When Your Body Tries to Fix Itself: The Curious Case of Paget’s Disease

Imagine that your body is a construction site. Every day, millions of cells are busy reconstructing and regenerating bones. They break down the old worn-out bone tissues and replace it with new stronger material. It’s a very smooth process that helps to keep the skeleton healthy and strong throughout your life. However, sometimes these cells go into an overdrive, breaking down and repairing bone at an accelerated rate. That is the curious case of Paget’s disease.

What is Paget’s Disease of the Bone?

Paget’s disease of bone is a chronic disease where the normal cycle of breaking down and rebuilding bone goes wrong. Instead of operating in sync, the cells start working too fast which results in the bone becoming larger and weaker in addition to it being prone to fractures and deformities.

The exact cause of Paget’s disease remains unknown, though scientists believe that it is due to a mix of genetics and environmental factors. Various researches carried out with people who had a family history of Paget’s disease showed that they developed the disease much often than their healthy counterparts. Therefore, most researchers assume the existence of a strong hereditary component as the cause of this disease. So, if there is a history of Paget’s disease in your family, the likelihood that you could be afflicted with the same increases. Also, some researchers assume that in such genetically predisposed people, certain viral infections can cause this disease as well. These infections might change the bone cell’s working mechanism, thereby resulting in characteristic overactivity, as observed in Paget’s disease.

Paget’s disease is more common in adults above 50 years and affects men more than women. Although prevalent among the European population, more cases have been observed in India over the past two decades as well.

What Are the Signs of Paget’s Disease?

The tricky thing about Paget’s disease is that it often doesn’t show any noticeable symptoms. Many people may have it and not even know! But when symptoms do appear, they can include:

• Bone pain –Often confused with arthritis, this pain can be persistent and nagging.
• Misshapen Bones – You will realize that some of the bones may start to deform. For example, the legs may begin to bow or the spine starts to curve.

• Fractures –With weak bones, people can easily break their bones.

• Hearing loss – In some cases, Paget’s disease can affect the bones in the skull, which might lead to hearing problems as well.

These symptoms often manifest gradually and many people don’t notice them until the damage is done. It is therefore important to be vigilant about any unusual aches or pains and have them checked out by a doctor.

The good news is that Paget’s disease can be well managed, even if it cannot be cured. The treatment usually slows down the overly active bone cells and helps restore balance in the body. Mainly, this involves taking medicines that prevent further breakdown of bones. For people with pain or deformities, other alternatives like physical therapy or even surgery might be advised. Early treatment is important so that complications like fractures or arthritis can be prevented. So, do not delay to visit your doctor when you feel that there is some unusual bone pain or structural changes in the body. It is quite easy to ignore joint pain or slight changes in bone shape and attribute them to “old age”, but that could be an indication of something more serious. Awareness regarding Paget’s disease helps people receive the care they need before things get worse.

It’s interesting to see how the body, trying to repair and fix itself, ends up doing more harm than good. This is a reminder that the human body is very complex and sometimes even the best efforts of healing can go wrong. The next time you experience pain or notice something odd about your bones, remember the curious case of Paget’s disease. Understanding Paget’s disease may not only help you identify signs in yourself or a loved one, but can be the first step towards better bone health and a more vibrant, active life.

Dr. Yathish G C, Lead Consultant – Rheumatology, Aster Whitefield Hospital, Bengaluru