Question
My child is around 5 years old and has been complaining of leg pain recently. What should be noted regarding the treatment of osteomyelitis?
Answer
The condition described as osteomyelitis by the patient is actually osteoarthritis caused by the degeneration and erosion of joint cartilage. The pathological basis of osteoarthritis is the degenerative erosion of joint cartilage, leading to stimulation of the subchondral bone, which causes pain during movement. Early treatment mainly involves oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, chondroitin medications, or intra-articular injections of sodium hyaluronate. Most patients can control the progression of the disease with medication.