Archives for January 2025

Can Your Medications Cause Lupus?

January 27, 2025 ·

Drug-induced lupus, a form of lupus caused by certain medications, and not something you hear much about. It differs from the regular “systemic” lupus in multiple ways, including the expected symptoms, the positive blood tests and the prognosis.

What is Drug-Induced Lupus?

We’ve all heard of lupus, but did you know there’s a version that can be triggered by medications? It is called drug-induced lupus. Unlike the more familiar systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), which is a chronic autoimmune disease, drug-induced lupus occurs when your body’s immune system reacts to a specific medication.

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Rheumatology Appointments, Morning Stiffness & Joint Pain

January 20, 2025 ·

Let’s delve into some crucial topics brought up by my newsletter readers: how to handle the wait for your rheumatology appointments, the mystery of morning stiffness, and dealing with joint pain.

Palindromic Arthritis: A Closer Look

One of the most intriguing conditions I frequently encounter is palindromic arthritis. This type of inflammatory arthritis comes and goes, causing intense but short-lived joint inflammation and pain. It tends to affect the joints of your hands, fingers, knees, and shoulders. Unlike gout or CPPD (pseudogout), which can have similar symptoms, palindromic arthritis doesn’t involve crystals in the joint fluid. Instead, it affects the structures around the joint, like tendons and ligaments.

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Understanding Lupus Hand Symptoms

January 13, 2025 ·

When doctors talk about lupus, the focus often lands on the kidneys. However, there’s one part of the body almost every lupus patient will face issues with: the hands. As a rheumatologist, I can tell you, the hands reveal so much and when you know what to look out for, you can alert your doc and together develop a plan.

Lupus Arthritis: Joint Pain and Beyond

It might not surprise you to know that joint pain is a part of lupus, as it is with most autoimmune conditions. More than 90% of lupus patients will experience some form of joint pain or arthritis. But when we hear “arthritis,” we tend to think of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), not lupus, and miss the nuances of lupus arthritis.

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What RA Nodules tell us about Rheumatoid Arthritis

January 6, 2025 ·

Let’s dive into a topic that often doesn’t get enough attention: RA nodules. If you’re living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), you might have heard about these little bumps that can show up on your body, but what exactly are they, why do they occur, and what do they mean for your overall health?

What Are RA Nodules?

RA nodules are small lumps that form under the skin, commonly seen in people with rheumatoid arthritis. They’re made up of scar tissue and immune cells called granulomas. You can typically find them on areas like the elbows, hands, and forearms, but they can pop up anywhere, including in internal organs such as the lungs and heart.

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