Detect bone cancer from heel pain signs

Osteomyelitis can occur at any age, but is common in children and is mainly caused by Staphylococcus aureus bacteria.

Patient NTC, 67 years old, in Ba Vi, Hanoi, had been suffering from pain in her right heel for 5 months. Initially, she bought painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs to treat herself at home, however, the pain only improved slightly and did not go away completely.

With timely treatment, osteomyelitis can be completely controlled, helping patients recover quickly and avoid dangerous complications.

After her condition did not improve, she decided to go to the hospital for a check-up, and there, doctors discovered that she had osteomyelitis, a serious infection of the bones.

Upon admission to the hospital, Ms. C. reported to the doctor that the pain in her right heel increased when walking and had lasted for about 5 months. Before admission to the hospital, she had an ankle X-ray taken at a local medical facility, which discovered a heel spur, and she had self-treated with medication but found no effect.

At Medlatec General Hospital, Dr. Trinh Thi Nga ordered the patient to have an X-ray and ultrasound of the heel, which detected a bone defect in the right heel and an image of a subperiosteal abscess.

Suspecting osteomyelitis, the doctor continued to order an MRI scan and the results showed bone marrow edema, continuous loss of the calcaneal cortex, and extensive damage from the bone marrow to the surrounding soft tissues. Based on these results, the doctor diagnosed the patient with osteomyelitis of the right heel.

Osteomyelitis is a bone infection caused by bacteria or viruses that enter the bone through three routes: blood, direct infection (after surgery, after trauma), or from nearby structures (arthritis, soft tissue inflammation).

In Ms. C.’s case, although she had no history of trauma or surgery in the heel area, she worked in agriculture and was often exposed to mud and dirt, and may have been infected with bacteria through small scratches on her feet. Over time, the bacteria penetrated deep inside, causing osteomyelitis.

Osteomyelitis can progress through three stages: acute, subacute, and chronic. The acute stage typically presents with symptoms such as severe pain, swelling, high fever, and reduced mobility.

The subacute and chronic stages have milder symptoms, but if not treated promptly can lead to serious complications such as septic arthritis, sepsis, abscesses, pathological fractures or bone deformities.

After diagnosis, Dr. Nga prescribed surgery to remove the infection and antibiotics for Ms. C. However, due to health insurance reasons, she requested to be transferred to a higher level hospital for further treatment.

Russian doctors also recommend that when experiencing symptoms of prolonged bone pain, especially heel pain accompanied by signs of fever, swelling or reduced mobility, patients should go to reputable medical facilities for early examination and treatment.

Osteomyelitis can develop from small but unnoticed wounds. Bacteria can easily enter through scratches, especially in people whose occupations involve frequent contact with dirty soil or contaminated environments.

Osteomyelitis can occur at any age, but is more common in children and is mainly caused by Staphylococcus aureus. In addition, some other bacteria such as Streptococcus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and fungi can also be the cause.

Patients with risk factors such as a history of trauma, exposure to dirty environments, or symptoms of prolonged bone pain should be screened for osteomyelitis.

With timely treatment, osteomyelitis can be completely controlled, helping patients recover quickly and avoid dangerous complications. Therefore, everyone needs to pay attention to unusual symptoms in their body and visit reputable medical facilities early to protect their health.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/phat-hien-ung-thu-xuong-tu-dau-hieu-dau-got-chan-d234501.html