A Guide to Joint Pain and Autoimmunity

Joint pain is common and may occur due to injury, wear and tear or activation of the immune system causing inflammation. This book describes common causes of joint pain and introduces the reader to autoimmune diseases. It reviews lab tests, discusses advantages and pitfalls of imaging like x-ray and MRI and introduces the reader to medicines used to treat joint pain and inflammation. It describes common causes of pain in the neck, back, shoulders, elbows, hands, hips, knees and feet. Other diseases like fibromyalgia, osteoporosis, hypermobility and Raynaud's are also discussed. The next section deals with autoimmune diseases and gives a broad overview of diseases like gout, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren's syndrome, lupus, myositis and scleroderma. This book will educate the reader and help them become informed participants in their health care.