Symptoms of Paget's disease

Many people with Paget's disease of bone have no symptoms. It is often found by chance on an X-ray or a blood test showing high alkaline phosphatase (ALP).

Common symptoms

• Bone pain: a deep, dull ache, often worse at night or at rest
• Joint pain and stiffness: arthritis in joints near affected bone, such as the hip or knee
• Bone deformity: bowed legs, a curved spine or a larger head
• Fractures: bone can break more easily, sometimes with small stress cracks
• Warmth over the bone because of increased blood flow

By site

• Pelvis and hip: pain in the groin or buttock, hip arthritis
• Spine: back pain, a stooped posture, and sometimes nerve compression causing numbness or weakness
• Skull: headache, hearing loss, ringing in the ears, dizziness, enlarged head
• Long bones (thigh, shin): bowing and pain

Rare features

Pressure on nerves, and very rarely bone in a long-standing affected bone, shown by new severe pain, swelling or a lump.