Patient Information

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a rheumatic disease that affects the spine and may lead to some degree of stiffness of the back. Click book to Read More..

Parents are frequently surprised to know that children can get arthritis. They are also often told that there is very little which can be done, but this is un-true as these days a great deal of help is available. Click book to Read More..

This information is aimed at people who have more persis­tent (long-lasting) back pain. It explains some of the causes of back pain and what can be done to help it and prevent it happening again. Click book to Read More..

Injectable drugs referred to as biologic DMARDs (Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs)–or simply, biologics–are used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, a chronic condition in which the immune system, which normally fights infection, attacks the lining of the joints, causing swelling, stiffness and pain. If left untreated, it can lead to irreversible joint damage. Click book to Read More..

Gout, rheumatoid arthritis and infection are common causes of bursitis. Click book to Read More..

Jig, rumatoïde artritis en infeksie is algemene oorsake van bursitis. Click book to Read More..

Daar verskyn heelwat verwarrende raad oor dieet in tydskrifte en boeke en ‘n mens kry baie voedselaanvullings wat daarop aanspraak maak dat hulle met artritis help.Click book to Read More..

‘Arthritis’ means inflammation of joints. Many different drugs are used in its treatment. The purpose of this information is to describe the role of drugs in the treatment of arthritis Click book to Read More..

You can do a lot to help keep your feet in good shape. If you are fairly healthy and your skin is in good condition then you may be able to manage your feet quite well without any help.Click book to Read More..

Fibromyalgia is a name for widespread pain affecting the muscles but not the joints. It will not cause permanent damage to tissues but the symptoms may last for months or years. Click book to Read More..

Fibromialgie is ’n naam wat gegee word aan wydverspreide pyn wat die spiere aantas, maar nie die gewrigte nie. Dit sal nie permanente skade aan weefsels veroorsaak nie, maar die simptome kan vir maande of jare voortduur. Click book to Read More..

People get gout because there is something wrong with the chemical processes of their body. Uric acid (which we all have in our blood) can build up and form crystals in the joints and cause them to feel acutely painful. Click book to Read More..

If you have joint hypermobility, some or all of your joints will have an unusually large range of movement. Click book to Read More..

The primary reasons for having joint replacement surgery are severe pain and/or inability to per­form necessary daily activities. Click book to Read More..

It is one of the auto-immune rheumatic diseases, caused by a fault in the body’s immune system. The immune system normally produces antibodies to fight infections. In people with autoimmune diseases, antibodies are produced which act against certain body tissues and cause inflamma­tion Click book to Read More..

Read more at the Lupus Foundation

Dit is een van die outo-immuun-rumatieksiektes wat deur ’n fout in die liggaam se immuunstelsel veroorsaak word. Die immuunstelsel produseer gewoonlik teenliggaampies om infeksies te bekamp. By mense met outo-immuun­siektes word teenliggaampies geproduseer wat teen sekere liggaamsweefsels reageer en infeksie veroor­saak Click book to Read More..

Read more at the Lupus Foundation

OA is ’n soort van gewrigsontsteking waar skade voorkom aan die oppervlakte van die gewrigte saam met die onreëlmatige voorkoms van die naby geleë beendere. ‘Ostea’ beteken been en ‘artritis’ beteken beskadiging van die gewrig en inflammasie. Verskeie ander woorde word soms gebruik om die siekte te beskrywe, soos ‘arthrosis’ en ‘ontaarde agteruitgaande gewrigs ontsteking’. Hierdie beskrywings verwys almal na dieselfde soort siekte. Click book to Read More..

Osteoarthritis is a disease which affects joints in the body. The surface of the joint is damaged and the surrounding bone grows thicker. ‘Osteo’ means bone and ‘arthritis’ means joint damage and swelling (inflammation). Other words used to describe osteoarthritis are ‘osteoarthrosis’, ‘arthrosis’ and ‘degenerative joint disease’. Click book to Read More..

The word ‘osteoporosis’ means, literally, ‘porous bone’. It is a condition where you gradually lose bone material so that your bones become more fragile. As a result, they are more likely to break even after a simple fall. Osteoporosis is common in South Africa.

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Paget’s disease affects bone growth. The abnormality occurs in the bone cells. The regular, ordered process of bone loss and formation doesn’t take place properly. Click book to Read More..

Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) usually, but not always, occurs in people of the older age groups (60+). The main symptoms are a feeling of severe stiffness and aching in the neck, shoulder and hip areas, sometimes so bad that a person might for instance hardly be able to get up from a chair or climb a couple of stairs. Click book to Read More..

Polymyositis affects mainly the large muscles of the body, such as those around the shoulders, hips, and thighs. If you suffer from it you may have difficulty climbing stairs, getting up from low chairs, and get­ting in and out of the bath. Click book to Read More..

Psoriatic arthritis causes inflammation in and around the joints, usu­ally in people who already have the skin condition psoriasis. Sometimes, however, the arthritis develops before the psoriasis. Click book to Read More..

Psoriasis can affect the nails with pitting, discoloration and thickening. Sometimes the joint at the end of the finger or toe can also be inflamed. Click book to Read More..

By osteoartritis raak die kraakbeen wat die opper-vlakke van die bene in gewrigte bedek, grof en dun. As gevolg daarvan raak die onderliggende been beskadig en veroorsaak dit pyn, styfheid en misvorming. Click book to Read More..

A series of quick exercises to help easy the pain and stiffness in muscles and joints Click book to Read More..

If you have Raynaud’s phenomenon your hands, and sometimes your feet, change colour when exposed to cold con­ditions. Typically the hands go white, then blue, then red as follows: Click book to Read More..

The term ‘reactive arthritis’ is used to describe inflammation (heat, pain and swelling) in the joints that can develop after you have had a bacterial or viral infection somewhere else in the body. Click book to Read More..

Die term ‘reaktiewe artritis’ word gebruik om inflammasie (hitte, pyn en swelling) wat ná ’n bakteriële of virusinfeksie op ’n ander plek iewers in die liggaam in die gewrigte kan ontwikkel, te beskryf. Click book to Read More..

Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease in which the joints in the body become inflamed. Managing rheumatoid arthritis involves a team of people, but you are the most important member of that team. The more you know, the more you will be able to contribute effectively to the management of your disease. Click book to Read More..

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Scleroderma is an uncommon, chronic (persistent) disease. It affects the “connective tissues” which surround the joints, blood vessels and internal organs beneath the affected area of skin. Click book to Read More..

Join the scleroderma discussion group

Sero-negative arthritis is used by doctors as an umbrella term for two different conditions: sero-negative rheumatoid arthritis and seronegative Click book to Read More..

Sjogrens Syndrome is an autoimmune disorder of the exocrine glands in which the body’s immune system does not work properly. The most common symptoms are dry eyes or a dry mouth (sometimes both together), and feeling very tired and aching. Click book to Read More..

Arthritis means inflammation of the joints. In many patients (eg.rheumatoid arthritis) there is marked inflammation of the joints with pain, swelling and limitation of movement but there is little or no swelling of the joint (eg. Osteoarthritis). Click book to Read More..

In this booklet you will find information about arthritis itself; the kinds of treatment that are available; ways of coping; how to get help; and how to develop your own skills to manage the condition. Click book to Read More..

IS THERE ANY HARM IN TREATING MYSELF?
It is for you to decide how you wish to be treated, and taking harmless substances is your right, but you need to remember; Click book to Read More..

Vasculitis means that blood vessels are inflamed. When part of your body is inflamed, it swells and is usually uncomfortable or painful (although with many types of vasculitis you will not be able to see any swelling on the outside of the body). Click book to Read More..