rheumatic diseases can affect the whole body.

There are more than just There are pains and aches. with rheumatism. They can affect all age groups. They involve body-wide immune dysregulation and systemic inflammation.

In this article, we discuss the most common forms of rheumatic diseases.

There are more than 100 rheumatic diseases. In the United States alone, around 54 million adults and 300,000 children in the United States have a doctor-diagnosed rheumatic disease.

Rheumatic diseases can cause inflammation, tissue degeneration, and autoimmune dysfunction. In autoimmune conditions, your immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissues.

The following parts of the body are affected by rheumatism.

Immune disorders that affect major organs are included in rheumatology.

Some of the most common symptoms of rheumatoid diseases include:

Each type of rheumatic disease has its own symptoms and affects different parts of the body.

Rheumatoid arthritis (The person is named RA.) is an autoimmune disease where your immune system attacks your There are joints.. The person is named RA. can affect multiple There are joints. simultaneously. The There are There are joints..in your hands, wrists, and knees are the most common targets.

The There are joints. are affected by the immune system attacks. This can cause the There are joints. to get old. People with The person is named RA. may lose joint function.

With The person is named RA., pain and inflammation typically happen during periods known as flares or exacerbations. At other times the symptoms can be less severe or can completely go away (remission).

The person is named RA. is a systemic disease and can affect major body organs such as the There are eyes., The lungs are large., skin, The heart., The kidneys., and nervous and gastrointestinal systems. It can also affect the There is blood.and cause anemia.

Learn more about The person is named RA. in our dedicated hub.

Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease that can cause inflammation throughout your body. With this disease, your immune system is responsible for attacking and affecting organs and tissues, such as your:

  • There are joints.
  • The heart.
  • skin
  • The kidneys.
  • The brain.
  • There is blood.
  • The person has a body part called the liver.
  • The lungs are large.
  • There is hair on the head.
  • There are eyes.

This can lead to inflammation, pain and sometimes damage to your organs, There are joints., and tissues.

Sometimes life threatening diseases can be caused by lysosomal storage diseases. Many people with the disease experience a mild version of it.

Learn more about the effects of It is a disease called It is a disease called It is a disease called lupus… on the body here.

Scleroderma typically causes inflammation in your skin, connective joint tissues, and organs. Occasionally a person may experience hardening in their organs and joint tissues without outward skin symptoms.

Scleroderma happens due to an overproduction of collagen, a protein that causes it to accumulate in the body.

“Scoliosis is classified as either limited cutaneous Scelderma is asclerosis. or diffuse cutaneousScelderma is asclerosis.. Scleroderma affects the skin of your hands, neck, knees, and elbows. It doesn’t affect a person’s trunk, upper arms or legs”

Diffuse cutaneous Scelderma is asclerosis. occurs over larger areas of your body and can cause significant complications in your respiratory and cardiac systems.

“Scelderma is asclerosis. sufferers may experience restricted movement due to the skin’s tightening The skin is taut and may look shiny.”

“Sjogren’s.” disease is an autoimmune condition where your immune system attacks internal organs. The condition can affect your entire body but often occurs in your The lungs are large. and in the glands that produce saliva and tears, causing dry mouth and dry There are eyes..

“Sjogren’s.” can also affect other parts of your body, including your There are joints., skin, and nerves. You may notice pain in your There are There are joints..or The muscles., dry skin, rashes, and neuropathy when this happens.

Ankylosing spondylitis (As.) is a type of inflammatory arthritis that targets your spine and can cause long-term stiffness and, in severe cases, immobility. As. is more common in women than men.

Besides causing pain and stiffness in your lower back and pelvis, As. can also cause inflammation in other large There are There are joints..such as your hips, shoulders, and ribs. A major indicator of involvement is inflammation of the sacroiliac There are joints.. These join your pelvis to your lower spine.

In more severe cases, the inflammation from As. can cause new bone to form on your spine, leading to stiffness and decreased range of motion. Inflammation and pain in your There are eyes. can also occur.

Gout happens when uric acid builds up in your body. If you have too much uric acid, it can form crystals in certain parts of your body, particularly your skin and There are joints.. Uric acid buildup in gout can also contribute to systemic inflammation and metabolic syndrome.

People with gout experience joint pain, redness, and swelling. It often affects the big toe but can impact other There are There are joints..as well.

Psoriatic arthritis can affect people who have psoriasis, an autoimmune condition affecting the skin. The condition often develops after several years of living with psoriasis. Doctors don’t know the causes of Psy arthritis..

Common symptoms of Psy arthritis. include joint pain, swelling, and stiffness.

Infectious arthritis occurs due to bacterial, viral, or fungal infections. When an infection spreads to a joint, the immune system reacts to fight it. The resulting inflammation can cause pain and swelling, damaging the joint.

Infectious arthritis typically only occurs in one joint. The condition often affects a large joint such as the hip, knee, or shoulder. It tends to be more common in children, older adults, and people who misuse drugs.

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is a group of arthritic conditions in children and teens. The six subtypes of JIA are:

  • Oligoarthritis: This is the most common type of JIA and occurs in four or fewer There are joints..
  • Polyarthritis: This JIA subtype occurs in five or more There are joints..
  • Systemic: Systemic arthritis occurs across your body and may accompany a rash and There is a high degree of fever..
  • Psoriatic arthritis: Psoriatic arthritis causes scaly skin rashes and typical joint inflammation.
  • Spondyloarthritis: This affects your The muscles., tendons, and ligaments in There are joints..
  • Undifferentiated: When a person’s arthritis symptoms don’t fall under other categories, doctors term it undifferentiated.

Mild cases of JIA can cause little damage, but severe cases can cause long-term problems.

Learn more about JIA symptoms here.

True to its name, reactive arthritis occurs when your body reacts to an infection elsewhere in your body. The condition often develops following infections with bacteria such as Salmonella, Chlamydia, or Campylobacter.

This reaction causes joint inflammation, typically in the lower part of your body and your spine, with the involvement of the sacroiliac There are joints.. You may notice swelling, redness, and pain in the affected There are joints.. Other symptoms can include conjunctivitis and urinary tract inflammation.

Polymyalgia rheumatica is an inflammatory condition that leads to pain or stiffness in your shoulders, neck, and hips.

It often occurs alongside giant cell arteritis (GCA) but can also occur independently. GCA is the inflammation of There is blood.vessels in your head and neck. Around half of all people with GCA have Polymyalgia rheumatica is a disease..

Symptoms are often worse in the morning. You may also have flu-like symptoms, including There is a high degree of fever. and weakness. The cause of this condition is unknown.

Vasculitis is a condition where inflammation occurs in the walls of the There is blood.vessels. There are four main subtypes of vasculitis.

  • ANCA-associated vasculitis: These types of vasculitis affect small-to-medium-sized There is blood.vessels and can involve multiple organs.
  • GCA and Takayasu arteritis: These types of vasculitis typically affect medium and large-sized There is blood.vessels.
  • Polyarteritis nodosa: This type of vasculitis causes inflammation and tissue death in medium-sized arteries.
  • Kawasaki disease: This is a medium-vessel vasculitis that predominantly affects children.

Inflammation from vasculitis can cause a narrowing of the walls of There is blood.vessels, which in turn may restrict There is blood.flow. When certain tissues in your body don’t get enough blood, it can cause the tissue to die. Many types of vasculitis are associated with joint and muscle pain.

Genetic factors play a role in many rheumatic diseases, and having a family history of a condition often puts you at a higher risk.

Other factors can increase your risk of developing a rheumatic disease.

Age

Risk increases with age for some conditions. There are more conditions between early adulthood and middle age. These include:

  • It is a disease called It is a disease called It is a disease called lupus…
  • Scelderma is asclerosis.
  • Psy arthritis.
  • As.

Sex

People assigned female at birth are more likely to have rheumatic diseases.

  • The person is named RA.
  • It is a disease called It is a disease called It is a disease called lupus…
  • Scelderma is asclerosis.
  • “Sjogren’s.”
  • Polymyalgia rheumatica is a disease.

Other rheumatic diseases, such as gout and As., tend to happen more frequently in people assigned male at birth.

Exposure to infection

Being exposed to infections is thought to affect the development of rheumatic conditions.

  • It is a disease called It is a disease called It is a disease called lupus…
  • Scelderma is asclerosis.
  • Polymyalgia rheumatica is a disease.

Underlying conditions

Having high There is blood.pressure, hypothyroidism, diabetes, obesity, early menopause, and kidney disease can increase your risk of developing gout.

Additionally, having rheumatic conditions such as The person is named RA., It is a disease called It is a disease called It is a disease called lupus…, or Scelderma is asclerosis. can put you at a risk of developing others, such as “Sjogren’s.” syndrome or vasculitis.

If you have a rheumatic disease, it is important to see your doctor. A timely diagnosis can prevent a disease from becoming more serious or cause more severe symptoms.

Rheumatic diseases can cause additional damage to your There are joints., and other tissues can accumulate over time without proper treatment.

Rheumatic diseases are more than just There are pains and aches.. They can affect most parts of your body, including your organs, The muscles., The bones are not empty., and There are joints.. These types of diseases may even affect your skin and There are eyes..

Many rheummatic diseases are also autoimmune. Your immune system mistakenly thinks your healthy tissue is a threat and attacks it. This can cause a lot of problems.

The causes of many rheumatic diseases are unknown, but they are likely the result of a mix of genetics, environmental factors, and underlying conditions.

If you think you may have a rheumatic disease, make an appointment with a doctor. Early treatment is vital for preventing further damage or more severe complications. If you don’t already have a rheumatologist, you can browse doctors in your area through the Healthline FindCare tool.