The Facts
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.