Do you feel as if some bones of your body are inflamed or swollen? Are you suffering from any chronic conditions like kidney failure or diabetes? These may be due to a condition known as osteomyelitis. Your bones are a vital part of your body as they maintain your posture, help you move around, and, most importantly, hold your internal organs and skin in place. If you feel like you are going through a bone infection in San Antonio, continue reading the article further to be better informed.
What is a Bone Infection?
Bone infections occur when these infections travel from tissues close by or via the bloodstream. If an injury results in germ exposure to bones, infections may occur.
People with chronic diseases like kidney failure or diabetes and smokers are at a higher risk of getting bone infections. Diabetes patients may get osteomyelitis in their feet if they have foot ulcers.
Osteomyelitis was once considered incurable but can now be treated. Treatment plans mainly involve the removal of the dead parts of the bone. This is followed by the use of powerful intravenous antibiotics.
Signs and Symptoms of Osteomyelitis
The most typical symptoms are as follows:
· Warmth, swelling, and redness around the site of infection
· Fever
· Fatigue
· Pain around the area of infection
In many cases, the signs of osteomyelitis are unnoticeable or are disguised as symptoms of other ailments. This mainly happens to persons whose immune systems are not strong such as older adults or infants.
Causes of Osteomyelitis
Staphylococcus bacteria are the typical germs that cause bone infections. These germs are found in the nose or on the skin of even healthy individuals. These germs can get to your bones in a variety of ways that include:
· Injuries- Extreme puncture wounds may cause germs to travel inside your body. Infection of the wound may lead to germs spreading to a bone close by. A broken bone sticking out of your skin may also encourage germs to get into your body.
· The bloodstream- Germs from other body parts, i.e., in the bladder from a urinary tract infection or lungs from pneumonia, may travel through your bloodstream to a weak part of your bone.
· Surgery- Surgeries may cause direct contamination through contact with germs to your bones when repairing fractures or replacing joints.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Diagnosis starts with your physician feeling the area surrounding the infected bone for any swelling, warmth, or tenderness. To determine what germs are causing infection, your doctor may employ a variety of tests such as:
· Blood tests to reveal high levels of white blood cells
· Imaging tests like magnetic resonance imaging, x-rays, or computerized tomography
· Bone biopsies to identify the infecting germ
Treatment involves surgeries to :
· Remove affected tissue and bone
· Drain infected area
· Restore blood flow to the bone
· Amputate the limb
· Remove any foreign objects
Bone infections were once considered ailments that no treatment plans would get rid of. However, technological advancements have enabled the condition’s management and effective treatment. Please go through our website or call our offices in San Antonio, TX, to book a consultation.
