Ankylosing spondylitis is the main type of spondyloarthritis, in the same family as psoriatic arthritis. The main symptom of ankylosing spondylitis is inflammation of the spine, leading to back stiffness and pain. Over time, the spine can become fused.
A connective tissue disease is a condition that affects parts of the body that connect everything together. Collagen and elastin make up connective tissues, including ligaments and skin. When a connective tissue disorder is present, these tissues become inflamed and damage to the body can occur. Rheumatoid arthritis and scleroderma are two examples of connective tissue disorder.
Connective tissue is the "cellular glue" that gives your tissues their shape and helps them work. Cartilage and fat are examples of connective tissue. Many things can cause connective tissue disorders, from infection to injury to genetic diseases.
Gout is the most common inflammatory arthritis. If you have intensely painful, swollen joints (most often in the big toe or other part of the foot) and/or bouts of arthritis that come and go, it may be gout. Gout is diagnosed by examining the fluid in affected joints.
Inflammatory Myositis (Dermatomyositis and Polymyositis)
The inflammatory myopathies (dermatomyositis and polymyositis) are autoimmune diseases that target the muscles. This leads to weakness and elevated levels of creatine kinase (CK), a type of protein. Patients with dermatomyositis often have skin rashes that can be disfiguring and very sensitive to sun exposure. Patients with inflammatory myositis often have other autoimmune diseases, such as lupus and scleroderma.
Lupus is a multisystem autoimmune disease where the body's immune system attacks normal, healthy tissue. This can cause damage to the joints, skin, kidneys, heart, lung, and blood.
Myasthenia gravis is a chronic neuromuscular condition that causes weakness in voluntary muscles that worsens with activity and improves with rest. It is caused by an abnormal response in the immune system.
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis worldwide. In people with osteoarthritis, the body's ability to repair joints can't keep up with joint damage. This eventually involves all joint tissues and leads to a loss of cartilage and bone changes. The tissue damage cannot be reversed, but symptoms can be effectively managed.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common type of autoimmune arthritis. It is caused when the immune system (the body's defense system) is not working properly. RA causes pain and swelling in the wrist and small joints of the hand and feet. Treatments for RA can stop joint pain and swelling, as well as prevent joint damage.
Spondyloarthritis: Psoriatic Arthritis and Ankylosing Spondylitis
Psoriatic arthritis is a chronic inflammatory arthritis that typically occurs in people with skin psoriasis. However, it can also occur in people without skin psoriasis, particularly in those who have relatives with psoriasis. It is a form of spondyloarthritis, which means it is a type of arthritis that can cause inflammation of the spine.
Vasculitis is an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation of blood vessels. This can limit blood flow, which can have severe effects on organs and even be life-threatening. The disease can be long-term (chronic) or short-term (acute), and can affect one organ, or several. There are many different types of vasculitis. Some require medications to keep the disease under control, while others may improve without treatment. Most types of vasculitis are rare.
