Basically, Relentlessly progressive pain occurring in association with weight loss suggests malignant disease with bone metastases.
Furthermore, Generalised bone pain may also occur in Paget’s disease if the disease is widespread, but Pagetic pain is usually more focal and localised to the site of involvement.
In detail, Widespread pain can occur in OA but this also tends to be localised to sites of involvement, such as the lumbar spine, hips, knees and hands.
Signs of OA may be apparent on clinical examination.
Osteomalacia can cause generalised bone pain that is associated with bone tenderness also limb girdle weakness.
Besides this, Fibromyalgia can present with generalised pain particularly affecting the trunk, back also neck.
Accompanying features include fatigue, poor concentration also focal areas of hyperalgesia.
All in all, Another potential cause is joint hypermobility, the features of which should be apparent on clinical examination.
Causes of generalised pain i.e.:
- Metastatic bone disease
- Fibromyalgia
- Joint hypermobility
- Osteomalacia
- Osteoarthritis
- Paget’s disease
- Polymyalgia rheumatica
- Myositis
Diagnosis:
- Radionuclide bone scanning is of value in patients suspected of having bone metastases and Paget’s disease, along with further imaging as appropriate.
- Myeloma should be excluded by plasma also urinary protein electrophoresis.
- If these results are positive, a radiological skeletal survey should be performed, since the isotope bone scan may be normal in myeloma.
- Routine biochemistry, vitamin D levels and PTH measurement should be performed if osteomalacia is suspected.
- In Paget’s disease, ALP may be elevated but can be normal in localised disease.
- Lastly, Laboratory investigations are normal in patients with fibromyalgia and benign hypermobility.
Management:
- Management should be directed towards the underlying cause.
- Chronic pain of unknown cause also that associated with fibromyalgia responds poorly to analgesics and NSAID, but may respond partially to antineuropathic agents such as amitriptyline, duloxetine, gabapentin and pregabalin. [1]