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Symptoms - Paget's disease of bone

Symptoms of Paget's disease of bone include bone or joint pain and problems caused by a nerve being squashed or damaged.

But in many cases, there are no obvious symptoms and the condition is only found during tests carried out for another reason.

1 bone or several bones may be affected. Commonly affected areas include the:

  • pelvis
  • spine
  • skull
  • shoulders
  • legs

Bone or joint pain

Paget's disease may cause pain in the bone itself and in the joints near the affected bone.

The bone pain is usually:

  • dull or aching
  • deep within the affected part of the body
  • constant
  • worse at night

The affected area may also feel warm.

Nerve problems

Abnormal bone growth can result in bone squashing (compressing) or damaging a nearby nerve.

Possible signs of this can include:

Call 999 or go to A&E if you have partial loss of movement in your limbs or loss of bowel or bladder control.

Other problems

Paget's disease of bone can also cause a range of other problems, including:

  • fragile bones that are more likely to break
  • osteoarthritis – damage to the joints, causing painful and stiff joints
  • deformities in affected bones, such as curved legs (bow legs) or a curved spine (scoliosis)
  • hearing lossheadachesvertigo (a spinning sensation) and tinnitus (hearing noises in your ears) – these may occur if the skull is affected
  • heart problems

Read more about the complications of Paget's disease of bone.

When to see a GP

See a GP if you have:

  • persistent bone or joint pain
  • deformities in any of your bones
  • symptoms of a nerve problem, such as numbness, tingling or balance problems

A GP can organise tests to check your bones and look for problems such as Paget's disease of bone.

Read more about how Paget's disease of bone is diagnosed.

Page last reviewed: 04 April 2023
Next review due: 04 April 2026