Arthritis and Other Rheumatic Diseases
Arthritis, itself a group of more than 100 different diseases, is 1 category of rheumatic diseases. Read on to learn more about these conditions, and the types of healthcare providers who treat them.
Joints are the areas where 2 or more bones meet. Most joints are mobile, allowing the bones to move.
Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a type of arthritis that affects the spine. Read on to learn details about this condition, including symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment.
Bursitis is inflammation of the fluid-filled sac (bursa) that cushions and reduces friction between tissues of the body. Read on to learn details about this condition.
Detailed information on the most common types of arthritis and other rheumatic diseases, including ankylosing spondylitis, bursitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, fibromyalgia, gout, infectious arthritis, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, lyme disease, low back pa
Diagnosing arthritis and other rheumatic diseases is often difficult, as many symptoms are similar among the different diseases.
Gout is a condition that causes inflamed, painful joints. The symptoms are caused by deposits of urate crystals at the joints.
Detailed information on arthritis and other rheumatic diseases, including types, diagnosis, treatment, and living with the condition
Septic arthritis is an infection in the joint fluid (synovial fluid) and joint tissues.
Systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus) is a disease that causes your body's immune system to attack its own cells and tissues. It causes periods of inflammation to various parts of the body. It can affect your joints, tendons, and skin. It can affect blood vessels. And it can affect organs, such as the kidneys, heart, lungs, and brain.
Lyme disease is an infection caused by the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi. This spiral shaped bacterium is most commonly spread by a tick bite.
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. It is a chronic degenerative joint disease that affects mostly middle-aged and older adults. Osteoarthritis causes the breakdown of joint cartilage. It can occur in any joint, but it most often affects the hands, knees, hips, or spine.
Psoriatic arthritis is a form of arthritis linked to psoriasis. Learn details about causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment.
Raynaud's phenomenon is a disorder that causes decreased blood flow to the fingers. In some cases, it also causes less blood flow to the ears, toes, nipples, knees, or nose. This happens due to spasms of blood vessels in those areas. The spasms happen in response to cold, stress, or emotional upset.
Reactive arthritis is a type of arthritis that occurs due to an infection. Read on to learn about details such as causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment.
Scleroderma is an ongoing (chronic) disease that causes abnormal growth of connective tissue. It can affect the joints, skin, and internal organs. It is degenerative and gets worse over time.
Detailed information on the most common types of arthritis and other rheumatic diseases, including ankylosing spondylitis, bursitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, fibromyalgia, gout, infectious arthritis, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, lyme disease, low back pa
Tendonitis is when a tendon is inflamed. When a tendon is inflamed, it can cause swelling, pain, and discomfort. Another problem called tenosynovitis is linked to tendonitis. This is the inflammation of the lining of the tendon sheath around a tendon.
Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is a form of arthritis in children. Arthritis causes joint swelling (inflammation) and joint stiffness. JIA is arthritis that affects 1 or more joints for at least 6 weeks in a child age 16 or younger.
Fibromyalgia is a condition that causes pain in muscles and soft tissues all over the body. It is an ongoing (chronic) condition. It can affect your neck, shoulders, back, chest, hips, buttocks, arms and legs.
Women develop carpal tunnel syndrome 3 times more frequently than men. It usually occurs only in adults.
Everyone has experienced low back pain at one time or another. Most people can recover from low back pain with home treatment, such as changes in activity, weight loss, quitting smoking, and other steps. Sometimes medicine or surgery is needed.
Taking arthritis medicine is important, but what you do for yourself, including exercising, doing relaxation exercises and managing your emotions and attitudes, is just as crucial to your ability to lead an active, productive life.
Severe immune disorders may be obvious right after birth. Other immune disorders may cause only mild symptoms and may not be noticed until later in childhood or early adulthood.
When your immune system doesn't work the way it should, it is called an immune system disorder.
Dermatomyositis is a rare disease that causes muscle inflammation and skin rash. It's one of a group of muscle diseases that cause muscle inflammation and swelling. It's different from other muscle diseases because it also causes skin problems.
Polymyositis is a disease that causes muscles to become irritated and inflamed. The muscles eventually start to break down and become weak. The condition can affect muscles all over the body. It can make even simple movements hard to do. Polymyositis is 1 disease in a group of diseases called inflammatory myopathies.