When your bone interferes with your body’s normal recycling process is known as Paget’s disease. It is a process of getting new bone tissues in the place of old bone tissue and it is considered as the most common type of bone disease. Your bones will become fragile when you are affected by this disease. The following are the most common parts of your body this disease normally occurs. These include
- Pelvis
- Legs
- Spine, and
- Skull
As you grow older, you will increase your chances of getting diagnosed with this disease. Also, if any of the members in your family affected by this disease in the past, chances of you will be affected by this disease in the future.
Overview
The following are the complications of Paget’s disease of bone. These include
- Broken bones
- Hearing loss, and
- Pinched nerves in your spine
In order to strengthen your weakened bones, your physician may recommend medications. If the medications are unable to show promising results, surgery may be the best option for you. The main objective of this disease is to create a new bone in the place of old bone but unfortunately, it will happen in the incorrect locations. This process will make people to experience
- Weakness in the bones
- Fractures
- Arthritis
- Pain in the bone
- Deformities
People who are affected by Paget’s disease of bone disease may not know that they are affected by it and it is due to the indicators of this disease that are often mild and undetectable. It will take a long time to heal for a person who has a fractured bone due to Paget’s disease. Due to the faults in the bone, the healing process will take time.
What are the Indicators of Paget’s disease of bone?
People who are suffering from this disease are not aware that they are affected by it. It is due to most people don’t experience the symptoms of the disease. The symptoms are often mild or undetectable. People may think that the symptoms they are experiencing are due to other bone diseases like arthritis.
The following are the common symptoms of bone disease. These includes
- Swelling of joints
- Tenderness
- Redness of the skin
- Hip pain
- Hearing loss
- Headaches
- Pain in the arm
- Pain in the leg
- Tingling
- Numbness in an arm or leg
If you are experiencing the above symptoms, we would advise you to consult your primary care provider immediately. Your symptoms will depend on which area the disease is completely affected. It might affect 1 or 2 areas of your body and you will experience the symptoms based on that.
Have a word with your physician
We would advise you to have a word with your physician if you are experiencing severe pain in your bones and joints, bone deformities, and an unexplained hearing loss. You should consult a doctor before the condition becomes serious.
What are the causes of Paget’s disease of bone?
The main cause of this disease is still not clear. But one thing is true that anyone in your family member was diagnosed with this disease in the past, there are high chances of you may get diagnosed with it. It has been observed in research that more than thirty percent of cases came from the family member. It means already one person in their family was diagnosed with this disease in the past.
Another theory is that if a person is affected by this disease in his or her childhood and it is due to a virus called measles. It has been observed in a study that the measles virus has the capability of changing the mechanism of formation of the bone, and it will contribute to Paget’s disease.
However, this point lacks evidence, and researchers have not identified a clear connection between the measles and this bone disease. It has been observed in research that the number of people who are diagnosed with this disease is decreasing over the last twenty-five years. As many countries discovering vaccines on their own, it results in a significant drop in the number of people who are affected by Paget’s bone disease.
What are the complications of Paget’s disease of bone?
Vision problems, arthritis, loose teeth, hearing loss, Paget’s sarcoma cancer, heart diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and issues in the nervous system are the complications of Paget’s disease of bone.
People can prevent the above complications if they identify the symptoms of this disease early and consult their physician. we would advise people who are experiencing the symptoms of Paget’s disease of bone to have a word with their primary care provider. If you are suffering from this disease along with osteoporosis, then your physician may recommend several medications to treat both conditions.
What are the Risk factors of this disease?
The following are the factors that are increasing your chances of getting diagnosed with this disease. These includes
Age
People who are more than forty years old have higher chances of getting diagnosed with this disease.
Gender
This disease is affecting men more than women.
National origin
People from England, Greece, Scotland, and central Europe are mostly affected by Paget’s disease. Asia is the least affected country of this disease.
Family history
If any member in your family was affected by this disease in the past, then you have more chances of getting diagnosed with this disease in the future.
How is Paget’s disease of bone diagnosed?
To diagnose this disease, your physician may examine several parts of the human body that are contributing to the pain you are suffering. Along with the physical examination, your physician may also recommend imaging tests such as X-rays, and bone scans.
Imaging tests
Imaging tests can provide the necessary information to the doctors. Health professionals are able to confirm the diagnosis of Paget’s disease of bone with the help of imaging tests.
X-rays: The abnormalities are the first indication of this disease and it can be found on X-rays. It will show the clear images of your bones. The characteristics of this disease can be found with the help of an X-ray. The following are the characteristics of bone disease. These includes
- Reabsorption of the bones
- Enlargement of the bones
- Deformities of the bones
Bone scan: This test is used to identify the spots on your bones that are affected by the Paget’s disease of bone. It will happen with the help of a radioactive material injected into your body through your veins.
Blood tests: People who are suffering from the Paget’s disease of bone have their blood filled with alkaline phosphate. Doctors found this with the help of conducting a blood test.
How is Paget’s disease of bone treated?
If you are not experiencing any symptoms of the disease, then you don’t need to worry about taking treatment. However, if any of the above tests revealed that you have an elevated alkaline phosphatase level in your blood and is slowly affecting all parts of your body such as pelvis, and legs, your healthcare provider may suggest a treatment to ease the symptoms of the disease.
Medications
Bisphosphonates are the drugs are used to treat the osteoporosis disease and these drugs can also control the Paget’s disease of bone. These drugs are the most common type of drugs to treat this disease. Bisphosphonates are your physician’s first choice of drugs to prescribe for your condition. These drugs are also available in injections. Some people take these drugs by mouth, while others given by injection.
Alendronate (Fosamax), Zoledronic acid (Zometa, Reclast), Ibandronate (Boniva), Risedronate (Actonel), and Pamidronate (Aredia) are examples of Osteoporosis drugs. These drugs can irritate your gastrointestinal tract (GI). If you are unable to adjust to these drugs, then your physician may recommend calcitonin (Miacalcin). This drug can regulate your calcium levels and improves the metabolism of your bone. The following are the side effects of this drug. These includes
- Nausea
- Facial flushing
- Irritation
Surgery
In order to heal the fractures, your physician may recommend surgery, and surgery is necessary when your joints need to be replaced due to the damage caused by arthritis. Surgeons can fix your deformed bones and reduce the pressure on nerves by performing surgery to you. In order to prevent blood loss during the surgery, your physician may recommend some medications to you.
How to Prevent Paget’s disease?
It is very difficult to prevent this disease as the risk of this condition grows as you age. But, doing exercises and not gaining weight can give you relief from the joints and bones. You are able to maintain joint mobility with the help of doing exercises.
We would advise you to consult your physician before you would like to start any exercises to prevent Paget’s disease. Don’t put too much pressure on your bones and joints as it may lead to further injury.
Conclusion
There is no full cure is available for Paget’s disease of bone. Recognizing the symptoms of this disease and consulting your primary care provider is the first step towards your recovery. During the treatment, if you are experiencing any complications and side effects, then we would advise you to have a word with your physician. He or she may change the dosage of your medication or switch you to another drug.
References
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5309316/
- https://www.rheumatology.org/I-Am-A/Patient-Caregiver/Diseases-Conditions/Pagets-Disease-of-Bone
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5266784/
Sirisha B