What Is Paget Disease? How Is It Different From Osteoporosis?

As you age your bones get brittle and weak, mostly because they lose their density. The most common condition is osteoporosis, however, there is another condition that your body can develop, where new bone develops faster than it breaks down old bone in certain areas, it is called the Paget's disease.

What is the different between the two?

Osteoporosis is common in older adults, especially females and happens due to loss of bone mineral density. Whereas, Paget disease involves thickened and weaker-than-normal bone. The cause is not clear, but some studies suggest that it could be due to genetics and environmental factors.

Are there any symptoms?

Both the conditions do not cause any symptoms. Many people with Paget disease do not have any symptoms and receive a diagnosis when they are undergoing test for some other issue. One of the common symptoms is bone pain. The areas where the pain is frequent are:

• Spine
• Pelvis
• Thigh bone
• Shin bone
• Skull

There are other symptoms which may not be noticeable, they are:

• Enlarged bones
• Warmth over affected bones
• Bow-shaped limbs
• Spine curvature
• Increased head size
• Hearing loss in 50% people with skull involvement

In osteoporosis, the symptoms may be:

• Intense pain
• Swelling and bruising
• Deformed bones or joints
• Limited mobility

What causes it?

Paget's disease cause is still unknown. Your body is constantly breaking down old bone tissue and building new tissues. When people have Paget disease, the new bone tissue is produced way faster, but the older tissues are not replaced. This leads to enlargement of bone and weakens the bone as old tissues are still there.

It could be due to genetic and environmental factors. Research also shows that certain viruses may contribute to the same.

Who is more prone to Paget's disease?

People with a family history, research shows that from 15% to 30% of the cases, family history plays a big role.

It is also prevalent in people who are aging or are men. Research has also shown that ethnicity plays a big role, as people of Asian descent seem to have a lower risk of Paget disease than people of other ethnic groups.

When to see a doctor?

If you have a persistent bone or joint pain, notice deformities in any of your bones, or have nerve symptoms like numbness or tingling, you should visit your doctor.

How do you get diagnosed?

The diagnostic process includes a review of your symptoms, a review of your personal and family medical history, followed by a physical examination. In osteoporosis, your doctor may also ask you to get your bone mineral density checked, the most common test is called the dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.

For Paget disease, the additional tests could be:

• blood tests
• bone scans
• X-rays

What is the treatment like?

For Paget disease, the treatment depends on diet, medication and in many cases could be a surgery too:

Medication like bisphosphonates and calcitonin

A diet high in calcium and vitamin D

surgery for complications like fractures, arthritis, misshapen bones

Can you prevent it?

Since the cause of Paget disease is not known, the ways to prevent is also not known. However, a healthy lifestyle is always encouraged.