arthritis

Facts you should know about rheumatoid factor (RF) The rheumatoid factor blood test helps to diagnose rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid factor is an antibody that is detectable in the blood of approximately 80% of adults with rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid factor test is used by health care professionals to help in diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis. Sometimes rheumatoid factor …

Reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD) facts RSD is also referred to as "complex regional pain syndrome," "the shoulder-hand syndrome," "causalgia," and "Sudeck's atrophy." Reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD) is characterized by a group of symptoms including pain (often "burning" type), tenderness, and swelling of an extremity associated with varying degrees of sweating, warmth, and/or coolness, flushing, discoloration, and shiny skin. How RSD …

Facts you should know about spondylolisthesis Lower back pain is the most common symptom of spondylolisthesis. Spondylolisthesis is a forward or backward slippage of one vertebra on an adjacent vertebra. Causes of spondylolisthesis include trauma, degenerative, tumor, and birth defects. Symptoms of spondylolisthesis include lower back or leg pain, hamstring tightness, and numbness and tingling in the legs. The diagnosis …

Facts you should know about relapsing polychondritis Redness and swelling of the ears is a common sign of relapsing polychondritis. Relapsing polychondritis is an uncommon, chronic disorder of the cartilage. Relapsing polychondritis is characterized by recurrent episodes of painful inflammation. Relapsing polychondritis can involve all types of cartilage. Typical cartilage tissues affected include the ears, nose, and joints. There is …

Facts you should know about Takayasu disease Takayasu disease is a chronic inflammation of the large blood vessels that distributes blood from the heart. The cause of Takayasu disease is unknown. Symptoms of Takayasu disease include painful, cool, or blanched extremities, dizziness, headaches, chest pain, and abdominal pain. The diagnosis of Takayasu disease involves detecting abnormal narrowing of the characteristic …

The exact cause of RA remains unknown, but several risk factors have been identified. The American College of Rheumatology classifies rheumatoid arthritis into four stages, based on the disease progression and radiologic findings: Stage I (early RA):  X-ray does not reveal any critical changes in the bones. Stage II (moderate progression): Radiologic findings reveal minimal destruction of bones and cartilages. …

Facts you should know about polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) Readers Comments 1 Share Your Story Polyarteritis nodosa is an autoimmune disease that affects arteries. Common areas affected include the muscles, joints, intestines (bowels), nerves, kidneys, and skin. Diagnosis of polyarteritis nodosa is confirmed by a biopsy of involved tissue or angiography. Treatment is directed toward decreasing the inflammation of the arteries. …

Osteoporosis facts Osteoporosis is a condition characterized by a decrease in the density of bone, decreasing its strength and resulting in fragile bones. Osteoporosis is a condition of fragile bone with an increased susceptibility to fracture. Osteoporosis weakens bone and increases risk of bones breaking. Bone mass (bone density) decreases after 35 years of age, and bone loss occurs more …

What are the treatment options for osteoarthritis? There are many treatment options available to curb the complications of arthritis. Painful swelling of the joints due to wear and tear over many years is called osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis may develop in any joint that includes the fingers, hips, and knees. Usually, the joints feel painful during moderate usage for patients with arthritis. …

Facts you should know about thoracic outlet syndrome Picture of thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) showing symptom areas Thoracic outlet syndrome is a condition whereby symptoms are produced from compression of nerves or blood vessels, or both, because of an inadequate passageway through an area (thoracic outlet) between the base of the neck and the armpit. Thoracic outlet syndrome symptoms include …