Is My Joint Pain Caused By My Autoimmune Disease?
Autoimmune diseases are defined as when the body’s immune system attacks your body’s healthy cells by mistake. Basically, they are a group of problems caused by the dysregulation of the immune system. There are more than 80 types of autoimmune diseases that target different areas of the body, or the body as a whole. Joint pain is a common symptom among some autoimmune diseases.
Autoimmune Diseases That Attack The Joints
The most common autoimmune diseases that target the joints are rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis. Other autoimmune diseases that can target the joints include lupus, multiple sclerosis, systemic scleroderma, and polymyalgia rheumatica. Each of these conditions attacks the joints in different areas of the body in different ways.
For example, rheumatoid arthritis typically begins with pain, inflammation, and swelling in the smaller joints of the body like the fingers and toes before progressing to larger joints. While systemic sclerosis produces a build-up of collage throughout the body which leads to joint pain, swelling, and stiffness in various joints. Gout classically causes pain in the big toe.
Autoimmune conditions affecting the joints may be attacking the bones, cartilage, skin, and other tissues.
How To Know If Your Joint Pain Is Caused By Autoimmune Dysfunction
But, joint pain is a symptom of a large variety of diseases and conditions so its cause may be hard to pinpoint unless you are looking at the big picture – the body as a whole. When autoimmune diseases cause joint pain, there are typically other symptoms that occur at the same time. Some common symptoms that appear with autoimmune joint pain include fatigue, fever, skin problems, digestive issues, and swollen glands. Often, due to the underlying inflammation there are sleep and mood disorders as well.
Sometimes, autoimmune conditions can be tricky to diagnose since many doctors and patients are looking to remedy the obvious symptoms; however, with a proper diagnosis of autoimmune disease and a personalized treatment plan, it will be easier for you to manage your condition and live the best life you can
