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Psoriatic Arthritis
Up to 30 percent of people with psoriasis develop psoriatic arthritis, an inflammatory form of arthritis. Psoriatic arthritis can cause swelling, stiffness and pain in and around the joints, cause nail changes and overall fatigue. Studies show that delaying treatment for psoriatic arthritis as little as six months can result in permanent joint damage. Early recognition,…
Ankylosing Spondylitis
What is ankylosing spondylitis (AS)? Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a condition that mainly affects the spine. The joints of the neck, back and pelvis become inflamed, causing pain and stiffness. The sacroiliac joints are commonly affected in AS. These joints connect the base of your spine (sacrum) to your pelvis. Other joints, such as the…
Osteoarthritis
What is osteoarthritis (OA)? Osteoarthritis (OA) is a condition that affects the whole joint including bone, cartilage, ligaments and muscles. In later stages it is characterized by loss of the cartilage but there are many causes. OA mainly affects people at older ages, but it can develop in younger people. Osteoarthritis is different to osteoporosis….
Rheumatoid Arthritis
What is rheumatoid arthritis? Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that causes pain and swelling of the joints. The normal role of your body’s immune system is to fight off infections to keep you healthy. In an autoimmune disease, your immune system starts attacking your own healthy tissues. In RA, the immune system targets…
Lupus
What is lupus? Systemic lupus erythematosus (also called SLE or lupus) is an autoimmune condition. The normal role of your body’s immune system is to fight off infections and diseases to keep you healthy. In an autoimmune disease like lupus, your immune system starts attacking your own healthy tissues. For some people lupus may just…
Osteoporosis
What is osteoporosis? Osteoporosis is a common disease affecting over 1 million Australians. This disease makes bones become brittle leading to a higher risk of breaks than in normal bone. Osteoporosis occurs when bones lose minerals, such as calcium, more quickly than the body can replace them, causing a loss of bone thickness (bone density or mass). Osteoporosis…
Gout
What is gout? Gout is a common and painful condition that affects the joints. Small crystals form in and around the joint, causing inflammation, pain and swelling. These crystals are made of one of the body’s normal waste products, uric acid. Normally the body rids itself of extra uric acid through the kidneys into the…