General Information About Paget's Disease
Disease Details and Frequently Asked Questions
It is a disease where the normal process of dissolving old bone and replacing it with solid new bone goes awry, resulting in the rapid, irregular, patchy, and structurally much weaker formation of bone.
Osteoarthritis is the wear and tear of the joints. Osteoporosis weakens the entire skeleton. Paget's disease, however, typically affects only 1 or 2 bones regionally (e.g., the tibia or skull), making the bone thicker than before but far more brittle.
Because the newly formed bone is very weak, symptoms include outward bowing of the legs (bowlegs), a constant dull ache in the bone, increased heat in the affected area, and, if it affects the skull, an increasing hat size or hearing loss.
Although rare (less than 1% of cases), the structural abnormality of bones affected by Paget's disease slightly increases the risk of developing Osteosarcoma (bone cancer) in that specific area.
A very high level of the 'Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP)' enzyme in the blood indicates an increased rate of bone formation. X-rays reveal a bizarrely thickened bone with a 'cotton wool' appearance. A bone scintigraphy (bone scan) maps the affected areas.
To alleviate bone pain and slow down the rapid/erroneous bone destruction in the area, intravenous or oral Bisphosphonate medications (similar to those used for osteoporosis) are administered. If fractures or deformities are severe, orthopedic surgical corrections are performed.
Our health library contents are prepared for informational purposes only and with scientific data available at the time of recording. For all your questions, concerns, diagnosis, or treatment regarding your health, please consult your doctor or a healthcare institution.
