What is osteomyelitis?
Osteomyelitis is a rare infection that occurs in the bone after the bone has become exposed to germs. The infection can occur from within the bone or through the bloodstream from surrounding tissue. Swelling and inflammation result in the bone from the infection. While some cases of osteomyelitis resolve and do not return, some people may develop chronic osteomyelitis that causes more frequent recurrences of the infection.
Osteomyelitis has many causes and several risk factors that can increase a person’s chance of developing the condition. The infection most commonly occurs in the spine, legs, or arm and can be treated effectively with prompt medical attention and a strict antibiotic regimen and monitoring. Both children and adults can develop a bone infection, but children tend to develop osteomyelitis in their legs and arms through a bacterial bloodstream infection while adults tend to develop the infection in their spinal column.