Bone Cyst Symptoms

Unicameral bone cysts, or simple bone cysts, are fluid-filled cavities found within the bone and are the most common bone cysts. These cysts are noncancerous and are typically found in the upper arm or thighbone. Occasionally they may be present in the pelvis, ankle or heel. Symptoms of all bone cysts are few and may resemble the symptoms of other disorders.

Hard to Detect

• Bone cysts are difficult to detect unless they are discovered through the investigation of another problem. Often these cysts are found during treatment of a bone after a break. The cyst may play a role in making a bone fracture more likely, and in that case the break itself may have additional swelling, pain and deformity associated with it. Many times a bone cyst will go undetected with no symptoms at all, according to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS).

Pain and Weight-Bearing

• Although bone cyst symptoms are nearly nonexistent prior to an associated fracture, sometimes the patient may experience pain or tenderness pre-fracture. If the bone containing the cyst has excessive weight put on it, then occasionally the patient will experience some discomfort. Again, until a break occurs people typically dismiss the cyst as a minor problem.

Detection

• The most common detection method used in finding a bone cyst is through regular X-ray. Since doctors often find the cysts when treating an existing break in the bone, the X-ray will often reveal that the cause is the weakened spot in the bone caused by the presence of the cyst.

  Less often magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or a computerized tomography (CT) scan is used to detect a cyst, according to Children's Hospital of Boston. MRI is a diagnostics machine that uses magnets and radio frequencies to produce cross section images to determine the extent and type of the cyst. This would usually be done following X-ray detection. A CT scan uses X-ray and computer technology to view detailed cross section images of the body. It gives much more detail than regular X-ray and can also be used to determine the extent and type of bone cysts.

Age, Sex and Cause

• Bone cysts usually occur in children between the ages of five and 15. However, according to Children's Hospital of Boston, older children and adults can develop bone cysts in some cases. The cysts also tend to happen far more often in boys than in girls. The cysts may heal spontaneously or with treatment and they can sometimes cause some problems in children as they grow. A particularly invasive cyst (an active cyst) may destroy growth plates, resulting in shorter bones. There is no known cause for bone cysts, according to AAOS.

Treatment

• Treatment for bone cysts is primarily surgical. Any non-surgical approach involves simply observing and preventing breaks in the affected bone.

  Surgical treatment can include draining the fluid from the cyst and performing a bone graft or using a substitute substance, such as bone from a bone bank or bone marrow from the patient, to fill the cyst. This treatment is usually reserved for cases in which the cyst compromises normal function.