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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffSigns and symptoms of osteomyelitis depend on whether the condition is acute, lasting several months or less, or chronic, lasting several months to years.
Signs and symptoms of acute osteomyelitis include:
- Fever that may be abrupt
- Irritability or lethargy in young children
- Pain in the area of the infection
- Swelling, warmth and redness over the area of the infection
Signs and symptoms of chronic osteomyelitis include:
- Warmth, swelling and redness over the area of the infection
- Pain or tenderness in the affected area
- Chronic fatigue
- Drainage from an open wound near the area of the infection
- Fever, sometimes
Sometimes osteomyelitis causes no signs and symptoms or has signs and symptoms that are difficult to distinguish from other problems. For instance, osteomyelitis of the hip, spine or pelvis may have few signs and symptoms. Osteomyelitis that occurs after a broken bone (fracture) or deep wound may cause pain and swelling that you may attribute to your injury, not an infection.
