Active and Inactive Paget's Disease

Topic Overview

Paget's disease is a chronic disease that affects how the body breaks down and rebuilds bone tissue. Paget's disease can be active or inactive, depending on whether the bone formation process goes too quickly or normally.

Inactive Paget's disease

In inactive Paget's disease, bone tissue is being broken down and rebuilt at a normal speed. This most often occurs when you are using medicine to slow the bone growth. The inactive state may continue even after you stop taking medicine. This is called remission.

Active Paget's disease

Active Paget's disease has three stages. They are:

• Hot (lytic) stage. This stage occurs early in the disease process, when bone tissue is being quickly broken down. Bones are often more painful during this stage.
• Mixed stage. This stage occurs later in the disease process, when bone tissue is being quickly broken down and quickly rebuilt.
• Cold (rebuilding) stage. This stage occurs later in the disease, when bone tissue is being quickly rebuilt.

Bone pain may occur in any of the stages.