Your skeletal system, made of up of your bones, joints, tendons and ligaments, provides your body with structure and stability. Sometimes an infection, injury, lack of blood flow or genetic problems may wreak havoc on the skeleton. Osteomyelitis, osteochodritis dissecans and fibrous dysplasia are diseases that occur in the skeletal system.
Osteomyelitis
Osteomyelitis refers to a bone infection. According to the Mayo Clinic, these infections reach your bone via infected blood. Symptoms of osteomyelitis include a fever, bone pain, bone swelling, warmth or redness and chronic fatigue. Worsened osteomyelitis is characterized by drainage from any open wounds near the affected site. The Mayo Clinic says that osteomyelitis typically affects leg bones, arm bones and spine and pelvic bones.
Osteomyelitis treatment includes surgery to drain the infection, remove the infected bone and to allow blood to flow back into your bone. Intraveneous (through the vein) antibiotics are available to treat the infection if you are unable to undergo surgery. The Mayo Clinic says that you will take these antibiotics for four to six weeks, sometimes for a greater period of time depending upon the severity of osteomyelitis.
Osteochondritis Dissecans
Osteochondritis dissecans is a condition in which your bone doesn't receive adequate blood supply. Typically, blood vessels run within your bone to provide it with essential nutrients. Without it, your bones can die and become necrotic. The Mayo Clinic says that osteochodritis dissecans' typical symptoms include limping, pain, locking of your joints, stiffness, problems moving your joints and swelling or skin tenderness over your joints. Typically, your knees, elbows, hips and ankles are the bones stricken with osteochondritis dissecans.
Treatment includes resting and not taking part in activities that require a lot of movement and immobilizing your joint with braces or splints. You can also take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen or naproxen sodium and take part in physical therapy. Surgery becomes an option when these measures do not work. Your surgeon will remove your cartilage and use pins and screws to stabilize your bone.
Fibrous Dysplasia
Fibrous dysplasia refers to a genetic condition in which your bone grows abnormally. The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgery says that this type of condition occurs prior to birth as the gene that encodes your bone is mutated or altered.
Physical signs of fibrous dysplasia include bone fractures, severe bone pain, deformity of your face, pelvic or leg deformities and arthritis. Fibrous dysplasia sufferers can also display hormonal problems affecting the thyroid, adrenal glands, parathyroid gland and pituitary gland, says the AAOS. Thyroid problems can lead to anxiety and weight loss. Problems with your parathyroid gland can lead to high blood calcium levels. Problems with your adrenal glands can lead to diabetes and weight gain while disturbances of your pituitary gland can lead to overgrowth of your bones and gigantism (a condition in which you are larger than the average person).
Treatment for fibrous dysplasia includes taking bisphosphonates to increase your bone density and prevent bone breakdown. You can also undergo surgery to repair fractures and bone abnormalities.
