There are many possible causes of bone pain, including arthritis, fracture, and growing pains. Less commonly, it can point to bone cancer.

Bone pain may present as tenderness initially, then escalate to a more constant or intermittent pain. It may also become more pronounced during the night or while at rest.

Understanding the range of potential causes can help in seeking the appropriate treatment.

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Bone pain is any pain or discomfort a person feels in their bones.

Typically, it presents as a dull and achey pain and the skin near the affected area may feel tender to touch. The pain may worsen with movement or when using the affected area.

Depending on the cause, bone pain may feel sharp, sudden, and intense or gradually increase and spread from the original site.

There are many possible causes of bone pain, including traumas and injuries, health conditions that weaken the bones, and certain tumors and cancers. Examples include:

Treatment for bone pain depends largely on the cause of the pain. A doctor’s may need to use imaging tests such as an X-ray, MRI scan, CT scan, or bone scan to make a diagnosis.

Depending on a person’s diagnosis, treatment may include taking anti-inflammatories or painkillers (analgesics). For example, a person with arthritis may take these medications as well as corticosteroids.

For osteoporosis, a person may be prescribed calcium and vitamin D supplements.

A person with growing pains may experience relief simply by massaging and stretching the painful area.

The most significant cause of bone pain is bone cancer. This disease is most likely to occur in the long bones of the upper arms or legs, but it may affect any bone. When cancer cells originate in the bone itself, this is called primary bone cancer.

Pain caused by bone cancer may have the following symptoms:

  • an initial sense of tenderness in the bone
  • escalation to a constant pain or a pain that comes and goes in the affected bone
  • persistent pain during the night
  • swelling or inflammation in or around the affected area
  • a lump over or near the affected bone
  • bone fractures after just a small injury or fall, because cancer has made the bones fragile

Less common symptoms may also include:

There are different treatment approaches for bone cancer depending on its type and how far it has spread in the body. These include:

  • Surgery: Involves removing the cancerous portion of the bone. Where possible, the surgeon will rebuild the bone after surgery, but sometimes they will need to amputate part of the bone.
  • Chemotherapy: This cancer treatment uses drugs to kill the malignant cells and tissues.
  • Radiotherapy: A cancer treatment that uses radiation to destroy cancer cells.
  • Mifamurtide: A drug used to treat osteosarcoma, a specific type of bone cancer. This drug stimulates the body’s immune system to attack and kill cancer cells.

It would be wise to see a doctor if symptoms include:

  • severe bone pain
  • constant bone pain unrelated to activity or position
  • bone pain in multiple locations

People should also see a doctor if they experience swelling or inflammation on or around a painful bone, or if they have bone fractures after minor injuries.

Why do I feel pain in my bones?

There are many possible causes of bone pain, including:

  • arthritis
  • a fracture following an accident, trauma, or overuse
  • growing pains

Less commonly, it may point to a serious condition such as leukemia or bone cancer.

How to tell the difference between muscle pain and bone pain?

It can be challenging to differentiate muscle pain from bone pain. Muscle pain is generally more widespread and feels sore, while bone pain tends to feel deeper, sharper, and localized to the bone.

What does cancerous bone pain feel like?

Initially, bone cancer pain may not be obvious all the time. However, over time it may become more constant and worsen at night or with activity.

Sometimes, a tumor can weaken bones to the point where it fractures, which can cause a sudden onset of intense pain.

Bone pain can arise from a variety of causes, including arthritis, fractures, or infections. Less common but serious causes include secondary bone cancer, leukemia, or osteomyelitis.

Treatment varies based on the underlying cause and may involve anti-inflammatories, antibiotics, painkillers, or specific treatments for bone cancer, such as surgery, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy.

If a person has severe or persistent bone pain that is accompanied by swelling or unexplained fractures, they should speak with their doctor as soon as possible.