What is Osteomyelitis?
Osteomyelitis is an infection of the bone, a rare but dangerous illness. Bones can become infected in a variety of ways: through the bloodstream from another part of the body, or by an open fracture or surgical procedure that exposes the bone to infection. Those who smoke and those who have health problems like diabetes or kidney disease are more likely to acquire osteomyelitis. People who have diabetes may get osteomyelitis in their feet if they have foot ulcers. Osteomyelitis can now be successfully treated, with a wide range of treatment options, including a combination of surgery, antibiotics and hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
Why Choose Us?
Risk Factors for Osteomyelitis:
Recent injury or surgery
Diabetes
Peripheral Artery Disease
Sickle Cell Disease
Dialysis machine tubing
Long-term intravenous tubing
Urinary catheters
Cancer Treatment
Corticosteroids
Keep Informed. Take Care.
Osteomyelitis affects about 2 to 5 out of every 10,000 people.
Infection Prevention
If left untreated, complications including osteonecrosis (bone death), septic arthritis, impaired growth or skin cancer can occur. However there’s hope. To help prevent bone infections from forming you should take care to avoid cuts or scrapes that could give germs access to your body and ensure to clean any scrapes that do occurs immediately. Check wounds daily for signs of infection such as, fever, swelling, pain and fatigue. Contact your wound care provider if you ever notice any of these symptoms at the site of a wound, as we see the most success with early intervention. Schedule a consultation today to learn more about the treatment options for bone infections available at The Center for Wound Care & Hyperbaric Medicine.
