Osteonecrosis
What are the effects?
In the earliest stage of osteonecrosis, there are usually no symptoms at all. The first symptom experienced is the relatively abrupt onset of pain. Initially, pain is felt only with movement, but later it is also felt at rest. In the early stages, your range of motion in the affected body part may be diminished, primarily due to pain. Some people with osteonecrosis will remain functional for years, despite decreased range of motion. However, most patients have persistent and worsening pain, progressive range-of-motion losses and significant loss of function. Eventually, if the bone collapses, the cartilage will be injured, resulting in osteoarthritis with progressive limitation of joint motion. The time from onset of symptoms to the collapse of the bone and development osteoarthritis varies widely, from months to years. If treated early, osteoarthritis may not develop.
Avascular necrosis most commonly affects the ends (epiphysis) of long bones, such as the femur (the bone from hip to knee). The disease may affect just one bone, more than one bone at the same time or more than one bone at different times.
