Periostitis, also known as periostalgia, is a medical condition caused by
inflammation of the
periosteum, a layer of
connective tissue
Connective tissue is one of the four primary types of animal tissue, along with epithelial tissue, muscle tissue, and nervous tissue. It develops from the mesenchyme derived from the mesoderm the middle embryonic germ layer. Connective tiss ...
that surrounds bone.
The condition is generally chronic, and is marked by tenderness and swelling of the bone and pain.
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Causes
Acute periostitis is due to
infection, characterized by diffuse formation of pus, severe pain, constitutional symptoms, and usually results in
necrosis
Necrosis () is a form of cell injury which results in the premature death of cells in living tissue by autolysis. Necrosis is caused by factors external to the cell or tissue, such as infection, or trauma which result in the unregulated dige ...
. It can be caused by excessive physical activity as well, as in the case of
medial tibial stress syndrome (also referred to as tibial periostalgia, soleus periostalgia, or shin splints). Congenital infection with syphilis can also cause periostitis in newborn infants.
History
Evidence for periostitis found in the fossil record is studied by
paleopathologists, specialists in ancient disease and injury. Periostitis has been seen in the late Cretaceous-Eocene crocodile ''
Borealosuchus formidabilis'', once known as ''
Leidyosuchus''. In one study, periostitis was the most common pathology in this species, with 134 instances of the condition out of 7,154 bones the scientists examined showing evidence for the condition. Periostitis has also been documented in dinosaurs, including a forelimb referred to the
long-necked ''
Camarasaurus grandis'', as well as the shoulder blade of a
horned dinosaur.
See also
*
Periosteal reaction
References
External links
{{Osteochondropathy
Osteopathies