Metabolic Bone Disease - Causes and Symptoms!

Metabolic Bone Disease is a term used for various conditions of the bones that can be caused by a number of different disorders. Most of these disorders are developed due to nutritional deficiencies, defects in the bone metabolism procedure or due to hereditary defects in the skeletal structure. Conditions that fall under the category are osteoporosis, osteomalacia, rickets, Paget's disease, parathyroid conditions, chemotherapy induced bone loss and menopause induced bone loss.

Causes of Metabolic Bone Diseases

1. Imbalance in the level of calcium: Too much calcium or too little calcium can cause bone diseases. While the overabundance of calcium (hypercalcemia) in the body will lead to calculi formation, which can be harmul for the body, the lack of calcium (hypocalcemia) causes weakness, bone pain and restricted growth. 
2. Deficiency of phosphorus: Low phosphorus in blood (hypophosphatemia) leads to softening of the bone tissue and bone loss. Osteomalacia is commonly caused by phosphorus deficiencies.
3. Deficiency of Vitamin D: Vitamin D is essential for the body to absorb calcium. Cells called osteoblasts need vitamin D in order to absorb calcium and secrete the bone tissue proteins. A deficiency of vitamin D can lead to a number of metabolic bone diseases like rickets and osteoporosis.
4. Over or under secretion of the parathyroid hormone: The parathyroid hormone (PTH) stimulates the secretion of an enzyme which converts the inactive circulatory form of vitamin D into its active usable form. The hormone can also increase the circulation of free or ionized calcium (Ca2+) which is not attached to proteins. Both underproduction and overproduction of the hormone causes skeletal problems.

Symptoms of Metabolic Bone Diseases
The symptoms of most of the Metabolic Bone Diseases are similar. They are:

1. A dull, throbbing pain in the bones is the most common symptom. The pain is frequent and lasts for a long amount of time but, unlike muscular pain, the exact region of bone pain cannot be specified.
2. Severe joint pains accompanied by stiffness and swelling of the joints. The patient experience pain during regular physical activities, especially during cold weather conditions.
3. Frequent fractures are caused by most bone diseases because the bone mineral density decreases drastically. Severe bone injury may be caused by mild trauma.
4. Defects in the bones can cause bowed out legs and a bent backbone.
5. A general feeling of exhaustion is often caused by bone diseases.
6. Kidney stones are an associated complication of metabolic bone diseases.

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