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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffWhile you might initially bring your signs and symptoms to the attention of your family doctor, he or she may refer you to a doctor specializing in infectious diseases or to an orthopedic surgeon.
What you can do
Before the appointment, you may want to write a list of answers to the following questions:
- What type of signs and symptoms are you having?
- When did they start? Does anything make them better or worse?
- Have you had any surgery recently?
- Do you have diabetes? Do you have any foot ulcers?
- Have you experienced a deep puncture wound lately?
What to expect from your doctor
During the physical exam, your doctor may feel the area around the affected bone for any tenderness, swelling or warmth. If you have a foot ulcer, your doctor may use a dull probe to determine the proximity of the underlying bone.
- Fort GG, et al. Osteomyelitis. In: Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2010. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/191358793-4/974051922/2088/463.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05609-0..00024-1--sc0070_9510. Accessed March 26, 2010.
- Chihara S, et al. Osteomyelitis. Disease-a-Month. 2010;56:6.
- Lalani T. Overview of osteomyelitis in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 26, 2010.
- Infections. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00197. Accessed March 26, 2010.
- Berbari EF, et al. Osteomyelitis. In: Mandell GL, et al. Mandell, Douglas and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/book.do?method=display&type=bookPage&decorator=header&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06839-3..00103-X&uniq=191840490&isbn=978-0-443-06839-3#lpState=opened&lpTab=contentsTab&content=4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06839-3..00103-X%3Btype%3DbookPage%3Bisbn%3D978-0-443-06839-3. Accessed March 29, 2010.
- Dabov DB. Amputation for osteomyelitis. In: Canale ST, et al. Campbell's Operative Orthopaedics. 11th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/191847540-7/0/1584/111.html?tocnode=55686605&fromURL=111.html. Accessed March 29, 2010.
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