Disease Information

Understanding Treatment Options for Osteoarthritis (OA)

Osteroarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis in the world. It affects over 32 million adults in the United States.

Dr. Dana DiRenzo discusses risk factors for development of OA as well as general treatment strategies. Treatment options can include medications such as NSAIDs along with lifestyle adjustments including weight loss, exercise and diet changes.

The treatment options discussed are based on the 2019 American College of Rheumatology/Arthritis Foundation Guideline for the Management of Osteoarthritis of the Hand, Hip, and Knee, led by Sharon Kolasinski and others.

Side Effects of Methotrexate

Nurse Victoria Ruffing reviews possible side effects of taking the medication Methotrexate, a drug commonly used for treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis and other inflammatory conditions.

Lupus Lifestyle Options – Lupus Education Series

Dr. Stojan with the Johns Hopkins Lupus Center dives into lifestyle choices for those with Lupus. Discussion covers diet, exercise, supplements and vaccines.

Living with Scleroderma

In this fifth and final part of our series on Scleroderma, Johns Hopkins Rheumatologist Dr. Zsuzsanna McMahan discusses living with Scleroderma.

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.

What is Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Rheumatoid Arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease that not only affects the joints, but the whole immune system. Many patients who have Rheumatoid Arthritis also experience fatigue, dry eyes and […]

Lyme Disease An Introduction

In this first video of a five part series on Lyme Disease, Dr. John Aucott from the Johns Hopkins Lyme Disease Research Center provides an overview of the disease.

Psoriatic Arthritis – Disease Overview

Psoriatic arthritis, in short called PsA, is a rheumatologic disease that effects about 1.5 million Americans. About one in three people with the skin disease psoriasis, will get psoriatic arthritis. It affects the joints as well as the tendons, and it may also affect the spine.

Sjögren’s Syndrome – Disease Overview

Sjögren’s Syndrome is an autoimmune disease that is found primarily in women, where inflammation at the salivary and lacrimal glands causes dryness of the eyes and mouth. However, it’s also a systemic disease that affects the entire body, producing joint pain and fatigue, and damaging internal organs. As many as four million Americans suffer from Sjögren’s Syndrome, which often overlaps with other rheumatic diseases making it very common to misdiagnose or overlook. Unfortunately, many patients are not diagnosed on time, which makes it much more difficult to treat. In this video, the Director of the Jerome L. Greene Sjögren’s Syndrome Center, Dr. Alan Baer, discusses the symptoms and problems that many patients with Sjögren’s Syndrome face.

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.

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.

How is Rheumatoid Arthritis Diagnosed?

Sitting down and listening to a patient’s story is the first step in diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis. While swollen joints are a large indicator of Rheumatoid Arthritis, there are many […]