Osteonecrosis - Osteonecrosis of the Jaw
Osteonecrosis (dead bone) is a serious type of bone disease that is caused by an inadequate supply of blood to the bone tissue. People with osteonecrosis are at risk of suffering bone collapse resulting from the death of bone tissue.
Oftentimes referred to as aseptic / avascular necrosis (AVN), ischemic necrosis of bone, or simply ON, osteonecrosis is an excruciatingly painful and debilitating disease that affects an approximate 15,000 Americans each year (estimate in accordance with findings from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons). Although osteonecrosis can affect any bone, it is typically associated with those connected to the body's largest joints: the hips, the shoulders, the knees and the ankles.
The most commonly diagnosed type of osteonecrosis is osteonecrosis of the hip. The bone disease typically affects the hip-end (epiphysis) of the femur. People suffering from osteonecrosis of the hip are often forced to undergo hip replacement surgery in order to avoid wheelchair dependence. In fact, osteonecrosis of the hip is typically diagnosed as the causative factor in an estimated 10% of all hip replacement surgeries in the United States.
Osteonecrosis of the Jaw
Osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ), or "dead jaw" as it is commonly known, is a type of osteonecrosis that affects the maxillofacial region of the body, specifically the jawbone. While osteonecrosis of the jaw has been linked with a number of causes, it has most recently been linked with a class of drugs called bisphosphonates.
Bisphosphonates drugs that are commonly prescribed for the treatment of certain bone diseases, notably osteoporosis and osteitis deformans (Paget's disease). One such bisphosphonate that has been linked with the development of osteonecrosis of the jaw is Fosamax (alendronate). There are a number of Fosamax side effects that have been found to cause harm; however, the development of ONJ is not one of the more common effects. People who develop ONJ as a result of using alendronate may be entitled to receive compensation for their pain and suffering through the filing of a Fosamax lawsuit.
Symptoms of Osteonecrosis
Because osteonecrosis is a degenerative bone disease, its symptoms typically pertain to the bones and joints. Somewhat similar to the symptoms associated with arthritis, early osteonecrosis symptoms are oftentimes sporadic and short-lived. Osteonecrosis sufferers may experience pain and aching of the joints following aerobic / strenuous activities; however, in the early stages of disease progression, such pain and discomfort is minimal and can usually be treated using over-the-counter pain medications.
Since early osteonecrosis symptoms appear short-lived and solely in conjunction with strenuous activity, sufferers typically avoid visiting with their doctor because they are unaware of the presence of any type of serious condition. The longer an osteonecrosis sufferer goes undiagnosed and untreated, the more problematic osteonecrosis treatment becomes.
Osteonecrosis of the hip is the most common type of the serious bone condition. As such, the most common presenting symptom of osteonecrosis involves pain that is spawned from the condition's affect on the femoral head of the hip. The pain tends to involve the groin and can cause the sufferer to develop a significant limp.
Diagnosis of Osteonecrosis
It is important that a case of osteonecrosis is diagnosed as early as possible in order to limit the severe and potentially long-term effects of the painful bone disease. If osteonecrosis goes undiagnosed, it could capitulate with the death of bone tissue and bone / joint collapse.
The ideal method through which to diagnose a case of osteonecrosis early is through the implementation of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). MRIs are the only imaging scans capable of early diagnosis of osteonecrosis. Once the disease has progressed to a more serious stage, the effects can be viewed via x-ray; at which point it typically includes joint involvement.