Question

A person has a bone fracture and takes a painkiller that causes blood-vessel constriction. Why might this painkiller actually slow bone healing? Specifically describe how the drug would affect the three stages of bone healing.

Answer 1

In contrast to compact bone, spongy bones does not contain true Haversian systems( tiny tubes that form a network in bone and contain blood vessels) but consist of an irregular lattice of thin plates of bone called trabeculae.The spaces between trabeculae are filled with marrow. The cells of the red marrow are responsible for producing blood. Within trabeculae  lie lacunae which contain osteocytes. Blood vessels from the periosteum penetrate through to the spongy bone,  and osteocytes in the trabeculae are nourished directly from the blood circulating through the marrow cavities.