Pagets Disease

Is a disease where areas of bone become thickened and soft and there is an increase in the total number of bone cells. It is quite common in old age especially in men.

Causes

The causes on not yet known, but there are various theories that include possible causes as follows:

• genetic links
• lifestyle, such as poor diet or bone injury in early life
• linked to a viral infection early in life -though this remains controversial.

Symptoms

The most common symptom of Pagets disease is bone pain particularly the bones in the pelvis. The pain is often worse at night when laying down and resting. The thigh, spine, shin, and arm bones may also be involved and as the disease progress there may be deformities in the affected bones

Diagnosis

Pagets disease can be diagnosed by blood test as a rise in the chemical SAP in your blood is a common sign of pagets disease.

Treatment

Diagnosis may be before any actual symptoms so if this is the case you will not have any treatment and will just have further blood tests to monitor how the disease is developing.

If you are already experience painful symptoms you will be treated with bisphosphonates.