Osteomyelitis Quiz
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Redness of the skin
Hot skin
Leg pain
Swelling of the affected area
Red spots on skin
Pain in legs
Redness
Not seeing your symptoms? No worries!
What is Osteomyelitis?
Infection of the bone typically caused by bacteria, or less commonly fungi. In some cases, osteomyelitis is caused by germs invading from wounds in the surrounding area. In other cases, bacteria or fungi multiply in distant areas, enter the bloodstream, and spread to invade distant bone sites.
Typical Symptoms of Osteomyelitis
- Warm hands and feet
- Affected area is warm to touch
- Skin problem on the arm
- Arm pain
- Redness in the affected area
- Swelling in the affected area
- On medications that suppresses the immune system
- Taking steroids
Diagnostic Questions for Osteomyelitis
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this disease:
- Do you have warm hands and feet?
- Is the affected area hot to touch?
- Do you have skin problems on your arm/wrist?
- Are you experiencing arm pain?
- Is the affected area red?
Treatment of Osteomyelitis
Bone infections are hard to treat and may require long-term antibiotic treatment. Surgery might be needed to remove the infected bone as well. Managing other conditions like smoking and diabetes may improve blood flow to the bone and help it heal faster.
Reviewed By:
Caroline M. Doan, DO (Internal Medicine)
Dr. Doan received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from UCLA. Prior to obtaining her medical degree, she was involved in oncology clinical research at City of Hope, a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center in southern California. She attended medical school at Touro University California, and completed her residency in Internal Medicine at Oregon Health & Science University. She is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and holds an active medical license in several states. She currently works as a physician for Signify Health providing home-based health care.
Tomohiro Hamahata, MD (Orthopedics)
Dr. Hamahata graduated from the Jikei University of Medical Science. After working at Asanokawa General Hospital and Kosei Chuo Hospital, he joined the Department of Orthopedics at Asakusa Hospital in April 2021, specializing in general orthopedics and joint replacement surgery.
Content updated on Mar 31, 2024
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
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People with similar symptoms also use Ubie's symptom checker to find possible causes
- Hands and feet feel hot
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- The area is hot to touch
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- The lower leg feels hot
- Abnormal redness of the entire skin surface
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- Pain from chest to arm
See full list
Symptoms Related to Osteomyelitis
Diseases Related to Osteomyelitis
FAQs
Q.
Infection Not Clearing? How Keflex Works & Your Medical Next Steps
A.
Keflex (cephalexin) treats bacterial infections by weakening the cell wall, and most people improve within 48 to 72 hours; if you are not better by days 3 to 5 or are getting worse, contact your clinician and keep taking it as prescribed. There are several factors to consider, from resistance or a nonbacterial cause to deeper infection, dosing, and underlying conditions, and next steps can include cultures, imaging, switching or IV antibiotics, or drainage; see the complete guidance and urgent warning signs below to choose the right path.
References:
* Bush, K., & Bradford, P. A. (2016). β-Lactams and β-Lactamase Inhibitors: An Overview. Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Medicine, 6(8), a025247. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27471380/
* Livermore, D. M., & Paterson, D. L. (2020). Cephalexin: A Modern View of an Established Antimicrobial. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 64(12), e00898-20. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33042079/
* Blair, J. M., Webber, M. A., Baylay, J. B., Ogbolu, D. O., & Piddock, L. J. (2014). Molecular mechanisms of antibiotic resistance. Nature Reviews Microbiology, 12(1), 42-51. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24362725/
* Harms, D., & Schürer, G. (2015). Clinical approach to antimicrobial treatment failure. Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases, 28(6), 522-527. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26466249/
* Puleston, R., Al-Jabri, H., Sunkar, A., Thamburaj, C., & Patel, M. (2022). Implementing a hospital-wide 'oral switch' guideline for antimicrobial stewardship: A systematic review. Journal of Global Antimicrobial Resistance, 29, 21-31. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34979314/
Q.
Deep Bone Pain? Why Your Bone is Infected & Medically Approved Next Steps
A.
Deep, constant, throbbing pain in one bone, especially with swelling, warmth, redness, or fever, can be osteomyelitis, a serious bone infection that needs prompt medical evaluation with blood tests, imaging, and sometimes a biopsy. Effective, medically approved treatment usually involves 4 to 6 weeks of antibiotics, sometimes surgery, and faster care improves outcomes, especially if you have diabetes, a wound, or recent surgery. There are several factors to consider; see the complete next steps, urgent red flags, and prevention guidance below.
References:
* Singh G, Kaur R, Dhillon DS, Gill S. Osteomyelitis: A Review of Pathophysiology, Clinical Features, and Management. J Clin Diagn Res. 2016 Jan;10(1):LE01-LE05. doi: 10.7860/JCDR/2016/16383.7088. Epub 2016 Jan 1. PMID: 26949755; PMCID: PMC4740645.
* Metsemakers WJ, Morgenstern M, McNally MA, Moriarty TF, McFadyen I, Underwood M, O'Donnell Y, Nowotarski P, Sheldon M, Romano CL, Lipsky BA, Kates SL; International Consensus Group on Osteomyelitis (ICGO). Current concepts in the diagnosis and management of chronic osteomyelitis. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2018 Sep 5;100(17):1539-1550. doi: 10.2106/JBJS.17.00695. PMID: 30180053.
* Soliman S, Hamed M, Moustafa A, Mansour M, Al-Attar A, Gad Y. Diagnosis and Treatment of Osteomyelitis in Adults: A Systematic Review. Infect Drug Resist. 2022 Jul 25;15:4249-4267. doi: 10.2147/IDR.S372295. PMID: 35911462; PMCID: PMC9331826.
* Conterno L, Ibiapina AM. Acute and chronic osteomyelitis: Diagnosis and management. Rev Assoc Med Bras (1992). 2023;69(1):e20230001. doi: 10.1590/1806-9282.20230001. PMID: 36729583.
* Lima AL, Guerra MT. Diagnosis and management of osteomyelitis. Rev Assoc Med Bras (1992). 2023;69(1):128-135. doi: 10.1590/1806-9282.20220677. PMID: 36729575.
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Ubie’s symptom checker demonstrated a Top-10 hit accuracy of 71.6%, surpassing the performance of several leading symptom checkers in the market, which averaged around 60% accuracy in similar assessments.
Link to full study:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.29.24312810v1References
Lew DP, Waldvogel FA. Osteomyelitis. Lancet. 2004 Jul 24-30;364(9431):369-79. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(04)16727-5. PMID: 15276398.
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(04)16727-5/fulltextDym H, Zeidan J. Microbiology of Acute and Chronic Osteomyelitis and Antibiotic Treatment. Dent Clin North Am. 2017 Apr;61(2):271-282. doi: 10.1016/j.cden.2016.12.001. PMID: 28317566.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0011853216301355?via%3DihubMaffulli N, Papalia R, Zampogna B, Torre G, Albo E, Denaro V. The management of osteomyelitis in the adult. Surgeon. 2016 Dec;14(6):345-360. doi: 10.1016/j.surge.2015.12.005. Epub 2016 Jan 21. PMID: 26805473.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1479666X15001249?via%3DihubRao N, Ziran BH, Lipsky BA. Treating osteomyelitis: antibiotics and surgery. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2011 Jan;127 Suppl 1:177S-187S. doi: 10.1097/PRS.0b013e3182001f0f. PMID: 21200289.
https://journals.lww.com/plasreconsurg/Abstract/2011/01001/Treating_Osteomyelitis__Antibiotics_and_Surgery.26.aspxFunk SS, Copley LA. Acute Hematogenous Osteomyelitis in Children: Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, and Treatment. Orthop Clin North Am. 2017 Apr;48(2):199-208. doi: 10.1016/j.ocl.2016.12.007. PMID: 28336042.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0030589816301638?via%3Dihub