Bone pain or tenderness

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Medical Encyclopedia

Encyclopedia -> Symptoms -> B -> Bone pain or tenderness

Alternate Names: Aches and pains in bones; Pain - bones

Considerations: Bone pain is seen less commonly than joint pain and muscle pain but is a very significant sign. The source of bone pain may be obvious as in a fracture following and accident or more subtle as that seen in metastasis of a malignancy to bone. Whatever the source, bone pain should always be taken seriously and viewed as a sign that should be evaluated.

Bone pain may result from trauma, overuse, infection, primary malignancy, metastatic malignancy, loss of mineralization (osteoporosis), disruption of blood supply (as in sickle cell anemia), and other less common conditions.

Common Causes:

injury
osteoporosis with a loss of normal bone density, mass, and strength (This causes increased vulnerability to fracture and is most common in women after menopause.)
leukemia
metastasis of a cancer to the bones
osteomyelitis
toddler fracture (a type of stress fracture peculiar to toddlers)
sickle cell anemia

Home Care: For unexplained bone pain, see your health care provider.

Call If:

there is any unexplained bone pain or tenderness.

What To Expect: The medical history will be obtained and a physical examination performed.

Medical history questions documenting bone pain in detail may include:

location
- Is the pain in the forearms, hands, lower legs, or feet (distal extremities)?
- Is the pain in the main part of the arm or leg?
- Is the pain in the heels (calcaneal pain)?
time pattern
- When did you first notice the pain (at what age did the pain begin)?
- How long has the pain been present?
- Is it getting worse?
associated complaints
- Is the bone enlarging?
other
- What other symptoms are also present?

The physical examination will include detailed examination of the affected arm, leg, or other body part.

Diagnostic tests that may be performed include:

blood studies (such as CBC, blood differential)
CT scan
hormone level studies
pituitary and adrenal gland function studies
urine studies
bone X-rays

Intervention:
Antibiotics, cortisone drugs, pain relievers, hormones, and laxatives (if constipation develops during prolonged bed rest) may be prescribed depending on the cause of the bone pain. Calcium, vitamin D supplements, or estrogen may be prescribed for osteoporosis.

After seeing your health care provider:
You may want to add a diagnosis related to bone pain to your personal medical record.

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