Articles on rheumatic and autoimmune conditions: joint pain and stiffness, inflammation, the blood tests involved and how long-term treatment is managed.
In someone with a history of rheumatic fever, new chest pain, fainting or near-fainting, or fresh joint swelling should prompt same-day medical review rather…
Psoriatic arthritis biologics monitoring usually means a set of checks before the first dose and at intervals afterward: blood tests such as a full…
Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) and giant cell arteritis (GCA) are linked inflammatory conditions that almost always begin after age 50. NIAMS estimates roughly 15% of…
Routine eye exams are built into juvenile idiopathic arthritis treatment because the same immune process that inflames a child's joints can inflame the front…
Lupus treatment for young adults usually combines an antimalarial medicine taken long term, short courses of other medicines during flares, regular blood and urine…
Lupus and pregnancy planning means meeting your rheumatologist before you try to conceive, ideally after about six months of quiet disease, so your medicines…
For a sarcoidosis specialist appointment, bring the actual chest imaging (X-ray and CT files or a disc, not just the written summary), the full…
Reactive arthritis is diagnosed by ruling other causes out, so doctors often draw fluid from the swollen joint to exclude joint infection and crystal…
Lupus nephritis treatment usually runs in two phases: an intensive induction phase of roughly three to six months to calm kidney inflammation, followed by…
Daily exercise is considered a core treatment for ankylosing spondylitis, not an optional extra. Guideline-based care pairs medicines that calm inflammation with a routine…
A lupus nephritis second opinion is reasonable whenever a kidney biopsy result, a proposed immunosuppressive plan, or a poor response to treatment leaves you…
During lupus treatment, chest pain, a temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, and new swelling in the legs, face or hands are symptoms to…
Useful questions to ask a pediatric rheumatologist about a child's JIA treatment plan cover five areas: which JIA subtype your child has and how…
Doctors order an ECG and an echocardiogram when rheumatic fever is suspected because the condition can inflame the heart, often without obvious symptoms. The…
Kidney function in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is tracked with a small set of repeated tests: a blood creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate…
Living with lupus nephritis usually means checking blood pressure at home, having urine protein measured regularly, and sharing care between a rheumatologist and a…
Joint injections and oral medicines treat arthritis in different ways rather than competing for the same job. A steroid injection puts anti-inflammatory medicine directly…
Doctors confirm the type of vasculitis by combining three layers of evidence rather than relying on one test. Blood and urine tests show inflammation,…
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