American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) Certification Practice Exam

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What is often a symptom of acute osteomyelitis of the ankle?

Persistent pain
Skin rash
High fever
Joint swelling

The correct answer is: Persistent pain

Acute osteomyelitis is an infection of the bone that can lead to significant inflammation and pain. In cases involving the ankle, persistent pain is a hallmark symptom. This pain typically arises because of the inflammatory response generated by the infection, which can also trigger muscle spasms and surrounding tissue irritation. While high fever can accompany bone infections due to the body’s immune response, it may not be present in every case and is not as direct an indicator of osteomyelitis as persistent pain is. Similarly, joint swelling can occur, but it is somewhat less specific and can be attributed to other conditions too. Skin rash is usually not associated with osteomyelitis, marking it as an irrelevant symptom for this particular condition. Therefore, persistent pain stands out as the most characteristic and significant symptom of acute osteomyelitis in the ankle.