Rheumatic diseases are caused when the immune system attacks the healthy tissues of our body. These diseases often affect different parts of our musculoskeletal system, including joints, muscles, bones, and connective tissues.
Joint pain, swellings, stiffness, fatigue, malaise, fever, etc. are the common symptoms of rheumatic diseases.
Let’s take a look at different rheumatology diseases that can affect you.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
This is one of the common autoimmune diseases that affect humans. This condition occurs when your immune system attacks your joints and causes pain, stiffness, and inflammation. Rheumatoid arthritis can lead to joint degeneration.
The pain and inflammation caused by Rheumatoid arthritis occur during the periods known as flares. The symptoms will be less severe during other times and it is known as remission. Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic disease and will affect other vital organs such as lungs, heart, kidneys, intestines, skin, or even eyes.
Lupus
Lupus is another autoimmune disease that will cause inflammation throughout the body. This disease causes your immune system to attack your vital organs and tissues. The attack of the immune system will lead to pain and inflammation throughout the body. If not treated properly, lupus can become life-threatening.
Sjogren’s Syndrome
This autoimmune disease causes your immune system to attack the salivary and lacrimal glands. The person affected with Sjogren’s syndrome will experience dry mouth and dry eyes often. This disease also affects your skin, joints, and nerves. Joint or muscle pain, rashes, neuropathy, and dry skin are the other symptoms of Sjogren’s syndrome.
Scleroderma
This condition causes the skin and the connective tissues of our body to harden. This occurs due to the excess production of collagen and its accumulation in our body. Scleroderma only affects the skin in some people. It will also affect the internal organs, digestive tract, and the blood vessels in some other people. The tightening and hardening of the skin may cause restricted movement in the affected person.
Gout
Gout is caused by the accumulation of uric acid crystals in your body. Too much uric acid can cause it to turn into crystals in your skin and joints. Pain, swelling, and redness are common symptoms of gout. Most often, gout affects your big toe. If treated properly, gout can be alleviated within a week.
Ankylosing Spondylitis
This is a form of inflammatory arthritis that will affect your spine. Ankylosing Spondylitis can cause bone proliferation along the spine and may lead to immobility. This condition can cause severe pain in your lower back and inflammation in hips, shoulders, and ribs. In severe cases of Ankylosing Spondylitis, new bone will form in the spine due to the inflammation and will lead to stiffness and decreased mobility.
Psoriatic Arthritis
This condition affects people who are suffering from psoriasis. The exact cause of psoriatic arthritis is still unknown. It is very common in people who are living with psoriasis for many years. Pain, swelling, and stiffness are the most common symptoms of psoriatic arthritis. In addition to that symptoms like lower back pain, swelling of the Achilles tendon, pitting or separation of nails from the nail bed, swelling finger, etc. are also observed.
Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
This is a form of arthritis that affects children. Juvenile idiopathic arthritis is caused by the attack of the immune system on your joints and the connective tissues. This will lead to pain, stiffness, and warm, swollen joints. The severe cases of Juvenile idiopathic arthritis may cause joint damage, uneven limbs, anemia, stunted growth, and inflammation in the eyes.
Infectious Arthritis
This type of arthritis is caused by bacterial, viral, or fungal infections. This condition occurs when the immune system find the infections when it spreads to a joint. The pain and inflammation caused by infectious arthritis will lead to joint damage. This condition often affects your hip, knee, or shoulder and is more common in children, older adults, and drug addicts.
Reactive Arthritis
As the name suggests, reactive arthritis occurs when the body reacts to an infection. Reactive arthritis often develops due to the infections caused by some bacteria such as Chlamydia, Campylobacter, and Salmonella. This condition will cause inflammation in the lower part of your body and spine. Conjunctivitis and urinary tract inflammation is a symptom of this condition, along with pain, redness, and swelling.
Systemic Vasculitis
This condition occurs due to the inflammation of the walls of the blood vessels. The inflammation will lead to the narrowing of the walls, which will affect the blood flow. This can lead to the death of tissues as certain tissues in your body will die when they do not get enough blood.
Polymyalgia Rheumatica
This inflammatory condition leads to the pain and stiffness in your shoulder, hips, and neck. In the morning, the symptoms of the conditions will be worse. The exact cause of Polymyalgia Rheumatica is still unknown. This condition can also cause fever and weakness.
