Dr. Deepak Raina is working as a senior consultant at Indian Spinal Injuries Center, New Delhi. He is an Orthopaedist with an experience of more than 20 years. Being the chief of Hip Services, he is also an expert in fracture treatment and bone trauma. His services include Arthroscopic treatment. His qualification includes MBBS from Kashmir University and MS in Orthopaedics. Dr. Deepak specializes in the treatment of Hip Services, Arthroscopy, Bone Trauma, and Fracture.
Paget’s Disease
It is a disease that interferes with the body’s normal recycling process. In this process, new bone tissue replaces old bone tissue. Bones can become fragile and misshapen with time. The commonly affected areas include the pelvis, skull, spine, and legs. With age and family history the risk of getting Paget’s disease increase. Its complication can also lead to broken bones, hearing loss, and pinched nerves in your spine.
Causes
The cause of Paget's disease of bone is still unknown. Although, doctors suspect that environmental and genetic factors contribute to the disease. Several genes combine due to which this disease occurs.
It is also believed to occur due to viral infection in your bone cells.
Symptoms
Usually, no symptoms are seen in most people who have Paget's disease. The most common indicator is pain in the bones. This disease causes your body to produce new bone faster. The rapid remodelling produces bone that's less structured and weak than normal bone. This leads to bone pain, fractures, and malformation. It is uncertain whether the disease will affect only one or two areas of your body or might be widespread. Your signs and symptoms depend on the affected part of your body.
- Pain in the hip
- Hearing loss or headache due to overgrowth of skull bone
- Compressed nerve roots causing pain, numbness and tingling in the arm or leg.
- Extra stress on bones due to osteoarthritis
- Enlarged and mishappen bones in legs
Diagnosis
- Physical Exams
- Imaging tests
- X-rays -This can easily detect bone abnormalities like bone breakdown, enlargement of the bone, and deformities that are characteristic of the disease, such as bowing of your long bones.
- Bone scan - Radioactive material is injected into the body. It travels to the spots on the bones most affected that light up on the scan images.
- Lab tests -This test depicts elevated levels of alkaline phosphatase in their blood, which can be revealed by a blood test. This is a sign of Paget’s disease.
Treatment
No treatment is required when you don’t have any symptoms. While if elevated alkaline phosphatase level is detected in the test and is affecting high-risk sites in the body, your doctor might recommend treatment to prevent complications.
- Medications
Depending on your condition your doctor will prescribe you certain medicines. If your pain still exists you will have to go for surgery.
- Surgery
- It is required to
- Help heal the fractures
- Replace joints damaged by severe arthritis
- Realign deformed bones
- Reduce pressure on nerves
Take away
To reduce the risk and complications of this disease you need to be very careful about falls. Try to make your home fall-proof. Take an adequate quantity of calcium and vitamin D. Exercise regularly to maintain joint mobility and strength to avoid Paget's disease. For best consultancy and treatment in New Delhi contact Dr. Deepak Raina at Indian Spinal Injuries Center.