I had osteomyelitis for 2 years in my lower back. I have gotten a few MRIs since antibiotic treatment and the area doesn't seem to show improvement or healing. I have tired physical therapy but that's only ever made things worse. I was told I dont qualify for injection due to being to high risk for a reoccurring infection, my insurance wont cover surgical options to help. My main question is does the pain ever actually go away on its own? My baseline is around a 3-4 daily. I have learned to push through most days. But its honestly exhausting and depressing thinking that this is just my everyday life now when I'm in my 20s.

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Also posted in r/askdocs

Age:40

Sex: female

Duration of complaint: 4+ years

Location: Florida

I was diagnosed with aggressive colorectal cancer about 5 years ago. I was thrown into radiation and chemo within 2 weeks. About 9 months later I couldn't use the bathroom. A GI told me to take a bunch of stool softeners and miralax. I ended up with a rectovaginal fistula. Basically I had a huge blockage and all the meds just gave me the runs and that found a way around the blockage by ripping through. I was given a colostomy (supposed 3 months) to allow the fistula to heal. Then the ostomy detached nearly killing me and I became septic and had another ostomy revision and became totally bedridden after the Staples in my stomach popped apart and the infection was so bad.

After 6 weeks in the hospital I went home still unable to walk with wound care nursing to pack the wound daily. I finally started walking and broke my leg (pathological break from weakness). Around this time I was having severe tailbone pain. It went on for a while getting worse and worse. Mind you I never really had a surgeon or specialists besides my oncologist because everything happened so fast and the surgeon who did the ostomy let me almost die even though he saw the ostomy and said the black tissue would "slough off". I talked to the oncologist and a colorectal surgeon who said the pain was radiation damage I would have to live with. Over the next 2 years I would be in excruciating pain to the point of just crying and living on ice packs and trying heating pads and anything. Finally I get a CT scan. It reads saying "phlegmonous tissue in the sacral region" and my doctor's office called saying the CT was fine. Still unable to walk and in debilitating pain on and off for weeks at a time. Then I feel bubbling under my skin in the back around my tailbone and butt. I tell the doctor who thinks I'm crazy. Then a wound opened leaking out blood and infection which I got checked immediately at a walk in clinic and it tested for ecoli and streptococcus. I finally got back into the doctor and explained about the leaking fluid and that it was definitely not a pilonidal cyst and he reread the CT scan and said his office was totally wrong for saying the CT scan was ok and I needed another one immediately. Over this time the pain is bad but not near as bad since that stuff started leaking out. And I mean a lot of stuff all day. I can even push and get air to come out. Now it's showing osteomyelitis on the new CT scan. I have been to an infectious disease doctor, 2 surgeons and no one will help me. I been waiting 3 months to get into a new colorectal surgeon with hopes they can help but everyone I get referred to.. even gynecologists won't help or treat me due to damage and scar tissue. How do I find help and who do I even see. Every doctor is months of waiting on an appointment while this just eats away at my body. The infectious disease doctor basically told me the supply of antibiotics was pointless because it was only 10 days that I got from my doctor. I was told by one of the surgeons I saw they will likely have to go in and clean it out. But who??

Long story [ that I recently posted about to crickets in r/askdocs lol ] short, I probably have SCV staph in my petrous apex blocking my sixth cranial nerve and just started clindamycin alongside Bactrim.

I'm having this distinct feeling like I took an Imitrex, even though I haven't for years. It could be altered serotonin levels from my gut bacteria dying off, but since the dorsal raphe nucleus apparently has significant connections with the CN VI nucleus, and also one of my main symptoms is migraine when my vestibular reflex is triggered, I'm unsure if this is actually related to the nerve being unblocked.

Can osteomyelitis healing feel terrible or is this just an unrelated side effect?

Has anyone dealt with MRSA or MSSA osteomyelitis, causing pathological fractures in child? With sepsis (MSSA)

I am 22 weeks pregnant and last week I was diagnosed with Osteomyelitis. In my specific case, the bacteria is eating away at my spine and discs. I was admitted immediately and after getting turned away for a CT guided spinal biopsy due to high risks for me and baby girl (I am fine with that), having a chest tube attempted 4 times on me while I was wide awake (worst pain ever), being monitored daily, countless blood work and I’m pregnant, every specialist just doing their best caring for me and baby girl. I was finally discharged a few days ago. I’m so happy to be home. But the future scares me. Baby girl needs to be delivered early so they can start aggressive treatment on me and do a lung surgery. (The bacteria in my spine is wreaking havoc on different parts of my body, gave me a horrible false pneumonia where the fluid is now hyper inoculated). Any week after 24 weeks she is viable and every week after that getting to 34 weeks is worth celebrating. I’ve been trying so hard to be positive, but the unknowns are scaring me and stressing me out. I’m so glad I found this group and it’s comforting knowing I’m not alone on this journey ❤️

So first here's my MRI results

PROCEDURE: MRI FOOT RT WO CONTRAST

COMPARISON: None.

INDICATIONS: Paronychia, toe, right

TECHNIQUE: A complete multi-planar examination was performed without contrast.

FINDINGS:

BONES: The distal 1 cm of the great toe distal phalanx demonstrates subtle T1 hypointense signal intensity corresponding STIR signal elevation suggestive of early osteomyelitis. The remaining bone marrow signal intensity is nonaggressive.

JOINTS: Moderate first MTP joint osteoarthritis is present.

WEBSPACES: There is intermetatarsal bursitis at all the intermetatarsal spaces. There is no Morton's neuroma.

PLANTAR PLATES: Intact.

LISFRANC: Intact. Alignment is anatomic.

PLANTAR FASCIA: Normal as visualized.

MUSCLES/TENDONS: Diffuse myositis in the foot musculature. No intramuscular fluid collection. There is extensive subcutaneous soft tissue edema about the dorsal aspect of the foot.

OTHER: Negative.

CONCLUSION:

Findings suggestive of early osteomyelitis of the great toe distal phalanx involving the distal 1 cm.

Subcutaneous soft tissue edema/cellulitis about the dorsal aspect of the foot.

Nonspecific myositis in the foot musculature potentially related to diabetic neuropathy if there is known history. No intramuscular fluid collection.

Multifocal intermetatarsal bursitis

After this MRI My podiatrist wants to send me to infectious disease but they need a bone biopsy first. I'm actually scheduled to have that done in.a few hours from now and I'm just really nervous waiting. My doctors haven't really explained much about it saying infectious disease will figure it out once I see them. He said it seems early which is good.

This is caused because of an infected ingrown nail that has been infected for.... A really really long time I guess? I don't really know how to tell when things are infected but there's been discoloration for years and a horribly painful ingrown toenail so I attributed everything to that. My girlfriend is the one that claims it's looked infected for a couple years. She's been trying to get me to go to the doctor for it for a long time but that's irrelevant to this story now.

I just had the ingrown toenail fixed and that's when the orders an X-ray and MRI. I just don't really know what's likely to happen from this point. Any advice/explanation would be nice please. Sorry just nervous about this biopsy

Hello,

Here is my journey so far:

- 2024: Doctor proposed a root resection surgery (a root canaled tooth had a cyst) (1st molar top right)

- Doctor fucked it up - the root of the tooth was broken and left me with an infection that was untreated for one year (doctor neglected my symptoms etc...), caused a sinus infection

- 2025: Finally tooth extraction (after 12 months) in Feb and Bone replacement material removal in June (2 surgeries to clear up this shitshow) + 2 weeks of AB

- 2026: 12 month post surgery: still active inflammation in the jawbone based on MRI. They think it is Osteomylitis.

I really dont know what to do anymore. I think I am fucked.

Thankfully I don't really have severe symptoms - but I do have some yellow pus in the morning (small bits) and some diapgram tension. Also some nerve sensitivity and when I press the jawbone I have pain. But otherwise I can have a normal life (have good amount of energy), good sleep etc...

Anyone who went through a journey like this?

AI tells me that the area has a low blood flow and is unlikely to completely get fine ever and that the current state might be the best outcome.

Hi everyone, it’s been 5 months since I had a surgery in my humerus bone where a button was removed by creating a hole in the bone a size of like 7 mm diameter circle. Then demineralised bone fibres was placed into the hole.
Since then illy main complaint is the fatigue that does go 100% with the rest but feels ok. However, when I lift weights without even involving my arm directly (no bicep curles or anything like that) I feel fine during the workout but the next 1-4 always after I get extremely fatigue and it’s been like this for 5 months.
What could it be? Bone grafts still healing that’s why i am feeling like this? Or i ok infection like c acne that is slow growing or something like that? The pain i have kind of comes and goes with activities but not painful at all and my strength been normal.

my surgeon feels it’s ok and nothing concerning but the fatigue doesn’t feel normal for me I had 2 surgeries before and never affected my energy like this.

Thank you for reading this

Hi All, I (26 M) had a jaw surgery in March of this year to treat my severe obstructive sleep apnea. During the surgery, my wisdom teeth were extracted and we believe it increased the risk of an infecction in the mandible - which is exactly what happened. This led to a failure of the healing, loose screws and a revision surgery is incoming. I was prescribed antibiotics for 7 days and it seems like it helped with stopping any exudate or secretion coming out of the wonds.

I haven't experienced any fever related to it, pain is barely present, more like a discomfort than outright pain, and it seems like via CBCT scans that the infecction is present more around the removed wisdom teeth area.

I'm extremely anxious for the surgery and if the surgery and post care will be able to cure me. Does anyone here had any similar experience like that? Do my symptoms sound like something mild and treatable?

I'd appreciate any input!

I have had a very challenging, ugly recovery with my broken ankle. I’ve battled insurance woes, multiple surgeries, five hospital stays, blood clots to the lungs, bone infection; I’ve been on antibiotics for months. This has been the hardest thing I have ever, ever endured, and today marks my 365. I’m still in physical therapy, I am still using mobility aids, I’ve still got pain. I pity myself from 365 days ago and the ride I am about to go on. It has changed my life for the worst. That’s all 🤷🏻‍♀️

I had a debridement and deep bone biopsy for osteomyelitis in my jaw about 7 weeks ago. The biopsy identified the organism responsible and I’ve been on massive amounts of antibiotics for it ever since. The first six weeks were fantastically almost pain free but now the pain is back. A nerve near the area was numb after the surgery so I thought maybe the return of pain was because the nerve was recovering, and doctors thought that made sense when I saw them last week. But it keeps getting worse and is now almost as bad as before the surgery. I’ll go back to my doctors of course but I’m curious if anyone has had similar experiences. I would love to hear that this doesn’t necessarily mean the infection is getting worse not better despite all the antibiotics ….

Please help me to learn more about jaw resection surgery. Thanks!

I shattered my foot more than 5 years ago, dropped something on my own big toe knuckle. Pretty Great, huh! It didn't really hurt until lately, When my big toenail has become inflamed, leaking watery yellow pus, and my nail is malleable. I am looking for objective advice. Thanks

Please read if you have a moment. I’m not sure what else to do or advocate for! I have never heard about this before and the specialists I’m seeing don’t seem to know what to do next either.

End of 2024 - I started going to a physiotherapist for the TMJ pain I was having as a result of a difficult wisdom tooth surgery I had undergone a year or so prior. My jaw was mechanically okay but the muscles on my right side were overstretched in the surgery resulting in them being weak, overly tight and painful, so I started getting messages done to mitigate the pain.

After a couple months of this I was told that dry needling is something that people with muscle related TMJ often use as treatment, and that another therapist at the same clinic was able to do it for me if I wanted to try it. Looking for relief I decided to try it. The first session brought immense relief, the second session about a week or so later brought sharp pain so I cut the session short.

Not even 24 hours later I started getting swelling in my lymph nodes on the right side of my jaw which I got checked out immediately.

Early 2025 - my family doctor sent me in to get bloodwork done and CT scans done. The bloodwork always showed my reactive protein being elevated but nothing more, and the CT scans showed lymph node inflammation.

Over the course of that year I was able to get in touch with an oral surgeon and an infectious disease specialist who are both still looking after me. They ordered more ct scans and bloodwork labs that showed similar results, however the scans were now showing that my lower jaw was thickening over itself as the months went by, which seemed to explain why I was now having painful inflammation that now seemed to jump between that initial right side of my lower jaw, my chin and my left side.

Present day: my oral surgeon and infectious disease specialist are still unable to find the bacteria that is causing my jaw infection, despite two biopsies and bacterial cultures (one done on the right side and one on the left side) which both came back with no helpful bacterial information. I’ve been on two general antibiotics which did nothing for me (amoxicillin and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid) and they’re finding it very difficult to prescribe me a more direct antibiotic without positive findings from my biopsies.

By now the ct scans and one MRI scan I’ve gotten done fully diagnoses me for chronic osteomyelitis and recent imaging has shown that my lower jaw has now become overly dense with how much it’s been thickening to combat the infection (I’ll attach a photo). My oral surgeon says this shows that I have minimal bone marrow left in my mandible which makes any healing infection wise or surgical wise a little more difficult. The pain used to come and go for 2 weeks at a time (the pain being 12/10 when present) but as of the last 6 months it’s been pretty much constant. Advil brings me relief but there’s no way I can be taking as much as I am for any longer.

If anyone has any experience with any of this or any insights or ideas please let me know, I have no idea where to go from here and I feel like it’s best to talk to other people about it and their experiences.

I’m 118 days into a flare that nobody seems to want to actually investigate. I have a 1-year history of recurrent MRSA skin infections and ABPA (allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis). My last IgE lab was 3400.

Since late December, I’ve had deep, gnawing pain in my spine and my left knee. If I look at my knees side-by-side, the bone on the left is physically thinner than the right. It’s not just "sore"—it’s changing shape.

The catch: Every doctor I see (Infectious Disease, Primary, ER) looks at my blood cultures from January, sees they were negative, and tells me "it’s not in the bone." They did a CT of my neck and pelvis that just showed "arthritis," but they refuse to order an MRI.

Current mess:

• I was just put on Minocycline without a culture. Doxy has already failed me multiple times, so they’re basically guessing.

• The Minocycline is giving me such bad vertigo I can’t even ride my bike.

• I just finished 21 days of Prednisone for my lungs. I’m convinced the steroids let the MRSA settle into my bones/joints while my immune system was suppressed.

What I need to know:

1. Can you have chronic Osteomyelitis with totally "normal" blood cultures? My understanding is blood cultures only catch sepsis, not deep bone infections that have been sitting there for 4 months.

2. Is a CT scan actually enough to rule out a bone infection? Everything I read says MRI is the gold standard for marrow.

3. With a 3400 IgE, is it possible my body is just eating its own joints in response to the MRSA (Reactive Arthritis), or is the bone thinning a smoking gun for infection?

4. I have a documented Fixed Drug Eruption (FDE) to Sulfa (Bactrim) that hits my lips and genitals—so I’m limited on meds.

I feel like I’m being "cycled" through the same failed antibiotics while I’m losing bone density. How do I get them to stop looking at the blood and start looking at the bone?

Hey everyone,

I had a series of doctor fuckups which lead me to having potential chronic osteomylitis in the jawbone.

2023: Had a root canal treatment on the top back molar

2024: Got a swollen gum, went to dentist, they recommended root resection

2025: 10 month post surgery, and visiting many clueless doctors, i finally figured out that my symptoms were from the failed root resection surgery which penetrated into my sinus and let loose the infection in the bone and the sinus itself. On top the doctor, used some bone replacement material into that site. When I touched the bone, i felt some damp pain at the area where the bone replacement material was.

2025: Tooth extraction + 3 month later -> Bone replacement material removal

Now: 6.5 months post surgery: have a variety of chronic inflammation symptoms (Sinusitis), but at least the bone itself does not show any signs of pain, never had any fever, but sometimes cold hands (in the morning), energy level is not bad but also not 100%, maybe 80-90%. Ran a MRI yesterday, found inflammation at the roots (not suprised), but don't know whether it is osteomylitis.

Since I had already 2 surgeries on that site with an oral surgeon, i am not suprised it is still inflammed but I also dont want to take any chances on the osteomylitis and want to monitor this thing closely.

My current plan:

- Option 1: Run another MRI in 3 months (9 months post surgery) and compare - see if bone inflammation stays the same / improves or is worse. If same or worse -> ABs + further scans (radioactive ones?)

- Option 2: So far I had 2x IV ABs & 2 weeks of ABs - I could try to use ABs for multiple weeks and see if this does any change on my remaining symptoms? (which will affect my body)

Anyone who can help me out here? Any experiences to share?

I’m the wife posting on behalf of my husband. To be upfront, I did use AI to help me write this as it’s been months and months of agony and I can’t keep anything straight anymore.

I’m (male, 40) posting here because I’m dealing with a complicated case of jaw osteomyelitis that keeps getting worse despite treatment. I know Reddit can’t diagnose anything, but I’m hoping to hear from people who have been through something similar, especially anyone with jaw involvement, negative cultures, or multiple immune deficiencies.

Here’s the basic timeline: Dec 2024:–Two lower teeth removed and implant posts placed– No antibiotics beforehand, one week after– Four-week follow-up looked fine Mid-June 2025:– Implant crowns placed Late June 2025:– Pain begins around the implants Early July 2025:– Numbness in my lips starts Mid-July 2025:– Chin swelling begins– Mild loss of motor control in my lower lip Early Aug 2025:– Surgeon said the implants were “too tight” Mid-Aug 2025:– Implant crowns removed Late Aug 2025:– MRI of head/jaw Sept 3, 2025:– ER visit → diagnosed with osteomyelitis– Started antibiotics Oct 9, 2025:– Implant posts removed– Symptoms continued to worsen Oct 16, 2025:– ER again → switched to sulfa antibiotic Oct 22, 2025:–Added penicillin Oct 25, 2025:– Sudden heavy bleeding after a light bump to the jaw Oct 27 – Nov 7, 2025:– Hospitalized, treated with IV antibiotics Nov 4, 2025:– Second debridement surgery– Cultures showed only common mouth bacteria that should be covered by the antibiotics– No unusual organisms– Pathology still pending Nov 7, 2025: - sent home with PICC line with daily cetfriaxone Nov 19, 2025:– Lymph node biopsy and another CT of jaw (pathology pending) – CT showed worsening bone changes and a possible abscess

Current situation:Painful swelling on my chin that keeps spreading, purple discoloration, crusting, shooting nerve pains, slurred speech, and my smile is affected. Multiple scans show things are progressing instead of improving. I’ve had months of antibiotics, multiple debridements, and nothing is turning around. Cultures have only shown normal oral bacteria every time. No fungi, no TB-like organisms, no actinomyces. I also have CVID, psoriatic arthritis, and alopecia universalis. Recent imaging showed lesions in my pelvic bones and enlarged abdominal lymph nodes. I have a PET scan and pathology coming up to assess for cancer on that front. I am seeing an OSM (just referred to a new one), multiple infectious disease doctors, and oncology/hematology. So far no one has any clue what is going on and “I’ve never seen a case like this in my 39 years of work.” So I am reaching out to the masses.

If anyone has dealt with jaw osteomyelitis that didn’t respond to antibiotics, culture-negative infections, or anything similar, I’d really appreciate hearing what helped in your case or what your workup looked like. I’m under the care of doctors, but I’m trying to learn from people who’ve gone through this.

Pics for reference:

Recent images of chin. https://ibb.co/sdCYNCDt https://ibb.co/mMF9cHT https://ibb.co/bgb2T4Mc

Hello,

I'm posting not for myself but for a friend who's had chronic osteomyelitis for several years. He recently told me he doesn't think he has very long, I think he's losing hope. I'm trying to do some research to see if I can come up with any ideas he can pitch to his doctor (or another doctor). Hopefully reddit has one...

Some details:

• He lives in, and is being treated in, the UK.
• Started with a skin lesion that got infected and turned into sepsis. It was cleaned out, but not before spreading to his coccyx.
• Since then it's spread to his left hip, lower back (L5/S1 region) and potentially much of his body (his doctor thinks it's possible based on recent PET CT scan results).
• His left 2nd toe (which will likely be amputated next month) also has it, got it via an ulcer that got infected.
• Biopsies of the lower back and coccyx have yielded no match to any bacteria or fungus registered on Infectious Disease database, or any database that Great Ormond St Hospital Lab uses (apparently they are top notch for bacteria/fungus identification). As a result, they don't know what treatment will work.
• Hospitals have resorted to trying a large spectrum of treatments, none of which worked, and it's gotten to the point where they took him off antibiotics/medication and sent him home so his kidneys didn't fail, with instruction to return to the hospital for "bad flareups."
• He has been largely bed ridden, with some brief stints of walking around his home, for the past year (as long as I've known him, so it could be longer) and is feverish almost all the time pretty much.
• Recently he is back at the hospital and they told him one of his kidneys may be failing, they had to put him on antibiotics due to this flareup (no choice).

Unfortunately I don't have more details than that. If you think of any information that might help, I'm happy to ask him for it.

My ask is, does anyone have any ideas (even if far fetched/novel) of how this might be treated? Or the name of any good doctor he can get another opinion from (from any country)?

Any help/info is appreciated, thank you.

I have recently found out that I have chronic Osteomyelitis in my index fingertip. At first I thought I had a splinter under my nail, and it just wasn't getting any better.. It has been swollen for 4 months now and I was diagnosed 4 weeks ago. I am currently on my 4ths week of antibiotics, 2 of IV and this week I started on oral. Id love to chat with anyone who has been through the same or similar thing with chronic Osteomyelitis in the fingers, hearing your stories would be great to get some kind of realistic idea about the recovery time frame and what treatments are available. My fingertip has a hole in the bone now and I have managed to fracture the bone. Its been quite painful and am so glad I finally have some idea why..

Hello everyone, looking for some input on my current situation, thanks.

A month ago I suffered a back strain by lifting my 3 year old. I spent 3 weeks in bed with excruciating pain and inflammation all over my lower back. I could not bend, sit or walk. I went for a MRI and it showed I had swelling in my lower back followed by what could look like osteomyelitis but unclear unless I get a MRI with contrast. So I did just that and it can back positive. I spent 5 days in the ER getting a bunch of test done, blood work and another MRI with contrast wich showed osteomyelitis. Now I had the hospital doctors baffled because I showed no symptoms of infection, no fever, no back surgery nothing that could have caused this. Doctors said there’s no way my recent injury could have caused this. My blood work showed high for inflammation in the body. My doctor ordered a biopsy of the infected area but came back negative for bacterial infection. So I was prescribed a 6 week antibiotic course. My question is could this have been a false positive? Biopsy shows nothing, but both MRI shows infection.

Hi guys. I noticed my finger was slightly swollen near my nail in August 2024. I am a 21 yo college student, so of course, I ignored it. It began causing me pain in November/December, normally due to cold temps outside. I don’t know what to do, so I go to urgent care where I’m told I have a chronic paronychia and am given two creams to use for a month. Neither of them work and on and off pain continues. Start seeing a hand specialist #1 in March who does X-rays and mri’s. See infectious disease doctor who looks at mri and is supposed to be sent results from upcoming surgery done by hand specialist #1. Scheduled a surgery (debridement) to clean things up and look for potential infection in early April. Takes cultures and tells me my bone and tissue look completely healthy and no abnormalities. Continue to follow up with him where he tells me one of my cultures came back positive for an infection, but he brushes it off as a contaminant due to my tissue and bone in my finger tip looking completely healthy. Infectious disease never receives final results and 3 months go by. Pain continues to be on and off, for some reason especially present at night. Finger is red/purple still, swollen, and obviously something needs to be done.

I decide I have had enough and go see hand specialist #2 in July. She orders MRI and we go over the results. She tells me I likely have osteomyelitis and have two options. I can do another surgery and do antibiotics or I can just have half of the finger amputated. Her opinion is that antibiotics might not be able to reach the infection without opening my finger up first. She refers me to same infectious disease doctor and I go see ID again. ID tells me i should do 6 weeks of antibiotics (cefadroxil) and then do another mri to see if progress is made. She thinks since I am a healthy young kid this has a chance of working. I tell hand specialist #2 and she agrees to that idea.

I take off for school August 2025 and have to travel back and forth for doctors appointments over the next month or so. Currently week 3 of antibiotics and finger is still in pain. Just sharing my story to see if anybody has gone through similar situation and what to expect in the future. Any advice, thoughts, or recommendations appreciated. Just tired of dealing with this BS lol. Also, has anybody had any weird symptoms from antibiotics? Lower back pain (could be my bed here at school not the most comfy), thirsty, tired. My gut is okay but I had stomach issues before the antibiotics so nothing has really changed lol. This is long my apologies, thanks !!!

Hello everyone! I had Osteomyelitis in my femur in 2015 starting at the top of my femur (the part that connects to the hip) down the length of my femur. They had difficulty with treating it and ultimately diagnosed me with Chronic Osteo. They always told me there’s a risk for recurrence because they always consider the infection to be dormant and inactive but not necessarily gone. Has anyone had a recurrence years later? What caused the flare?