Padget’s Disease of the Bone
Padget’s disease of the bone disrupts the normal cycle of bone renewal, causwing bones to become weakened and possibly deforrmed
Here in the UK it is a fairly common disease especially in the elderly. It is very rare in people under the age of 50.
However, there are treatments that can help to keep it under control for many years but unfortunately it can cause persistent pain and a range of other problems in some people.
Symptoms
Padget’s Disease can affect just one bone or sometimes several bones. The commonly affected areas include the pelvis, spine, skull, shoulders, and legs.
- Symptoms can include
- A constant dull ache or pain in the bones.
- Joint pain including stiffness and swelling.
- Shooting pains that travel across or along the body.
- Numbness and tingling or even loss of movement in specific parts of the body.
- Symptoms may seem worse during the night.
- The affected area may feel warm to the touch.
Abnormal bone growth can also result in squashing or damaging a nearby nerve. Symptoms here would include:
- Sciatica – pain travelling down the legs from your spine.
- Pain travelling from you neck into your chest and arms.
- Peripheral Neuropathy – numbness in the affected limbs.
- Restricted movement in your limbs.
- Balance problems.
- Loss of bowel or bladder control.
However, in many cases, there are no symptoms at all and the condition can sometimes only be diagnosed during tests carried out for another reason!
When should you see your GP?
Contact your GP or Health Care Worker if you have:
Persistent bone pain, aches or joint pain.
Deformities in any of your bones
Symptoms of nerve problems including numbness, tingling or loss of movement
Your GP will organise specific tests to check out your bones and joints and will look for problems such as Padget’s Disease of the Bone.
Causes of Padget’s Disease of the Bone
Bone cells regenerate in similar ways to the skin where old bone is removed and replaced by new bone. This process is known as ‘remodelling’. There are two cells that are responsible for this process:-
Osteoclasts – these are cells that absorb the old bone
Osteoblasts – these are cells that make the new bone
In Padget’s Disease of the Bone it is a problem with the ‘osteoclast cells’ where they start to absorb the bone at a much faster rate than normal
The Osteoblasts then try to produce the new bone much more quickly making the new bone much larger and weaker than normal.
It is not clear why this happens or what triggers it, but it would seem you are at a higher risk if there is family history of the disease. It could be a genetic fault that makes you much more likely to develop the condition.
Diagnosis
Padget’s disease of the bone can be diagnosed with simple blood tests and x-rays or scans.
Treatment
Sadly there is currently no cure for this condition but having treatment will help to relieve the symptoms. Your GP may decide not to take any action so long as you do not have any problems or symptoms and will keep an eye on things should any problems occur
The treatments to date are:
Medicines that help control bone regeneration known as Bisphosphonate medication
Painkillers such as paracetamol and ibuprofen
Supportive therapies such as physiotherapy and occupational therapy where they can supply aids such as walking sticks or shoe inserts and advise on exercises and techniques to reduce the pain
Supplements of calcium and vitamin D if needed.
If further problems develop, such as fractures, deformities or severe joint damage it may be necessary to have surgery.
Problems Caused by Padget’s Disease of the Bone
In some cases, this disease can lead to further, more serious problems including:
Fragile bones that break more easily than normal
Enlarged or misshapen bones
Too much calcium in the blood
Heart problems
If the skull is affected it can cause permanent hearing loss
Bone cancer (although this is very rare)
