Myositis

Dermatomyositis Signs & Symptoms

A common complication in any of the rheumatic diseases is Reynaud’s disease, and Dermatomyositis is no different. Dermatomyositis presents symptoms in many ways; however, the most common signs are skin, muscle, and lung issues. The skin usually presents a rash (like a sunburn) that doesn’t go away, there is progressive muscle weakness, and lung inflammation that causes extreme shortness of breath. In this video series, Dr. Eleni Tiniakou, a physician at the Johns Hopkins Myositis Center, explains the common symptoms of Dermatomyositis.

Dermatomyositis Diagnosis

The enzymes that indicate Dermatomyositis also indicate liver disease, which is much more common. Most doctors will perform a liver biopsy that shows everything is normal. Then, they will look at the enzymes in the muscle and see that there is a problem. In this video series, Dr. Eleni Tiniakou, a physician at the Johns Hopkins Myositis Center, discusses the process of diagnosing Dermatomyositis.

Dermatomyositis Treatment

The goal of treatment in Dermatomyositis is to bring down the immune system so that it stops attacking the healthy tissues in the muscle. There are many side effects of the medication, Prednisone, that is used to treat myositis diseases, so the patient won’t stay on it for long. Scientists and doctors are still looking for alternative medicines that are more effective and less harmful. In this video series, Dr. Eleni Tiniakou, a physician at the Johns Hopkins Myositis Center, explains the treatment options for Dermatomyositis.

Dermatomyositis Lifestyle Options

Exercising, avoiding the sun, and maintaining a relatively stress-free lifestyle are three ways to stay healthy and avoid flares. In the last episode of this five-part video series, Dr. Eleni Tiniakou, a physician at the Johns Hopkins Myositis Center, explains the steps to living a normal life after a Dermatomyositis diagnosis.

Polymyositis – Overview

Polymyositis is an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation in the muscles. It’s also commonly paired with other rheumatic diseases such as scleroderma, rheumatoid arthritis, or lupus. In this video, Dr. Lisa Christopher-Stine, the Director of the Myositis Center, explains the basics of polymyositis.

Antisynthetase Syndrome Disease Overview

Antisynthetase Syndrome is an autoimmune disease that is a subcategory of Myositis, which means muscle disease. There are many different areas that Antisynthetase Syndrome affects, however, a few common ones are the muscle weakness, difficulty breathing, and joint pain. In this episode, Dr. Christopher Mecoli, a physician in the Johns Hopkins Division of Rheumatology, digs into the complicated nature of Antisynthetase Syndrome.

Polymyositis – Signs & Symptoms

The first signs that usually appear in polymyositis patients are weakness in the shoulders and hips, and an inability to lift their arms over their head. In this video, Dr. Lisa Christopher-Stine, the Director of the Myositis Center, discusses the symptoms of Polymyositis.

Antisynthetase Syndrome Signs & Symptoms

While the symptoms of Antisynthetase Syndrome vary greatly from patient to patient, the most common symptoms are muscle weakness, joint pain, and lung inflammation. Because of the varying symptoms of this disease, it is advised for patients to have frequent follow ups with their Rheumatologist. In this episode, Dr. Christopher Mecoli, a physician in the Johns Hopkins Division of Rheumatology, explains the signs and symptoms a patient may display with Antisynthetase Syndrome.

Polymyoisitis – Diagnosis

Diagnosing polymyositis is a step by step process. The physician will start by doing a physical exam to assess their strength, followed by blood tests, an EMG, and a muscle biopsy. In this video, Dr. Lisa Christopher-Stine, the Director of the Myositis Center, discusses how polymyositis is diagnosed.

Inclusion Body Myositis (IBM) Overview

Inclusion body myositis is an inflammatory disease that affects the muscles. It affects more men than women, which makes it different than most other inflammatory diseases that affect mainly women. We are still learning about IBM and what causes it. In this video, Dr. Lisa Christopher-Stine, the Director of the Myositis Center, discusses the symptoms and problems many patients with Inclusion Body Myositis (IBM) face.

Inclusion Body Myositis (IBM) Signs & Symptoms

The most first signs that usually appear in IBM patients are trouble getting out of chairs and unexplained falls resulting from leg weakness. In this video, Dr. Tom Lloyd, the co-Director of the Myositis Center, discusses the symptoms of Inclusion Body Myositis (IBM).

Inclusion Body Myositis (IBM) Diagnosis

There are a variety of ways inclusion body myositis (IBM) is diagnosed. Physicians will check for a specific kind of weakness in the body, perform an EMG, and check the muscle enzymes. These tests help differentiate IBM from other kinds of inflammatory muscle disease. In this video, Dr. Lisa Christopher-Stine, the Director of the Myositis Center, explains how to confirm an Inclusion Body Myositis (IBM) diagnosis.