What is osteomyelitis of lumbar spine?

Vertebral osteomyelitis is a bone infection usually caused by bacteria. In the spine, it is often found in the vertebrae, although the infection can spread into the epidural and intervertebral disc spaces. Osteomyelitis is rare and most common in young children and the elderly, but it can occur at any age.

What is discitis of the spine?

Discitis is a disease, as the “itis” would indicate, of infection of the discs between the vertebra of the spine. Like appendicitis, discitis is usually a bacterial infection but may be viral.

What causes lumbar discitis?

Condition and Causes When this disc gets an infection and becomes inflamed, it’s called discitis. Often the cause of the infection is staphylococcus, or a bacterial or viral infection. The discs in the lumbar and thoracic section of the spine are usually the ones affected by discitis.

How does osteomyelitis affect the spine?

Patients with chronic osteomyelitis may report bone pain, tenderness, and draining abscesses around infected bone for long periods of time (months to years). Rarely, vertebral osteomyelitis may affect the nerves in the spine. If the infection travels into the spinal canal, this can result in an epidural abscess.

What is the difference between discitis and osteomyelitis?

Discitis is one of many kinds of spinal inflammation which can cause irritation and swelling of your spine’s surrounding vertebrae, joints, and tissues. Discitis often accompanies another medical condition called osteomyelitis, an infection with inflammation of the bone or the bone marrow.

Can osteomyelitis be fatal?

Osteomyelitis complications may include: Bone death (osteonecrosis). An infection in your bone can impede blood circulation within the bone, leading to bone death.

Can discitis be fatal?

Relatively uncommon, only one out of every 100,000 people in the U.S. will develop discitis. It is more common in children and adolescents, but can still occur in adults. Despite treatment advances, discitis remains potentially deadly.

How is osteomyelitis of the spine treated?

Treatment for vertebral osteomyelitis is usually conservative (meaning nonsurgical) and based primarily on use of intravenous antibiotic treatment. Occasionally, surgery may be necessary to alleviate pressure on the spinal nerves, clean out infected material, and/or stabilize the spine.

How do you get discitis osteomyelitis?

Discitis is normally caused by viral, bacterial or fungal infections. However, discitis can also be caused by an autoimmune disorder, a condition in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks and damages its own tissues.

How do you get osteomyelitis in spine?

Vertebral osteomyelitis is the most common form of vertebral infection. It can develop from direct open spinal trauma, infections in surrounding areas and from bacteria that spreads to a vertebra from the blood. Intervertebral disc space infections involve the space between adjacent vertebrae.

Is osteomyelitis an emergency?

Symptoms that might indicate a serious condition In some cases, osteomyelitis can be a serious condition that should be immediately evaluated in an emergency setting. Osteomyelitis may spread to the bloodstream and lead to a widespread infection.

How fast does osteomyelitis spread?

Acute osteomyelitis develops rapidly over a period of seven to 10 days. The symptoms for acute and chronic osteomyelitis are very similar and include: Fever, irritability, fatigue. Nausea.

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