Dermatomyositis Information Page
... Dermatomyositis is one of a group of acquired muscle diseases called inflammatory myopathies. The disease, which has a somewhat severe onset, affects both children and adults. Females are more often a...

Muscular Dystrophy Information Page
... The muscular dystrophies (MD) are a group of genetic diseases characterized by progressive weakness and degeneration of the skeletal muscles which control movement. There are many forms of muscular dy...

Polymyositis Information Page
... Polymyositis is an inflammatory muscle disease that causes varying degrees of decreased muscle power. The disease has a gradual onset and generally begins in the second decade of life. Polymyositis ra...

Questions and Answers About Knee Problems
... Knee problems commonly occur in young people and adults. This booklet contains general information about several knee problems. It includes descriptions and a diagram of the different parts of the kne...

Questions and Answers about Shoulder Problems
... This booklet first answers general questions about the shoulder and shoulder problems. It then answers questions about specific shoulder problems (dislocation, separation, tendinitis, bursitis, imping...

Handout on Health: Rheumatoid Arthritis
... This booklet is for people who have rheumatoid arthritis, as well as for their family members, friends, and others who want to find out more about this disease. The booklet describes how rheumatoid ar...

Questions and Answers about Raynaud''s Phenomenon
... Raynaud's phenomenon is a disorder that affects the blood vessels in the fingers, toes, ears, and nose. This disorder is characterized by episodic attacks, called vasospastic attacks, that cause t...

Questions and Answers About Psoriasis
... This booklet contains general information about psoriasis. It describes what psoriasis is, what causes it, and what the treatment options are. If you have further questions after reading this booklet,...

Questions and Answers about Marfan Syndrome
... This booklet answers general questions about Marfan syndrome. It describes the characteristics of the disorder, the diagnostic process, and ways to manage symptoms. If you have additional questions af...

Questions and Answers Sprains and Strains
... This fact sheet contains general information about sprains and strains, which are both very common injuries. Individual sections describe what sprains and strains are, where they usually occur, what t...

Questions and Answers About Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis
... What Is Arthritis? Arthritis means "joint inflammation" and refers to a group of diseases that cause pain, swelling, stiffness, and loss of motion in the joints. "Arthritis" is often used as a more ge...

Questions and Answers about Hip Replacement
... Hip replacement, or arthroplasty, is a surgical procedure in which the diseased parts of the hip joint are removed and replaced with new, artificial parts. These artificial parts are called the prosth...

Questions and Answers About Polymyalgia Rheumatica and Giant Cell Arteritis
... Polymyalgia rheumatica is a rheumatic disorder that is associated with moderate to severe muscle pain and stiffness in the neck, shoulder, and hip area. Stiffness is most noticeable in the morning. Th...

Questions and Answers About Avascular Necrosis
... Avascular necrosis is a disease resulting from the temporary or permanent loss of the blood supply to the bones. Without blood, the bone tissue dies and causes the bone to collapse. If the process inv...

Questions and Answers About Fibromyalgia
... Fibromyalgia syndrome is a common and chronic disorder characterized by widespread muscle pain, fatigue, and multiple tender points. The word fibromyalgia comes from the Latin term for fibrous tissue ...

Dystonias Fact Sheet
... The dystonias are movement disorders in which sustained muscle contractions cause twisting and repetitive movements or abnormal postures. The movements, which are involuntary and sometimes painful, ma...

Questions and Answers About Gout
... This booklet contains general information about gout. It describes what gout is and how it develops. It also explains how gout is diagnosed and treated. If you have further questions after reading thi...

Friedreich''s Ataxia Fact Sheet
... Friedreich's ataxia is an inherited disease that causes progressive damage to the nervous system resulting in symptoms ranging from muscle weakness and speech problems to heart disease. It is name...

Questions and Answers About Alopecia Areata
... This booklet contains general information about alopecia areata (al-oh-PEE-shah ar-ee-AH-tah). It describes what alopecia is, its causes, and treatment options. Information is also provided on current...

Questions and Answers About Acne
... This fact sheet contains general information about acne. It describes what acne is and how it develops, the causes of acne, and the treatment options for various forms of acne. Information is also pro...

Myoclonus Fact Sheet
... Myoclonus describes a symptom and generally is not a diagnosis of a disease. It refers to sudden, involuntary jerking of a muscle or group of muscles. Myoclonic twitches or jerks usually are caused by...