weaker immunity people must ensure the following points

• Should maintain hygiene, regularly wash hands 
• Consumption of a properly balanced diet and practice of regular exercise to boost immunity
• Smoking contributes to weakening immunity, hence it is suggested that people with lower immunity should stop smoking.

Apart from this, the patient who has poor circulation; must:

• Practice exercise regularly to improve circulation
• Should avoid alcohol consumption, as it raises the risk of hypertension and hypercholesterolemia. 
• Stop smoking, as it hampers circulation

Follow a healthy diet to maintain proper body weight.

People who easily catch infections should take extra precautions to avoid cuts and scrapes.

Complications 

Several complications related to bone density infections include-

• Septic arthritis

A situation in which infection of bones can spread to other body parts

• Skin cancer

If osteomyelitis infection develops open sore with draining pus, the surrounding skin is at a greater risk to develop cancer.

• Bone death

Bone death is also known as osteonecrosis. An infection in the bone can reduce the blood supply to the bone tissue, which ultimately leads to bone death. The tissue areas which die due to deficiency of blood supply need to be surgically removed.

• Improper growth

The normal growth of bones in children is affected if infection occurs in softer areas called growth plates present at the end of long bones at the arm and legs.

Tip

Always make sure to thoroughly wash and clean wounds in the skin. Also, if the wound does not heal itself in a few weeks make sure to get it checked by the doctor at the earliest.

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