Symptoms Of Gaucher Disease

Bone Fractures And Pain

Gaucher disease patients often have bone fractures and pain. Pain in the bones is common and may result in a situation called a bone crisis. This extreme pain is due to the reduction of blood flow to the bones, and may progress to bone infarction, also called avascular necrosis. If the bone is without an adequate blood supply for too long, the tissue will die. Necrosis of the bones leads to problems in the shoulder or hip, increased risk of fracture, or severe arthritis. Loss of calcium and other minerals leads to osteoporosis and osteopenia in men and women of any age. Once the loss of bone tissue advances far enough, the patient can experience spontaneous fractures even without injury. Arthritis and joint damage are common as well.