Bone Marrow Edema: Not just your usual swelling

Bone marrow Edema refers to the condition of excessive fluids build-up in the bone marrow thereby causing swelling in the region. Bone Marrow Edema is often caused as a counter-reaction either to an injury, such as a broken bone or a bruise, or a more chronic condition such as osteoporosis. Bone marrow Edema most commonly occurs in the hips, ankles or Knees. Sometimes it’s very tricky to pinpoint or self-diagnosed yourself with Bone marrow Edema’s for it may not bother you at all, or it might be painful and inconvenient like some injury. Sometimes Bone Marrow Edema can also surface as a muscular injury like a bruise or so because of the nature of the bone and thus can feel a little more intense. However, unlike muscles bones are not capable of swelling, and thus the fluid (Edema) that gets accumulated in the marrow creates intense pressure within the bone, thereby resulting in more intense pain. And, in many osteoarthritic patients, the excruciating pain they experience isn’t due to the lack of cartilage, but because of the pressure intensity by the accumulated Edema.

Symptoms of Bone Marrow Edema are:

• Mild to moderate degrees of pain.
• Swelling in the Knee area.
• Inability to walk without support.
• Recurrent tenderness and pain.

Symptoms of Bone Marrow Edema in the Knee:

Symptoms of Bone marrow Edema of the knee includes localized knee and joint pain, and can only be diagnosed through a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Following is a list of possible symptoms of Bone Marrow Edema:

• Knee Bone trauma such as broken bones and bone bruises.
• Joint disorders like osteoarthritis or osteoporosis. In the case of osteoarthritis
• or osteoporosis, the Knee Joint lacks the cushion provided by the cartilage that can lead to fracture and wear on the bone rather easily. And thus the fractured or injured area of the bone becomes susceptible to Edema.
• "Bone death" or Avascular necrosis. It refers to a condition when a small area of the bone dies, resulting in a painful Bone Marrow Edema.
• Knee ligament injuries or Bone Tumor.
• Inflammation in the synovial membranes, present in the lining of the Joints called synovitis.

• Fortunately, Bone Marrow Edema’s mostly settle down and heal on their own once the injury subsides. And in some cases of Osteonecrosis, the bone regenerates itself and heal the Edema on its own just like a common injury. However, unfortunately, that’s not the case in Osteoarthritis and the Edema only get worse over time. In such circumstance, there are many treatment courses and options that you may resort to.

  The traditional treatment of Bone Marrow Edema includes rehabilitation through physiotherapy and rest. Ice, Painkiller medications such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen, and even a crutch or a cane to assist in walking. Other treatments are drug-facilitated treatment with the use of bisphosphonate and vitamin D composition to increase bone density and is found to be quite effective in relieving pain and increasing density of the bones. Drug Facilitated treatments are intravenous and are administered by injecting the composition in the veins of the patient. Drugs used to treat the vascular system have been found to be effective to counter Bone Marrow Edema because of their property to facilitate more blood flow which can easily cure any vascular abnormalities that may arise in the bone and marrow as a symptom of Bone Marrow Edema

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