Health Encyclopedia

Home | List of Topics | General Medical Information | General Adult Health

Bone pain or tenderness

Definition

Bone pain or tenderness is aching or other discomfort in one or more bones.

Alternative Names

Aches and pains in bones; Pain - bones

Considerations

Bone pain is seen less commonly than joint pain and muscle pain. The source of bone pain may be obvious, as in a fracture following an accident. Or it may be more subtle, such as cancer that spreads (metastasizes) to the bone.

Whatever the source, bone pain should always be taken seriously. Seek medical attention any time you have bone pain.

Common Causes

Bone pain can occur with many injuries or conditions:

• Cancer in the bones (primary malignancy)
• Cancer that has spread to the bones (metastatic malignancy)
• Disruption of blood supply (as in sickle cell anemia)
• Infected bone (osteomyelitis)
• Infection
• Injury (trauma)
• Leukemia
• Loss of mineralization (osteoporosis)
• Overuse
• Toddler fracture (a type of stress fracture that occurs in toddlers)

Home Care

For unexplained bone pain, see your health care provider.

Call your health care provider if

Take any bone pain or tenderness very seriously. Contact your health care provider if you have any unexplained bone pain.

What to expect at your health care provider's office

Your health care provider will ask you about your medical history and perform a physical exam.

Medical history questions may include:

• Location of the pain
  • 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 and pattern of the pain
  • When did you first notice the pain (at what age did the pain begin)?
  • How long have you had the pain?
  • Is it getting worse?
• What other symptoms do you have?

Diagnostic tests that may be performed include:

• Blood studies (such as CBC, blood differential)
• Bone x-rays, including a bone scan
• CT or MRI scan
• Hormone level studies
• Pituitary and adrenal gland function studies
• Urine studies

Depending on the cause of the pain, your doctor may prescribe:

• Antibiotics
• Anti-inflammatory medicines
• Hormones
• Laxatives (if you develop constipation during prolonged bed rest)
• Pain relievers

For osteoporosis treatment, see the article on osteoporosis.

Review Date:11/9/2007
Reviewed By:Thomas N. Joseoph, M.D., private practice specializing in Orthopaedics, subspecialty Foot and Ankle, Camden Bone & Joint, Camden, SC. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audit. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial process. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics (www.hiethics.com) and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

The Agency for Health Care Administration (Agency) and this website do not claim the information on, or referred to by, this site is error free. This site may include links to websites of other government agencies or private groups. Our Agency and this website do not control such sites and are not responsible for their content. Reference to or links to any other group, product, service, or information does not mean our Agency or this website approves of that group, product, service, or information.

Additionally, while health information provided through this website may be a valuable resource for the public, it is not designed to offer medical advice. Talk with your doctor about medical care questions you may have.