Osteomyelitis Symptoms

Osteomyelitis is a bone infection typically caused by the Staphylococcus aureus bacterium, but sometimes by other bacteria or fungi. It can result from another bacterial infection, such as a urinary tract infection, which travels through the bloodstream to the bones. It also can occur through a fracture, a chronic open wound infecting soft tissue next to the bone, and from other causes.

Types

• The two types of osteomyelitis, acute and chronic, can result in both similar and different symptoms. Additionally, sometimes osteomyelitis causes no symptoms at all.

Acute Osteomyelitis

• In acute, or sudden, bone infection, symptoms can include a fever, pain in the area of infection, and warmth, redness and swelling over the infection. Moving the bone can be painful.

Main Chronic Symptoms

• Most cases of osteomyelitis are chronic ones. Doctors may suspect osteomyelitis when a patient complains of persistent pain in a bone and feeling tired all the time. The patient also may be losing weight.

Additional Common Symptoms

• Additional common chronic osteomyelits symptoms include swelling and warmth in the affected area, malaise, nausea, and an open wound that drains pus from the bone infection. The patient might have a fever, but often does not.

Other Osteomyelitis Symptoms

• Other symptoms that are sometimes associated with osteomyelitis include chills, sweating, limping and edema (swelling of the feet, ankles and legs).