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 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.
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.
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.
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.
Because patients present with Antisynthetase Syndrome very differently, a diagnosis is often hard to make. The antibodies that a patient makes is necessary to know to diagnose and treat Antisynthetase properly, so a lot of testing is involved. In this episode, Dr. Christopher Mecoli, a physician in the Johns Hopkins Division of Rheumatology, discusses the way a patient is diagnosed with Antisynthetase Syndrome.
There are many medications that can help decrease muscle inflammation, but with a myopathy, the best way to feel better is to exercise. In this video, Dr. Lisa Christopher-Stine, the Director of the Myositis Center, explains how we go about treating polymyositis.
Treatment for Antisynthetase Syndrome depends on the symptoms the patient has, but always helps to calm down an overactive nervous system. In this episode, Dr. Christopher Mecoli, a physician in the Johns Hopkins Division of Rheumatology, discusses the treatment options for patients with Antisynthetase Syndrome.
There are many things to do at home to ease the muscle pain and inflammation. Self-care, including massages, taking a break from work or working from home, and eating more holistically can help. In this video, Dr. Lisa Christopher-Stine, the Director of the Myositis Center, delves into how to live a normal, healthy life with a diagnosis of polymyositis.
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.
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).
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.