How to Treat Osteomyelitis

Osteomyelitis is the medical term for a bone infection. This condition can develop in individuals of all ages and is most often caused by open fractures where the skin also is open. Bone infections can be serious and should not go untreated. Here are some suggestions for treating osteomyelitis.

Things You'll Need

• Physical examination
• Diagnosis of osteomyelitis
• Blood test
• Bone X-ray or scan
• Antibiotics
• Needle aspiration
• Sterile gauze
• Clean cloth
• Antibiotic cream

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Instructions

• 1

  Understand osteomyelitis and its effects on your body. Bones can become infected via the bloodstream from another infected area, if the bone's blood supply is disrupted or when bacteria enters tissues through a wound.

• 2

  Know the symptoms of osteomyelitis including pain, fever, chills, fatigue, nausea and malaise. Skin surrounding the infected bone may appear red, inflamed and tender.

• 3

  Visit your doctor if you exhibit any of the symptoms listed in Step 2. He or she will most likely conduct a physical examination that will include blood tests and a bone X-ray or scan.

• 4

  Begin taking antibiotics to treat your osteomyelitis. Your physician may perform a needle aspiration (removing bacteria from the bone) to aid in selecting the right medication for treating your particular infection.

• 5

  Wash the wound with warm water, apply antibiotic cream and cover with sterile gauze or a clean cloth. Repeat several times throughout the day.

• 6

  Undergo a surgical procedure to drain the infection from the bone so it can heal properly. This method of treating osteomyelitis is only used in severe instances when a cavity (or hole) has formed in the bone, yielding a large collection of bacteria and white blood cells.