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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffPaget's disease of bone affects each person differently. Most people with Paget's disease have no symptoms. When symptoms do occur, they typically present in specific areas affected by the disease, although they may be widespread.
The condition usually affects the skull, the spine, and the bones in your arms, legs and pelvis. The disease may affect only one or two areas of your body, or may be widespread. Your symptoms, if any, will depend on the part of your body that's affected, including:
- Bones. Pain in the affected bones is the most common symptom of Paget's disease of bone. Your pain may be constant, aching and deep, and may be most severe at night.
- Joints. Paget's disease may damage the cartilage lining the joints near your affected bones. This wear and tear often leads to osteoarthritis in your affected joints, a condition that may cause pain, swelling and stiffness.
- Nerves. Enlarged bones can compress your spinal cord or the nerves exiting your brain and spinal cord. Pain resulting from nerve compression is more severe than the bone pain associated with Paget's. The location of the pain caused by nerve compression depends on the nerve that's affected. You may notice pain radiating from your lower back into your legs (sciatica) if the lower region of your spine is affected. Pressure on a nerve can also cause numbness, tingling, weakness, hearing loss and double vision.
Other signs and symptoms of Paget's disease may include:
- Warmth in your skin over the affected area
- Neurological problems, such as hearing loss, headache and rarely, vision loss
- Bone deformities, such as bowlegs and enlarged head size
- Fractures
When to see a doctor
Talk to your doctor if you have:
- Symptoms of Paget's disease of bone, such as pain in your bones and joints
- Symptoms of pinched nerves, such as pain, tingling and weakness
- Bone deformities
If you have Paget's disease of bone, contact your doctor if you experience:
- Signs and symptoms of the disease affecting your skull, such as hearing or vision loss, double vision, facial weakness or numbness
- Loss of bladder or bowel control accompanied by weakness in your legs, which can indicate severe spinal damage
- Sudden or severe pain or a change in the pain that you've been experiencing
