Your bones provide you with the framework to stay upright, and the physical capabilities for a wide range of movements. The bones provide shape and support to your body. Besides providing support to your body, your bones also protect your inner body organs from injury and damage, like your ribs in the chest protect your lungs, while your skull protects your brain.
Your bones are made with living tissues that contain collagen, phosphate, and calcium, making them strong as well as flexible at the same time. From a traumatic leg fracture to the disorders that gradually affect bones and joints, bone disorders come in many forms.
Here, we have described the common bone disorders:
Osteoporosis
The disease causes your bones to become weak due to change in bone mineral density and mass. Due to weakness, the bones are exposed to the higher risk of fractures. The patient most often is not able to notice any symptoms until the bone breaks. That’s why, osteoporosis is called a silent disease. The fractures in the bones can occur anywhere but these typically occur in the hip, spine, and wrist.
Fractures
A fracture occurs when the bone it is put under sudden or very strong force, or pressure. Sports-related injuries are the most common causes of fractures. Elderly are also at an increased risk of getting fractures. Fractures can be closed/open, or incomplete/complete. The closed or simple fracture happens when the broken bone does not break the skin. In an open fracture, the bone tears through the skin. Incomplete fracture is when the bone cracks without breaking completely. Complete fracture happens when the bone is snapped or crushed into two or more pieces.
Osteoarthritis
This joint disorder occurs when the cartilage between two joints is worn down. This causes the bone of the joints to rub against each other, resulting in stiffness and swelling in the area. Risk factors of osteoarthritis include advanced age, being overweight, and the intensity of joint activities.
Gout
This common form of inflammatory arthritis is marked by intense pain due to too much uric acid in the body around the joint. The disorder can also occur less commonly in toe joints, knees, and ankles.
Bone cancer
Though rare, bone cancer can spread to other parts of the body. Multiple myeloma is a type of blood cancer that interferes with bone marrow function and the production of new bones in the pelvis and ribs.
Bursitis
This bone disorder is characterized by inflammation in a small fluid-filled sac called bursa. It serves as a between the bone and other moving parts like muscles, tendons and joints.
Symptoms of bone diseases:
- Joint stiffness (arthritis)
- Decreased joint function
- Decreased range of motion
- Persistent morning joint stiffness (rheumatoid arthritis)
- Bone pain at rest
- Bumps on small finger joints (osteoarthritis)
- Bone or joint pain with activity
Diagnosis of bone disease
Diagnosis of bone diseases starts with musculoskeletal exam of the joint, or injured area. The doctor may also look for muscle weakness and muscle imbalance. Imaging tests such as X-rays, MRI, and ultrasound can also be conducted by the doctor to determine the severity of the condition. A bone density scan called a DEXA scan can also be used to diagnose the disease.
Treatment of bone disorders
Treatment will depend upon the disorder or the bone disease. For rheumatoid arthritis, medications like methotrexate can be given to slow down its progression. Low-dose steroids can also be prescribed for short-term treatment. For osteoporosis, biophosphonate, such as Fosamax, can be prescribed. Surgical replacement of large joints, such as knee replacement, or hip replacement, may be needed in the case of osteoarthritis.