Paget's Disease Treatment & Symptom

Paget's disease is the most common form of bone inflammation, or osteitis. The bones become weakened, soft and abnormally enlarged. It is most frequently occur in the pelvic and leg bones, skull, and lower spine. Paget's disease tends to affect people over the age of 40 years, with around three percent of this age group affected. The rate increases to about 10 percent in people over 80 years of age. It affects men and women equally. Paget's disease is more common in Europe (excluding Scandinavia), Australia, and New Zealand than in the Americas, Africa, and Asia. It is particularly common in England. Normally, cells that break down old bone and cells that form new bone work in balance to maintain bone structure and integrity. In Paget's disease, both osteoclasts and osteoblasts become overactive in some areas of bone, and the rate at which bone is broken down and rebuilt in these areas increases tremendously. The overactive areas enlarge but are structurally abnormal and therefore weaker than normal areas. The cause of Paget's disease is unknown. Although the disorder tends to run in families, no specific genetic pattern has been discovered. Some evidence suggests that a virus (the paramyxovirus) is involved. Even if it is, there is no evidence that the disorder is contagious.

Paget's disease is a chronic bone disorder that is due to irregular breakdown and formation of bone tissue. Paget's disease can cause bones to expand and weaken and may result in bone pain, arthritis , bone deformity and fractures. The disease is named after a mid-19th-century English surgeon, Sir James Paget, who also identified Paget's disease of the breast. Other than sharing his name, however, the two conditions are unrelated. Even after you've reached your full height, your bones don't stop growing. Bone is living tissue engaged in a continual process of renewal. During this constant process called remodeling, old bone is removed and replaced by new bone. Paget's disease of bone disrupts this process. Early in the course of the disease, old bone starts breaking down faster than new bone can be built. Over time, your body responds by generating new bone at a faster than normal rate. The disease may affect only one or two areas of your body, or may be widespread. Often, people with Paget's disease of bone have no symptoms at all and may not require treatment other than regular monitoring. But if signs or symptoms are troublesome, treatment for Paget's disease of bone is available in the form of medications or surgery.

Causes of Paget's Disease

Common Causes of Paget's Disease :

• The cause of Paget's disease is unknown.
• Heredity problem may be another possible cause of paget's disease.
• Paget's may be caused by a 'slow virus' infection of bone cells. It is called 'slow' because the virus may settle in the bone cells early in life and only cause the disease many years later.
• Viral infection can lead to disease of bone i.e. paget's disease

Symptoms of Paget's Disease

Some common Symptoms of Paget's Disease :

• Headache.
• Bone fractures.
• Constant fatigue.
• Stiffness in the joints.
• Warmth in your skin over the affected area.
• Enlarged bones.
• Damaged cartilage in joints.

Treatment of Paget's Disease

• Bisphosphonates, calcitonin, NSAIDs, plicamycin .
• The nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin and ibuprofen are usually effective for getting relief from pain.
• To maintain skeletal health and maintain mobility in the joints.
• Also called Aclasta is also used in the treatment of Paget's disease.
• To relieve pinched nerves or bone fractures, or to replace a joint severely affected by arthritis.
• Etidronate and pamidronate are used for the treatment of Paget's disease. Etidronate and pamidronate can cause nausea and diarrhea and can exacerbate bone pain in some people who have extensive Paget's disease.
• Analgesics can also be used for the fast recovery from paget's disease.