Osteomyelitis is an inflammation of the bone marrow and surrounding bone due to an infection. When a bone gets infected, the bone marrow (the soft part inside the bone) swells and presses against the bone’s blood vessels. The bone cells can’t get enough blood and parts of the bone may die. The infection can spread to the surrounding muscles and other soft tissues, causing pus to collect in the area.

This is known as an abscess. If the bone infection has come through the blood and is a recent infection, treatment with oral antibiotic medications in high doses usually works. You’ll be prescribed oral antibiotics against Staphylococcus aureus (such as cloxacillin* or clindamycin) unless your doctor has identified another type of bacteria responsible for the infection.