The symptoms of an aneurysmal bone cyst depend on the affected area. A common presentation is relatively fast onset of pain that rapidly increases in severity over 6-12 weeks.
The skin surface temperature over the cyst may increase, a hard, bony swelling may be felt , and movement in an adjacent joint may be restricted.
Spinal lesions may cause radiating nerve pain or quadriplegia, and patients with skull lesions may have moderate to severe headaches.
Although aneurysmal bone cysts are relatively rare, I decided to address this disorder because the symptoms may be wrongly interpreted as a sprain or strain, especially for ABCs that affect the posterior elements of the spine. A wrong diagnosis will lead to the wrong treatment prescription, such as ongoing chiropractic adjustments or physical therapy, which can worsen the condition.
If you have a teenager who complains of sudden, focal pain around a bone, frequently the knee, it’s best to take your child to his/her primary care physician, who should order a skeletal X-ray. X-rays are the preferred imaging study to diagnose ABCs.
There are several treatment options for aneurysmal bone cysts. Surgical curettage, which is basically scraping out the cyst; embolization of the cyst (blocking its feeding veins and arteries), and injection of drugs to inactivate the cyst.
There are surgical interventions that involve reducing the cyst. You may want to try pulsed electromagnetic field therapy (PEMF) over the lesion. PEMF is the external application of electromagnetic field energy into the body. The field is low frequency and low amplitude and is similar to the natural magnetic fields produced by your body. It is known to enhance cell membrane transport and improve red blood cell flow within the small capillaries. For more information on Pulsed EMF, click Here.
