Symptoms of osteomyelitis and its treatment

The term "osteomyelitis" means a purulent inflammatory process that affects bone tissue and bone marrow. Currently, there are several classifications of this disease in medicine. Let's briefly consider the main ones. By the method of penetration of the pathogen, osteomyelitis can be hematogenous and post-traumatic. In the first case, the infection penetrates the bones through the circulatory system, and the second cause may be open fractures, gunshot wounds, or an unsuccessful operation. Symptoms of osteomyelitis are also caused by its course: the patient can be diagnosed with acute, chronic and atypical form. By the way, boys suffer from this disease three times more often than girls.

Stages of the disease

The disease "osteomyelitis" in most people develops gradually. First, the pathogen is introduced: the infection can enter the body through an open wound, a furuncle and even a normal abrasion. The second period is bacteremia. Then the microorganisms penetrate the bone. It is then that a person has the first symptoms of osteomyelitis. As a rule, the development of the disease is somehow connected with trauma, as well as a decrease in the local resistance of the organism. The fourth stage is characterized by the formation of a small ulcer in the metaphysis. Gradually, it melts the bony beams and spreads in the direction of the diaphysis. If you do not urgently start treatment, a person may have a thrombosis of the bone vessels. As a result, the bone marrow gradually dies, pus begins to spread under the periosteum. Its detachment begins, the bone dies. Toxic products are absorbed into the bloodstream, the pressure inside the osseous canal increases.
Symptoms of osteomyelitis at this stage are expressed by severe pain. If the periosteum melts completely, pus penetrates into soft tissues. By the way, the formation of intermuscular phlegmon is characterized by a reduction in pain. Finally, the disease goes into a chronic phase.

How is the disease diagnosed?

Symptoms of osteomyelitis are very pronounced from the very beginning. A person jumps to a temperature of 40 degrees, there is a headache, insomnia, weakness. After a few days, the pain sensations are localized in the area of the lesion, intensifying with each movement. After a while a swelling is formed - it is explained by the formation of an abscess. In order for it to break through into the surrounding tissues, usually a week is enough.

Chronic osteomyelitis: symptoms and treatment

If the disease becomes chronic, the patient's feelings change. The pain becomes permanent, in the area of the pathological focus there is a non-healing fistula. At each exacerbation, it closes, which provokes another temperature jump. On the roentgenogram, the bone looks much thicker than normal, the osseous canal, on the contrary, is narrowed. At whatever stage you identify the disease, treatment must begin immediately. Otherwise, the bones may be deformed.

Among the possible complications should also be called the formation of false joints and their ankylosing. It is usually possible to kill the infection with antibiotics. In particularly severe cases, detoxification solutions and laser irradiation of blood are used. To get rid of discomfort, the doctor prescribes painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs. If conservative treatment does not work for several months, the patient is shown surgery.