Paget’s disease of bone interferes with your body’s normal recycling process, in which new bone tissue gradually replaces old bone tissue. Over time, the disease can cause affected bones to become fragile and misshapen. Paget’s disease of bone most commonly occurs in the pelvis, skull, spine, and legs.

It is right that by aging the risk of this disease increases. Another point that can make the risk of this disease higher is inheritance. If one of your family members has this disease other are at risk too. There are so many complications with this disorder that some of them are broken bones, hearing loss and pinched nerves in your spine.

There are so many medications that can be used for Paget’s disease that are used to strengthen the bones which are weakened by this disorder. But sometimes surgery is needed for patients who are in great danger with this disease.

Paget’s disease Symptoms

There are so many symptoms for Paget’s disease but most people who have this disease have no symptoms. When other symptoms occur, there is one which most people have in common and that the bone pain.

As in this disorder, your body will generate the new bones faster than normal speed, there is rapid modeling in which bone produces and they are softer and weaker than normal bones, this can cause great bone pain, deformities, and fractures.  Paget’s disease also may affect only one or two areas of your body or more. It also can widespread. Your signs and symptoms, if any, will depend on the affected part of your body.

Pelvis

If the Paget’s disease happens in the pelvis, it can cause you the hip pain.

Skull

As you know when this disorder happens in your skull, your head will be highly affected and an overgrowth bone may cause hearing loss or headaches.

Spine

If the part which is affected is the spine, nerves normal root will be compressed. This one can cause pain, tingling, and numbness in an arm or leg.

Leg

Sometimes the bones in leg are going to weaken during the Paget’s disease. It can cause you to become bowlegged. Mostly enlarged and misshaped bones are the results of this disease. This oversizing in bones can put some extra stress on the joints nearby, in which the osteoarthritis in your knee and hip will also be affected.

If you have the following symptoms you should be checked by a doctor:

• Pain in your bones and joints
• Tingling and weakness in an extremity
• Bone deformities
• Unexplained hearing loss, especially if only on one side

Causes

There are some factors which can increase the risk of Paget’s disease that we will name some of them here:

Age

It is right that by aging, some problems can happen to you which are unavoidable. People who are more than 40 years old are most likely to develop the Paget’s disease of bones more than others.

Sex

Another thing that can make a difference in Paget’s disease is sex. Men are more commonly affected by this disease than women. 

National Origins

There are some places in which the risk of Paget’s disease is more than others. Among all, we can name England, Scotland and central Europe. It is more uncommon in some areas like Scandinavia in Asia.

Family background

If you have relatives with this disorder, you should know that Paget’s disease can run in the family and you more likely to develop the condition.

Complications

There are so many complications in Paget’s disease. Also in most people who are affected by this disorder, the disease progresses slowly but it can be managed well in nearly all people. Here we are going to familiarize you with the possible complications:

• Deformities along with the Fractures:

The affected bones may break easily. Also there are extra blood vessels in these deformed bones and can cause them to bleed more during the repairing progress after surgery. The leg bones can bow in which the ability to walk will be affected.

• Osteoarthritis

Some bones are going to be misshaped and it can increase the amount of stress in the nearby joints. This will cause osteoarthritis.

• Neurologic problems

There are so many neurologic problems when this disorder happens it can affect the nerves which are passing through the bone, such as the spine and skulls. The bone which you can see the overgrowth in, can damage the nerves, cause a lot of pain, weakens or tingling in the arm or leg or even cause the loss of hearing.

• Heart failure

There are so many cases in which the Paget’s disease happens extensively, it may even force the heart to work harder to pump the blood to different areas in the body which can lead to heart failure.

• Bone cancer

One percent of people will come to bone cancer as a result of the Paget’s disease

Diagnosis

During the physical exam, your doctor will examine areas of your body that are causing you pain. The doctor may also order imaging and blood tests that can help to diagnose Paget’s disease of bone.

Imaging tests

Bone changes common to Paget’s disease of bone can be revealed by:

• X-rays. The first indication of Paget’s disease of bone is often abnormalities found on X-rays done for other reasons. X-ray images of your bones can show areas of bone reabsorption, enlargement of the bone and deformities that are characteristic of Paget’s disease of bone, such as bowing of your long bones.
• Bone scan. In a bone scan, radioactive material is injected into your body. This material travels to the spots on your bones most affected by Paget’s disease of bone, so they light up on the scan images.

Lab tests

People who have Paget’s disease of bone usually have elevated levels of alkaline phosphatase in their blood, which can be revealed by a blood test.

Treatment

If you don’t have symptoms, you might not need treatment. However, if the disease is active — indicated by an elevated alkaline phosphatase level — and is affecting high-risk sites in your body, such as your skull or spine, your doctor might recommend treatment to prevent complications, even if you don’t have symptoms.

Medications

Osteoporosis drugs (bisphosphonates) are the most common treatment for Paget’s disease of bone. Some bisphosphonates are taken by mouth, while others are given by injection. Oral bisphosphonates are generally well-tolerated, but they may irritate your gastrointestinal tract.

Surgery

In rare cases, surgery might be required to:

• Help fractures heal
• Replace joints damaged by severe arthritis
• Realign deformed bones
• Reduce pressure on nerves

Paget’s disease of bone often causes the body to produce too many blood vessels in the affected bones, increasing the risk of serious blood loss during an operation.

If you’re scheduled for surgery that involves bones affected by Paget’s disease, your doctor might prescribe medications to reduce the activity of the disease, which may help reduce blood loss during surgery.

Lifestyle and home remedies

To reduce your risk of complications associated with Paget’s disease of bone, try these tips:

• Prevent falls. Paget’s disease of bone puts you at high risk of bone fractures. Ask your doctor for advice on preventing falls. He or she may recommend that you use a cane or a walker.
• Fall-proof your home. Remove slippery floor coverings, use nonskid mats in your bathtub or shower, tuck away cords, and install handrails on stairways and grab bars in your bathroom.
• Eat well. Be sure your diet includes adequate levels of calcium and vitamin D, which helps bones absorb calcium.
• Exercise regularly. Regular exercise is essential for maintaining joint mobility and bone strength. Talk to your doctor before beginning an exercise program to determine the right type, duration, and intensity of exercise for you.

 

In brief…

Paget’s disease of bone interferes with your body’s normal recycling process, in which new bone tissue gradually replaces old bone tissue. Over time, the disease can cause affected bones to become fragile and misshapen. Paget’s disease of bone most commonly occurs in the pelvis, skull, spine and legs.