Guide To Fibrous Dysplasia Warning Signs

Pain In The Bones

Even without total bone fractures, it's common for fibrous dysplasia patients to experience pain in the bones. This pain may affect multiple bones or just one, and will usually increase when a patient puts weight on the affected bones, since the bones are too weak to provide the necessary structural support. In many other cases, bone pain will go away with rest. However, with fibrous dysplasia, the bone pain continues even after resting because the weakness is still there. Bone pain like this might interrupt an individual's sleep. This pain is often the precursor to fractures, as it's a sign the bones are strained beyond typical pain tolerance levels.

Weight Gain Or Weight Loss

There are rare cases in which fibrous dysplasia is also associated with genetic syndromes that affect how the endocrine system's glands produce hormones. There are a few potential abnormalities that may occur, including weight gain or weight loss, depending on which glands are affected and causing these hormonal abnormalities. Typically in fibrous dysplasia, the thyroid gland is the one responsible for weight loss seen in patients, and the adrenal glands are those responsible for weight gain. The former can also cause anxiety and abnormal sweating in fibrous dysplasia patients, and the latter is linked to diabetes.