Bad to the Bone: Osteomyelitis

Bone infections are caused by bacteria or fungi and may occur after an injury when the bone is exposed to germs, or when infections that start elsewhere in the body reach the bones via the bloodstream. Osteomyelitis can occur in children or adults, and the symptoms may be more acute in children.

Symptoms of osteomyelitis include:

• Pain in the leg (or other infected area)
• Swelling and tenderness
• Fever
• Drainage from the area of infection

If you have poor circulation, have recently had orthopedic surgery, or use a catheter or receive dialysis, you are at increased risk for osteomyelitis.

Sometimes people with osteomyelitis have symptoms that last for years, but there’s no need to suffer unnecessarily. A specialist can evaluate osteomyelitis and prescribe antibiotics to tame the infection. Surgery is needed in some cases to remove diseased bone and restore blood flow.

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