Diseases

Our Comprehensive Guide on Rheumatic Diseases

We provide care for Rheumatic diseases encompassing a broad range of autoimmune and inflammatory disorders, from rheumatoid arthritis to lupus, that can impact your joints, muscles, and organs. Our mission is to provide you with essential information on symptoms, causes, and treatments, empowering you with the knowledge to manage these chronic conditions effectively.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most common and prevelant autoimmune arthritic diseases.
Rheumatoid arthritis can start at any age and can affect any joint or joints.
Usually Rheumatoid Arthritis affects hands and feet more commonly and typically causes morning stiffness, elevated acute phase reactants.
It can cause erosions in joints and can cause permanent joint damage.
Proper history and examination along with labs tests are crucial for early diagnosis. Early diagnosis and treatment can save you from joint damage and chronic pain.
Some infections, malignancies and Rheumatic diseases may present with synovitis that can mimic Rheumatoid arthritis
more information on Rheumatoid arthritis ACR

Lupus

Lupus has many types and has many varieties. It is one of the most heterogenous disease.
Your immune system attacks healthy tissues and oragans.
Lupus symptoms can come slowly or rapidly, at any age. you can also have sudden worsening of disease symptoms, which can be called a flare. A common sign is a rash over the cheeks and nose in the shape of a butterfly. You can have lupus without the rash as well.

Other symptoms may include

Low grade fever
Photosensitivity
Mouth and nose Ulcers
Muscle pain
Joint pain
Fatigue

Loss of appetite
Butterfly rash
Lung inflammation
Pericardium inflammation
Inflammation in the kidneys
Raynaud’s

Symptoms can include much more and should be discussed with the doctor.

To prevent long term or permanent damage to organs, proper diagnosis and treatment of lupus is crucial

For more and detailed information of lupus may visit reliable websites like ACR, Mayo clinic, Clevelans Clinic

Vasculitis

Vasculitis is inflammation in the blood vessel. It can hamper circulation and proper blood supply to various organs.

There are many types of vasculitis. some are mild and other can be life threatening.

Vasculitis can also be a menifestation of another autoimmune disease like Lupus or arthritis.

Common Symptoms:

Brown/Dark colored Urine
not feeling pulse in the arteries
belly pain
Skin rashes
Involvement of lungs or kidneys
Body aches, fatigue, loss of appetite
Arthritis

There are blood tests which can help with diagnosis, and sometimes need biopsy of the affected organ for proper diagnosis. multiple imaging modalities like MRI and CT scans can help too.

People with vasculitis need refular exams and tests to check for problems that vasculitis can cause. The apropriate treatment can help you control the disease and stay healthy.

Ankylosing Spondylitis

This autoimmune disease can affect spine in the neck and lower back more frequently causing stiffness. It can also involve heeps, heels and other joints.

Later in the disease it can cause spine to fuse together. Appropriate treatment can help prevent that in many cases.

Common Symptoms:

starts usually before the age of 45
Symptoms progresses slowly
usually symptoms are more in the morning and at night time and activity helps
Iritis or Uveitis can be part of it too
Sometimes issues with heart valves
Stiffness between ribs and spine can cause shortness of breath in some individuals
Intestinal inflammation can also be one of the symptoms

There are blood tests which can help with diagnosis, and sometimes need biopsy of the affected organ for proper diagnosis. multiple imaging modalities like MRI and CT scans can help too.

People with vasculitis need referral exams and tests to check for problems that vasculitis can cause. The appropriate treatment can help you control the disease and stay healthy.

Polymyalgia Rheumatica and Temporal arteritis/Giant cell arteritis

Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) is an autoimmune disease that causes stiffnes and pain in shoulder and hip girdle region, and can also involve hands, feet, knees. Usually occurs in people age 50 and older.
PMR and Temporal arteritis/Giant cell arteritis (GCA) are two different conditions. Sometimes happens in same patient
GCA can suse temporal headache and vision loss.
Fatigue, weight loss, fever can be common symptoms.
Inflammatory markers can be elevated in these conditions. you may need biopsy of temporal arteries for diagnosis of GCA.

Gout

Its a crystal induced arthritis. I can cause sudden onset of redness and swelling with severe pain in joints. Too much of uric acid can increase your risk of gout.
Certain food can increase risk of elevated uric acid and in turn risk of gout attack, like Alcohol, certain seafood like shellfish, red meat, and foods rich in sugar and starch. eating more colorful vegetables and high anti oxidant rich fruits can help prevent gout.
Early diagnosis and treatment can help reduce collection of uric acid crystals called tophi.
Chronic un treated gout can affect kidneys, heart and various organs and joints.

Sjogren's Syndrome

Sjogren’s syndrome causes dry eyes and dry mouth.
Sjogren’s syndrome can occur with other autoimmune diseases like Rheuamtoid arthritis, Lupus and scleroderma.
There are many symptomatic therapies for sjogren’s syndrome for dry eyes and mouth.
Immune system is responsible for causing inflammation in glads causing glands to not function properly and that inturn causes dry eyes, dry mouth, dry skin and dry vagina.
You should see eye doctor and dentist regularly if you have Sjogren’s syndrome.
Brush and floss after every meal to prevent cavities, which is very common due to Sjogren’s syndrome related lack of saliva.

Psoriatic Arthritis

Psoriasis is a skin autoimmune disease which can cause silvery scaly patches on knees, elbows, scal, ears.
Some patients with Psoriasis can get special type of inflammatory arthritis called Psoriatic arthritis.
It can be mild or it can be very aggressive and can damage joints very quickly sometimes.
It can involve hands, feet, shoulders, hips, neck and back among other joints.
Psoriatic arthritis can also affects nails and sometimes cause finger or toe swelling like a sausage.
Eye inflammation causing eye pain or redness can also be associated with Psoriatic arthritis

Non Radiographic and Radiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis

Axial spondyloarthritis can be radiographic or non radiographic, also termed Ankylosing Spondylitis.
Main symptoms are back and neck pain and stiffness. night time pain and significant morning stiffness.
You can also have many extra articular manifestations like eye redness and pain, Psoriasis, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, and sometimes cardiovascular disease.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is one of the most common types of arthritis. Arthritis means inflammation and pain of joints.
Cartilage is a rubbery matrial which provides cushion effects in the joints. When cartilage wears down, it can cause pain and stiffness and swelling of joints. That is the main reason of Osteoarthritis.
Osteoarthritis can flare time to time based on weight, activity, injury, diet.
Ice, and/or heat, guided exercise, supportive devices, pacing of activity and healthy diet with weight loss can help.
Certain injections like cortisone and hyaluronic acid can help.

Osteoporosis

The core of the bone gives the strength to the bone. if core bone density decreases below certain value when compared to normal is called osteopenia and osteoporosis.
It increases risk of fracture.
Smoking cessation, exercise, healthy food and calcium rich food and vit D supplements can help
There are many oral, injectables and infusion medications available to treat osteopenia and osteoporosis.
Regular checks on Bone densitiy can help guide therapy.
Certain medications like prednisone can increase risk of osteopenia and osteoporosis.
Certain disease can facilitate osteopenia and osteoporosis as well.