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Published on Aug 1, 2025
Authored by Pfizer Medical Team
The human body constantly replaces the material in the bones by breaking down existing bone and replacing it with new bone.1,2,3,4 Bone disease, where bone break downs faster than it can be replaced, is common in multiple myeloma, affecting about 85% of people with the disease.1,2,3,4 When multiple myeloma damages bones, it can lead to fractures, pain, muscle weakness, numbness, pins and needles, and too much calcium in the blood.1,2,3,4,5 Multiple myeloma mostly affects the spine, but can affect any bone, especially the longer bones in the legs and arms.2,3,5
Bone disease, fractures, or nerve damage near the bones can cause pain.2,3,4,5 This pain can affect your ability to move, socialise, and work, and also your energy level and mood.4,5,6 Treating bone disease and pain is very important to help people with multiple myeloma to live their lives to the fullest.1
Treating bone disease may reduce the amount of pain you feel.2,5 The most common treatment options include a group of medicines called bisphosphonates, radiotherapy (using radiation to kill cancer cells), or surgery.1
As well as making bones stronger using the treatments described above, pain caused by bone disease can be treated with medicines, diet and lifestyle changes.1,3,5 Depending on what kind of pain is present, the pain treatment may be different, but you should always speak with your healthcare team before changing treatment.3,4
Your healthcare team can also help to recommend pain treatments that can be bought over the counter at the pharmacy or prescribed by your doctor.3,5,6 Pain can also be reduced by lifestyle changes, including gentle exercise and avoiding smoking and drinking unhealthy amounts of alcohol.3,4,5,6 Exercise helps to maintain mobility, increases bone health, and reduces pain and stress.3,4,5,6 Eating healthily is very important because this may help prevent nerve and bone damage and can also reduce stress.3,4,6 Your healthcare team may recommend supplements for calcium and vitamin D to keep your bones healthy.2,4 You might also like to try other complementary treatments to treat pain, such as massage, applying heat or cold to painful areas, physical therapy, acupuncture, counseling, meditation, hypnosis, or use of a low-voltage electric current (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, also known as a TENS machine).2,3,5,6
If you look after someone with multiple myeloma who is not able to move very easily due to bone disease, then you may need to help them with some everyday tasks.8 These might include getting in or out of bed, chairs, or the shower, or helping them to be more comfortable in their chair or bed.8 They might also need help with keeping track of when they should take their medicines.8
Patients with multiple myeloma should let their healthcare team know about their pain symptoms so that they can work together to best treat it.4,9,10 Inform your healthcare team about how your treatments are making you feel and any new pains that have developed.4 Always talk with your healthcare team before taking any new treatments, even those you can buy over the counter.3 If you feel severe pain, you should contact emergency services, and if your pain does not improve then you may need to be referred to a pain specialist for more specific treatment.2,4