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...
Spondylitis occurs due to inflammation that causes arthritis while spondylosis is wear and tear of the vertebrae that results in disk and joint degeneration. Spondylosis and spondylitis are both conditions of the joints in your spine. Your spine is made up of bones called vertebrae, and the material between each vertebra in the joints are...
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,...
Most inactivated or non-live vaccines (vaccines that do not carry a living virus) can be administered to individuals with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and are highly recommended. Most inactivated or non-live vaccines (vaccines that do not carry a living virus) can be administered to individuals with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and are highly recommended. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)...
What is a sacroiliac joint? A sacroiliac (SI) joint injection is the injection of local anesthetics or corticosteroids into the SI joint to treat pain. A sacroiliac (SI) joint is a joint in the lower back that connects the bones of the spine and tailbone (sacrum) to the hip bones (iliac crests). The main function...
Rheumatoid arthritis vs. arthritis: What’s the difference? Arthritis is a general term for joint inflammation, and rheumatoid arthritis is a specific autoimmune disorder that starts in the joints. Arthritis is a general term used to describe joint disease. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a type of arthritis in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the...
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...
Facts you should know about SAPHO syndrome SAPHO syndrome symptoms and signs include acne and joint pain and stiffness. SAPHO syndrome is a chronic disorder that involves the skin, bone, and joints. SAPHO is an acronym for the combination of synovitis, acne, pustulosis, hyperostosis, and osteitis. Some researchers feel that the SAPHO syndrome is related...
Chondromalacia patella facts Patellofemoral syndrome, or chondromalacia patella, can cause knee pain. Chondromalacia patella is the most common cause of chronic knee pain. Chondromalacia patella has also been called patellofemoral syndrome. The pain of chondromalacia patella is aggravated by activity or prolonged sitting with bent knees. Abnormal "tracking" allows the kneecap (patella) to grate over...
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....