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Vasculitis is an inflammatory disease that causes thickening of the blood vessel walls. Because there are several types of vasculitis, signs and symptoms can vary significantly from person to person. However, many people who suffer from this disease experience muscle and joint pain, as well as numbness and weakness. Some also experience fever, fatigue, and…

Osteoporosis is a condition characterized by brittle bones that are highly susceptible to fractures. Unfortunately, the disease is often ‘silent’ and does not become obvious until it causes a fracture or break. Though osteoporosis can affect any bone, it most frequently causes breaks or fractures in the hips, spine and wrist. Did you know? According…

Fibromyalgia is a condition that causes widespread pain, as well as additional pain at various ‘tender points’ on the body. This pain is usually associated with the muscles and may be accompanied by fatigue, morning ‘stiffness’, insomnia, headaches, anxiety, depression or irritable bowel syndrome. There is no known cause of fibromyalgia, but researchers believe that…

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an auto-immune disease that causes an inflammation of the lining of the joints. Its symptoms include swollen and tender joints accompanied by morning stiffness and sometimes fever, weight loss and fatigue. Rheumatoid arthritis most frequently affects the smallest joints in the body, eventually spreading to the knees, hips and shoulders. The…

Systemic lupus erythematosus is an autoimmune disease that causes the body to create abnormal antibodies to attack its own tissues. These antibodies attack both the skin tissues and those of internal systemic organs. Any part of the body may be affected, including vital organs like the kidneys, heart, brain and lungs. Joint pain and stiffness…

Dermatomyositis is an inflammatory condition that causes the body to produce antibodies that surround small blood vessels and cause muscle degeneration in those areas. Dermatomyositis most commonly presents itself with muscle weakness and skin changes. Weakness is generally symmetrical and isolated close to the trunk of the body in the shoulders, neck, hips or upper…

Polymyositis is an inflammatory disease that causes the body to produce antibodies against its own tissues. It is characterized by the progressive muscle weakness it causes – particularly among muscles closest to the trunk of the body. Other symptoms may include joint tenderness, speech impairment, shortness of breath, fatigue or difficulty swallowing. Did you know?…

Systemic sclerosis – also known as scleroderma – is a progressive disease that causes complications with various systems of the body and nearly always the skin. Almost all patients with systemic sclerosis experience a thickening or hardening of the skin. Dermatological changes occur progressively, but may eventually cause a loss of flexibility. Though some scleroderma patients…

Osteoarthritis is a disease characterized by joint damage caused by ‘wear and tear’ occurring within joint cartilage over time. This degenerative joint disorder causes joint pain and tenderness, as well as swelling, stiffness and loss of flexibility among some patients. Osteoarthritis is progressive, beginning with minimal symptoms that gradually worsen. Some of the joints most…

Gout is a very painful form of arthritis that presents in acute and sudden attacks of intense pain. Though gout attacks most frequently occur at night, they can happen at any time with little or no warning. The most common symptom is extreme sensitivity, pain and tenderness at the base of the toe or in…