Читать книгу Arthritis For Dummies - Barry Fox - Страница 25

In the following conditions, arthritis is present and is usually a major part of the syndrome, but is not the primary disease process:

 Lyme disease: Caused by a certain type of bacteria transmitted to humans via tick bites, Lyme disease brings about fever, a distinctive red skin lesion in the shape of a bull’s-eye, problems with the nerves and/or heart, and arthritis. Antibiotics are the treatment of choice for this disease.

 Reactive arthritis: An inflammation of the joints, reactive arthritis strikes along with or shortly after the onset of an infection, often one that is intestinal or sexually-transmitted. The three problems generally associated with reactive arthritis are arthritis, conjunctivitis (inflammation of the eyelid’s lining), and urethritis (inflammation of the urethra).

 Scleroderma: The word scleroderma means hard skin. This is a rare autoimmune condition that involves an attack on tiny blood vessels in many places in the body, and overproduction of collagen in places it doesn’t belong. The skin and other organs can stiffen. Joints can become inflamed, and tightness of the skin overlying the joints can make them even harder to move. An autoimmune disease, scleroderma usually attacks adults rather than children.

 Systemic lupus erythematosus: This is yet another disease caused by an immune system gone wrong. In lupus, the body attacks its own tissue, causing inflammation, joint pain, stiffness, permanent damage to the joints, and exhaustion. Although lupus most often affects women of child-bearing age, it does strike some men and can occur at nearly any age, including childhood and post-menopause.