How serious is a bone infection
Your bones and joints are crucial to your general
health. They give your body its structure, shield vital organs, manufacture
blood cells, allow you to move, and a whole lot more. However, your bones and
joints can become contaminated by bacteria that come from a variety of sources.
If not addressed, infections of the bones and joints can have long-term health
Learn more about these
infections' causes, symptoms, and treatments from medical professionals.
How Do Bone and
Joint Infections Develop?
Any bone in the body can become infected, and this condition is referred to as osteomyelitis. Joint infections are infections of the bones' meeting places, the joints. Joint infections may spread to the nearby bone if they worsen over time.
The term "bone infections" refers to a wide range
of infections, including:
- Bone infections that start as blood infections
- Infections in diabetic feet
- Infected spinal cord
- Infections in artificial joints
According to Neel Shah, MD, an infectious disease specialist
at UPMC, "When you combine all of them, they are a fairly prevalent issue
in the world of infectious disease." "Bone and joint infections are
present in around one-third to one-fourth of routine consultations for
infectious diseases. It is becoming more and more typical.
Defines Infections of the Bone and Joints?
While fungal infections can also occur, bacterial infections
are the most common cause of bone and joint diseases.
An injury to the skin covering the bone can cause several
bone infections to start. Although your skin serves as a barrier to protect
your body, any wound can let bacteria in, which then find their way into the
bones. Bone infections frequently result from staph and strep germs, which are
According to Dr. Shah, "Anything that hurts or harms
the overlying skin raises the possibility of an underlying bone
infection." Your body is shielded from infection by a natural barrier
called your skin. Infection can result from any kind of trauma, thus.
Additionally, infections can develop in other places of your
body and travel through the circulation to your bones. An infection may also
result from surgery if there are issues with the bone, joint, or gadget that
factors for infections of the bones and joints
Your chance of developing bone and joint infections can be
influenced by a number of variables, such as:
- A piercing, puncture, or trauma injury
- Injection of drugs
- Either smoking or drinking
- Chronic wounds can be brought on by illnesses like diabetes or vascular disease.
- An inadequate ability to control the wound
- Newly performed joint or bone surgery.
- Immune system dysfunction
TYPES OF INFECTIONS IN BONES AND JOINTS
Acute osteomyelitis and chronic osteomyelitis are the two
main categories of bone infections.
A bone infection called acute osteomyelitis often originates
in the circulation. The infection enters the bloodstream and travels to the
Because the bone is a vascular structure, the infection can
enter the bone through the bloodstream and spread from the inside out,
according to Dr. Shah. "It involves the internal blood vessels of the
bone, which are typically concentrated in the bone marrow, and it works its way
According to Dr. Shah, individuals with acute osteomyelitis
frequently appear ill because the infection starts in their blood. They could
also have an increased white blood cell count, a fever, and erratic vital signs
like low blood pressure or a fast heartbeat.
2. Chronic osteomyelitis
People who have open wounds or skin ulcers on a regular
basis are more likely to develop chronic osteomyelitis. Bacteria collect on the
skin's surface and traverse an open wound to the bone.
According to Dr. Shah, "the bacteria are able to move
down deeper into the tissue structures as the wound or ulcer gets deeper and
deeper." "It involves the underlying bone in the end."
According to Dr. Shah, patients with chronic osteomyelitis
typically don't seem as unwell as those with acute osteomyelitis because it
progresses more slowly. Acute osteomyelitis is normally caused by a single
organism, but chronic osteomyelitis is typically caused by several
BONE AND JOINT INFECTION SYMPTOMS
Pain at the injection site is the most typical sign of bone
and joint infections. It could indicate infection if you
experience persistent soreness and/or shooting pains.
Following are more osteomyelitis signs and symptoms:
- Existing wounds or ulcers getting worse i.e., growing larger, draining, or appearing redder
- Even with good wound care, non-healing wounds.
- The skin over the diseased bone is red or swollen.
- Sweats, chills, or a fever
- Malaise or fatigue
Various symptoms are influenced by the infection's site. For
instance, a spinal infection may be the cause of severe back discomfort that
radiates to your arms and legs. A spinal cord infection may be the cause of
numbness in the arms, legs, and buttocks as well as loss of bowel or bladder
your doctor if you have any of the above symptoms
DIAGNOSIS OF BONE AND JOINT INFECTIONS
Infections can be detected by doctors in a number of ways.
During a physical examination, they can spot indications of a bone infection,
such as exposed bone. They might also do the following tests to identify
- Blood tests
- Bone was included in the biopsy.
- A bone scan
BONE AND JOINT INFECTION TREATMENT
Doctors can start treating an infection after a diagnosis
has been made. The first steps in treatment normally involve surgery to remove
the infection's primary cause and the administration of medications.
Debridement, a surgical procedure, is used to remove
contaminated bone. They clean out the contaminated bone and get rid of the
Cleaning out the contaminated bone is always regarded to be
optimal in an ideal world, according to Dr. Shah. "You get rid of the
majority of the bacteria present in the body at that particular site and you
get rid of the source of the infection."
Surgeons remove the hardware if it is the source of the
illness in your body.
To aid your body in fighting the infection after surgery,
doctors generally prescribe antibiotics. Antibiotics may be the only remedy
required for certain infections.
CAN BONE INFECTIONS BE TREATED?
Early treatment of a bone infection usually results in
better results. The location and severity of the illness, as well as your general health, are factors that can affect recovery.
If neglected, bone infections can result in growth
impairment, septic arthritis, and even amputation. Septic arthritis is an
infection that spreads to neighboring joints.
According to Dr. Shah, "the vast majority of cases are
completely treatable." "As things get worse, it gets tougher to treat
them without resorting to more extreme procedures, such as amputation and
protracted antibiotic treatments. The easier it is to treat, the sooner it is
detected and found.
BONE INFECTION PREVENTION
The best defense against bone infections is excellent wound
care. The right wound care can help keep infections at bay.
Controlling your underlying illness will help avoid
infections if you have a condition like diabetes that could lead to persistent
Adopting a healthy lifestyle and refraining from using
drugs, alcohol, and tobacco can also be helpful.
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