Ankylosing Spondylitis
Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) predominantly affects the spine and may lead to severe stiffness of the back. This booklet aims to tell you something about the complaint and how it may affect your health and activity.
Antiphospholipid Syndrome
Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is a disorder in which the blood has a tendency to clot too quickly (‘sticky blood syndrome’). The clotting can affect any vein or artery in the body, resulting in a wide range of symptoms.
Back Pain
Four out of five of us get back pain at some time and most bouts do get better in a short time. This booklet is aimed at people who have more persistent (long-lasting) back pain. It explains some of the causes of back pain and what you can do to manage it and prevent it happening again.
Behcet’s Syndrome
This booklet is for anyone who wants to find out more about Behcet’s syndrome – or Behcet’s disease, as it is also known. We explain the main facts about Behcet’s syndrome, including the main symptoms and how it is treated.
Campodactyly
Camptodactyly (camp-toe-dak-tilly) is an abnormal bending of the middle joint of a finger not caused by an accident or injury, when the finger is pulled towards the palm of the hand.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve running from the forearm to the wrist gets squeezed – often because the surrounding tendons become swollen. Symptoms include aching, numbness or tingling in the hand and fingers.
Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)
Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) causes persistent burning pain on one of your limbs. It’s also known as reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD), Sudek’s atrophy or algodystrophy. In this section we explain a bit more about CRPS, what causes it, how i’s diagnosed and treated, and the importance of self-help measures. We also suggest where you can get more information.
Elbow pain
Elbow pain is very common and usually doesn’t have a serious cause. In this section we explain a bit more about elbow pain, what causes it, how it’s diagnosed and treated, and the importance of self-help measures. We also suggest where you can get more information.
Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a name for widespread pain affecting the muscles but not the joints. It will not cause permanent damage to the tissues but the symptoms may last for months or years.
Gout
Gout has been known for more than 2,000 years. It can affect men of any age. It is less common in women and then only occurs after the menopause. Luckily, gout is probably the rheumatic disease for which there is the most satisfactory treatment.
Joint hypermobility
Hypermobility means that you can move some or all your joints more than most people can. It’s very common and most people won’t have any symptoms. In this section we explain a bit more about joint hypermobility, what causes it, how it’s diagnosed and treated, and the importance of self-help measures. We also suggest where you can get more information.
Lupus (SLE)
This booklet is written for people with lupus and their families and friends. It explains how lupus develops, how it affects different parts of the body, how it can affect people in different ways, and how doctors diagnose it.
Neck pain
Neck pain is very common and usually doesn’t have a serious cause. In this section we explain a bit more about neck pain, what causes it, how it’s diagnosed and treated, and the importance of self-help measures. We also suggest where you can get more information.
Osteoarthritis
This booklet aims to help people who have osteoarthritis, and their families and friends. It helps you understand osteoarthritis – how it develops, and how to deal with it.
Osteoporosis
The word ‘osteoporosis’ means, literally, ‘porous bone’. It is a condition where you gradually lose bone material so that your bones become more fragile. As a result, they are more likely to break even after a simple fall. This booklet has been produced for anyone interested in finding out more about osteoporosis.
Osteomalacia (Soft Bones)
Osteomalacia is a condition which affects the skeleton. It is is often, but not always, caused by lack of vitamin D. The people most often affected are the frail elderly and people of South Asian origin.
Pain in the Neck
In this booklet we explain how the neck works and the common causes of neck pain and related conditions. We describe simple ways of dealing with neck pain as well as the main medical and complementary treatments.
Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR)
Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is a condition in which you have many (poly) painful muscles (myalgia). It is common and very treatable with drugs known as corticosteroids (steroids).
Polymyositis and Dermatomyositis
‘Myositis’ means inflammation of the muscles. Polymyositis is a condition which affects mainly the larger muscles of the body, such as those around the shoulders, hips and thighs. This booklet also deals with dermatomyositis which causes a particular skin rash with muscle inflammation that is similar to polymyositis.
Psoriatic Arthritis
This is a type of arthritis which causes inflammation in and around the joints, usually in people who already have the skin condition psoriasis. Sometimes, however, the arthritis develops before the psoriasis.
Raynaud’s Phenomenon
If you have Raynaud’s phenomenon your hands, and sometimes your feet, change colour when exposed to cold conditions. This is often accompanied by pain, coldness and tingling. Typically the hands go white, then blue, then red as they warm up again.
Reactive Arthritis
This booklet is for anyone who wants to find out more about reactive arthritis. You may be suffering from the condition yourself, or you may be a friend, relative or partner of someone with reactive arthritis.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
This booklet aims to help people who have rhematoid arthritis, and their families and friends. It helps you understand rheumatoid arthritis – how it develops, and how to deal with it.
Scleroderma
The word ‘scleroderma’ means ‘hard skin’. However, many people with scleroderma have problems not only with their skin but with other parts of their bodies as well. The condition is also known as ‘systemic sclerosis’.
Sjogren’s Syndrome
The most common symptoms of Sjögren’s syndrome are dry eyes or a dry mouth (sometimes both together), and feeling very tired and aching. Sjogren’s syndrome is an autoimmune disorder, meaning that the body’s immune system, which usually fights infections, attacks the body’s own tissues.
Shoulder Pain
This booklet explains why people get shoulder pain and discusses the usual conditions which cause problems. Most shoulder problems settle with simple treatments, but more complex treatments, such as arthroscopy and other forms of surgery, are also discussed.
Vasculitis
Vasculitis means inflammation of the blood vessels. This booklet explains what vasculitis is, how it is recognised, how it is treated and what you can do to help your treatment.