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What Causes Persistent Pain In The Shin Bone?

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Posted on Fri, 10 Feb 2017
Question: Pain in shinbone started oct

Oct x ray - normal

Pain continued

Nov 27, MRI without contrast.
( report included)
There is stress edema in the anteriomedial proximal tibia without fracture
There is no visualized fracture or avascular necrosis.

" stress changes proximal tibia"


Nov 28, CT scan of leg ( knee to ankle) Normal
XXXXXXX 3, repeat X-ray - normal

It's been 13 weeks, still feels the same.

I am not a runner.

Could " stress reaction" be cancer?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Praveen Tayal (32 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Not related to cancer.

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for posting your query.
A stress reaction is not at all related to cancer. You need not worry. To heal the inflammation you need to decrease stressful activities like jogging or running. It needs proper rest to heal.
You can also get your calcium and D3 levels evaluated and start with proper supplements if needed.
I hope this answers your query.
In case you have additional questions or doubts, you can forward them to me, and I shall be glad to help you out.
Wishing you good health.
Regards.
Dr. Praveen Tayal.
For future query, you can directly approach me through my profile URL http://bit.ly/Dr-Praveen-Tayal

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Dr. Praveen Tayal (7 minutes later)
Thank you for your quick reply.

I do not jog or run and this is why i am concerned.

Everything i read when i google bone edema brings me to cancer.

For instance this is sonething i find on the internet

Cancer and Infection
Infection and cancer produce bone edema. The inflammatory infection cells and metastatic tumor cells produce high water content bone which is seen as edema on MRI.

I
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Praveen Tayal (35 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Details below.

Detailed Answer:
Hello.
Thanks for writing again.
Diagnosing yourself based on symptom checker or google search will keep you under stress all the time.
It is true that bone edema is seen in infection, inflammation and cancer but in case of cancer it is always associated with a gradually increasing mass on the bone that is usually painless. It is associated with other symptoms also like pathological fractures that is not there in your case. So, you need not worry after reading an incomplete information.
Hope my answer is helpful.
Do accept my answer in case there are no further queries.
Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Dr. Praveen Tayal (14 minutes later)
Thank you.

Is it possible that the mass was too small to see on the mri ct scan and xray and that the edema is first to be seen?

How big does a mass need to be before it can be seen?

What about an unkniwn metastises?

Does that show up as a mass too or just cells?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Praveen Tayal (45 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Mass appears before edema.

Detailed Answer:
In case of cancer, the mass is the first thing to be seen. Edema appears later. The mass is usually of 3-4 cm size- can be primary mass or metastasis.
On MRI scan, any mass of more than 2cm in size is easily detected.
Unknown metastasis also needs to be of considerable size before an inflammation starts and causes edema.
Proper mass is seen. Single or few cells are not detectable on MRI scan.
Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Dr. Praveen Tayal (38 minutes later)
So then this wouldve shown on these tests if i had metastic bone cancer?

Thank you
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Praveen Tayal (8 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Yes.

Detailed Answer:
Usually a metastatic bone cancer is detected on these tests. Bone scan is a more specific test for it.
Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Dr. Praveen Tayal (3 hours later)
Just one last question.

When you say ususlly metastic bone cancer is detected on these tests and bine scan is more specific , does that mean that these tests couldve missed it and only bone scan would show?

doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Praveen Tayal (9 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Yes.

Detailed Answer:
Yes. These tests can miss a minor metastases less than 2 cm n size but such a small mass will not cause a bone edema. So you need not worry.
Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Dr. Praveen Tayal (1 hour later)
Im so confused. If bone edema ( stress changes) does have something to do with bone cancer, why would you say it doesnt?
Everyone is giviing me a different answer and all i know is i have pain in my leg for 3 months that is not going away. It is there everyday and i have these stress changes.
I keep thinking that something that i am unaware of has metastesized to the bone.
One dr say any size mass can be pucked up but others say no, must be certain size.
One dr say stress changes, nothing to be concerned but what is causing the stress changes and psin if im not runner?
What is the rrelationship between stress chsnges ( bone edema) and bone cancer?
Are yoo sure that theses stress changes can not be an early finding of bone cancer
?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Praveen Tayal (33 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Not related to cancer.

Detailed Answer:
Bone edema can be due to cancer but cancer is detectable by MR scan by the time the edema appears.
The persistent pain is due to edema- inflammation - can be an infection or shin splint. Stress changes do not cause a cancer or a precursor of cancer. So these changes are not likely to be related to cancer.
Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Nagamani Ng
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Dr. Praveen Tayal (42 minutes later)
Thank you. I appreciate your replies so quickly .
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Praveen Tayal (8 hours later)
Brief Answer:
You are welcome.

Detailed Answer:
Hello.
Thank you.
I am happy I could help.
Please do recommend our services to others too in case you found them helpful. For future query, you can directly approach me through my profile URL http://bit.ly/Dr-Praveen-Tayal
Wishing you the best in whatever you do.
Best regards.
Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T
doctor
Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Dr. Praveen Tayal

Orthopaedic Surgeon

Practicing since :1994

Answered : 12314 Questions

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What Causes Persistent Pain In The Shin Bone?

Brief Answer: Not related to cancer. Detailed Answer: Hello, Thanks for posting your query. A stress reaction is not at all related to cancer. You need not worry. To heal the inflammation you need to decrease stressful activities like jogging or running. It needs proper rest to heal. You can also get your calcium and D3 levels evaluated and start with proper supplements if needed. I hope this answers your query. In case you have additional questions or doubts, you can forward them to me, and I shall be glad to help you out. Wishing you good health. Regards. Dr. Praveen Tayal. For future query, you can directly approach me through my profile URL http://bit.ly/Dr-Praveen-Tayal