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Osteoporosis is a common condition where bones become weak that affects both men and women, mainly as they grow older. Bone is living tissue that is in a constant state of regeneration. That is, the body removes old bone (called bone resorption) and replaces it with new bone (bone formation). By their mid­30s, most people begin to slowly lose more bone than can be replaced. As a result,...

Between 400,000 and 3.1 million adults have Sjögren’s syndrome. This condition can affect people of any age, but symptoms usually appear between the ages of 45 and 55. It affects 10 times as many women as men. About half of patients also have rheumatoid arthritis or other connective tissue diseases, such as lupus. In the early 1900s, Swedish physician Henrik Sjögren (SHOW­gren) first described a group of women...

This material will help you understand scleritis, its causes, symptoms, and how it is treated. What is scleritis? Scleritis is inflammation of the sclera. Most often, there is an infection. The sclera is the white tissue that forms the outside wall of the eye. There are two main types of scleritis: Anterior scleritis: affects the front part of the eye. This is the more common type. Posterior scleritis:...

Gout is a painful and potentially disabling form of arthritis that has been around since ancient times. It is sometimes referred to as the “disease of kings,” because people long have incorrectly linked it to the kind of overindulgence in food and wine only the rich and powerful could afford. In fact, gout can affect anyone, and its risk factors vary. The first symptoms usually are intense episodes...

Your doctor has prescribed the medicine warfarin (brand names Coumadin and Jantoven) for you. It is an anticoagulant (blood thinner) that makes your blood clot more slowly to prevent dangerous problems, such as a stroke. Your doctor can tell how well warfarin is working from a blood test, called international normalized ratio (INR). The test shows how quickly your blood clots. There are some foods, including those rich...

The prospect of a muscle disease worries some people because they are afraid of not being able to walk. Yet in many cases, treatment exists for myopathy (muscle disease). Proper diagnosis and treatment raise the chance of living life fully despite this illness. Fast Facts Myopathy almost always causes loss of muscle strength. Some patients also have rashes or breathing problems, or both. While there is no cure...

What is done during a joint aspiration/injection? Joint injections or aspirations (taking fluid out of a joint) usually are performed with a cold spray or other local anesthesia in the office or hospital setting. After the skin surface is thoroughly cleaned, the joint is entered with a needle attached to a syringe. At this point, either joint fluid can be obtained (aspirated) and used for appropriate laboratory testing...

Overview Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) is a bony hardening of ligaments in areas where they attach to your spine. Also known as Forestier’s disease, this condition might not cause symptoms or require treatment. If it does cause symptoms, the most common are mild to moderate pain and stiffness in your upper back. DISH can also affect your neck and lower back, and some people have DISH in...

Type 2 Diabetes WHAT IS DIABETES? Diabetes is a problem with your body that causes blood glucose (sugar) levels to rise higher than normal. This is also called hyperglycemia. When you eat your body breaks food down into glucose and sends it into the blood. Insulin then helps move the glucose from the blood into your cells. When glucose enters your cells, it is either used as fuel...

What is Sleep Hygiene? ‘Sleep hygiene’ is the term used to describe good sleep habits. Considerable research has gone into developing a set of guidelines and tips which are designed to enhance good sleeping, and there is much evidence to suggest that these strategies can provide long-term solutions to sleep difficulties. There are many medications which are used to treat insomnia, but these tend to be only effective...