There are numerous non-neoplastic bone diseases. According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Disorders (NIAMS)--a division of the National Institutes of Health--bone is a living tissue that consists primarily of collagen--a protein that helps form a bone's soft framework. Non-neoplastic or non-tumor bone diseases can occur in people of all ages and range in severity from mild to marked. Certain non-neoplastic bone diseases can significantly affect a person's quality of life.
Achondroplasia
Achondroplasia is a non-neoplastic bone disease. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), achondroplasia is a bone growth disorder that causes the most common form of dwarfism. The NIH states that achondroplasia is a genetic disorder that's inherited from a parent. For a child to develop achondroplasia, one of his parents must contribute the defective gene, therefore, if one parent possesses the defective gene, the child has a 50 percent chance of inheriting the disorder. If both parents have achondroplasia, their offspring will have a 75 percent chance of developing achondroplasia. Common signs and symptoms associated with achondroplasia include the following: bowed legs, reduced muscle tone, a large head relative to body size, a prominent forehead, short arms and legs, short stature, spinal canal narrowing, excessive spinal curvature and prominent buttocks. According to the NIH, a person with achondroplasia will rarely reach 5 feet in height.
Osteomyelitis
Osteomyelitis is a non-neoplastic bone disease. The Cleveland Clinic--one of the top four hospitals in the United States--states that osteomyelitis is an infection of the bone. Osteomyelitis can be caused by numerous microbial agents, especially staphylococcus aureus. Conditions that increase the likelihood of a bone-related staphylococcus aureus infection include the following: a fracture in which bone ends puncture the skin, an infection in another body part that spreads to the bone via the blood, a secondary infection from a blood clot that forms around the bone due to a minor injury and a chronic soft tissue infection that spreads to the bone. According to the Cleveland Clinic, osteomyelitis occurs in about one in every 5,000 people. If left untreated, osteomyelitis can reduce blood supply to the involved bone, which can cause bone tissue to die. Certain people have a greater risk of osteomyelitis than others, including diabetics, people with compromised immune systems and the elderly.
Acromegaly
Acromegaly is a non-neoplastic bone disease. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disorders (NIDDK)--a division of the National Institutes of Health--acromegaly is a hormonal disorder caused by excessive amounts of growth hormone in the body. Acromegaly--or gigantism, if the condition occurs during a person's physical development phase--is characterized by enlargement of the hands, nose, feet, ears and lips, soft tissue swelling of the organs, skull expansion, pronounced brow and lower jaw protrusion and tongue enlargement. The NIDDK states that other common acromegaly-related signs and symptoms include the following: achy joints, thick skin, skin tags, voice deepening, sleep apnea, excessive sweating, skin odor, fatigue, weakness, headache, reduced vision, sexual dysfunction in men and menstrual cycle abnormalities in women.
