Osteomyelitis
What Is Osteomyelitis ?
Osteomyelitis is a condition caused by either bacteria or fungi in which the bone gets infected. The condition occurs when bacteria manage to penetrate through the body's blood stream and reach the bone causing an infection. Although osteomyelitis affects people of all ages it can be treated and it is curable. However if the infection is not treated in time or is detected quite late it can be serious and dangerous. One should consult a doctor immediately if they experience any sort of bone pain combined with fecer as it could be a case of osteomyelitis.
Symptoms:
Typical symptoms that would indicate an osteomyelitis infection are intense pain the infected bone, soreness and redness around the affected region, fever, irritation and tiredness.
Causes:
Osteomyelitis is usually caused by staph bacteria such as staphylococcus aureus but can also be caused by fungi as well. The infection occurs when bacteria are able to fight past our body's defense system and move directly into the bloodstream. They then either directly infect the bone or may infect other tissues or parts of the body. Bacteria that infect other body parts or tissues may also eventually reach the bone causing osteomyelitis. Conditions that make it favourable for for bacteria to penetrate into the bloodstream are open wounds, puncture wounds, fractures or even a weakened immune system caused by diseases such as HIV and diabetes.
Osteomyelitis infections that occur through the bloodstream usually affect children and in adults infections acquired through the bloodstream are quite rare. Osteomyelitis can also occur due to poor circulation of blood on the system as the body is unable to respond well enough to the infection.
People At Risk:
Osteomyelitiscan affect people of all ages but is found to infect more men than women. Elderly adults with weak immunity are also more prone to acquire an osteomyelitis infection of the spine. Also people who have undergone a surgical procedure to replace broken bones or joints may develop an osteomyelitis infection.
Diagnosis:
To diagnose and confirm that an individual has an osteomyelitis infection the following tests may be done:
Blood Sample Test:
A blood test cannot be used to come to a conclusion that an individual is affected wth osteomyelitis but it is done to help determine what germs are affecting the individual as well as other factors (increase in WBC's) that would indicate whether the body is threatened and is defending itself against an infection.
Scans:
An X- ray, CT scan or MRI scan of the region may be done to determine whether the bone has been damaged and if so to what extent the damage has been done.
Other Tests:
Other tests that may be done include a biopsy of the bone to determine what pathogens are causing the infection in the bone. A bone biopsy would involve the insertion of a long needle into the bone to carry out the needed analysis. Before the biopsy is done, local anaesthetic is usually given to the individual.
Complications:
Osteomyelitis infections can usually be treated but in some cases the infection may return again and infect the bones. If the infection occurs again (or) if it goes undetected for many years it could lead to the death of the bone. If the infection turns out to be very serious, the infected limb may need to be surgically amputated.
Treatment:
Osteomyelitis treatment is generally done with the use of antibiotics and surgery. In the surgical procedure the area surrounding the infected bone may be drained out if there is a collection of pus and fluid in the region. Then the infected region of the bone may be surgically removed and other infected tissues are taken out as well. The void left by this procedure is then filled with another healthy bone or tissues taken from other parts of the body. Once the individual is healthy enough, a bone graft may also be done to restore blood vessels and help in forming new bones.
In the case of people who are extremely sick and weak, surgery might not be a viable option. In such cases antibiotics may be prescribed instead. Taking antibiotics though could be less effective and may not result in a complete recovery from the infection. One would probably be asked to take the antibiotics for about 5 to 7 weeks or in some cases even for life.
Prevention:
Maintaining a healthy and nutritious diet by taking plenty of fruits and vegetable and cleaning any cuts and wounds thoroughly with clean water and soap can help in lowering one's chance of developing an osteomyelitis infection.
