Rheumatic Diseases

Rheumatic Diseases

Rheumatic diseases are a group of conditions that affect the joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones, and sometimes internal organs. They can cause pain, stiffness, swelling, and other symptoms. Some rheumatic diseases are autoimmune disorders, where the body's immune system mistakenly attacks its own tissues.

Common rheumatic diseases include:

• Arthritis: General term for joint inflammation.
• Ankylosing spondylitis: Inflammation of the spine, particularly where it connects to the pelvis.
• Autoimmune diseases: Conditions where the immune system attacks healthy tissues.
• Gout: Arthritis caused by uric acid buildup in the joints.
• Hip replacement surgery: Procedure to replace damaged hip joints.
• Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA): Arthritis in children.
• Osteoarthritis: Degenerative joint disease caused by cartilage wear and tear.
• Polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis: Inflammatory conditions affecting muscles and blood vessels.
• Psoriatic arthritis: Arthritis associated with psoriasis.
• Reactive arthritis: Arthritis triggered by an infection.
• Rheumatoid arthritis: A chronic autoimmune disease affecting multiple joints.
• Scleroderma: A disease causing thickened skin and can affect blood vessels and organs.
• Sjögren's disease: A condition affecting moisture-producing glands, often causing dry mouth and eyes.
• Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE): An autoimmune disease affecting multiple body systems.

Each rheumatic disease has its own specific symptoms and treatments.