Musculoskeletal Diseases
Musculoskeletal diseases affect the bones, muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments, and connective tissues. Below are some common musculoskeletal diseases along with their symptoms
Osteoarthritis
🔹 Symptoms:
- Joint pain and stiffness (especially after rest)
- Swelling and tenderness
- Reduced range of motion
- Bone spurs (extra growths around joints)
🔹 Commonly Affects: Knees, hips, hands, spine
Rheumatoid Arthritis
🔹 Symptoms:
- Joint pain and swelling (affects both sides of the body)
- Morning stiffness lasting more than an hour
- Fatigue and weight loss
- Joint deformities in severe cases
🔹 Cause: Autoimmune disorder
Osteoporosis
🔹 Symptoms:
- Bone fractures from minor falls or injuries
- Back pain due to vertebral fractures
- Loss of height over time
- Stooped posture (kyphosis)
🔹 Cause: Weakening of bones due to calcium loss
Gout
🔹 Symptoms:
- Sudden, severe joint pain (often in the big toe)
- Swelling, redness, and tenderness
- Episodes occur suddenly, often at night
- Limited joint movement during flare-ups
🔹 Cause: Buildup of uric acid crystals in joints
Fibromyalgia
🔹 Symptoms:
- Widespread muscle pain and tenderness
- Fatigue and sleep disturbances
- Memory and concentration problems (“fibro fog”)
- Headaches and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
🔹 Cause: Unknown, but linked to nervous system dysfunction
Ankylosing Spondylitis
🔹 Symptoms:
- Chronic back pain and stiffness
- Pain in the hips and shoulders
- Reduced flexibility in the spine
- Difficulty breathing in severe cases
🔹 Cause: Autoimmune inflammation of the spine
Lupus (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus - SLE)
🔹 Symptoms:
- Joint pain and swelling
- Fatigue and fever
- Butterfly-shaped rash on the face
- Kidney and heart complications (in severe cases)
🔹 Cause: Autoimmune disorder
Tendinitis
🔹 Symptoms:
- Pain and tenderness near a joint
- Swelling and stiffness
- Worse pain with movement
- Common in shoulders, elbows, knees, and Achilles tendon
🔹 Cause: Overuse or injury to tendons
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
🔹 Symptoms:
- Numbness or tingling in the fingers (thumb, index, and middle fingers)
- Weak grip strength
- Pain or burning sensation in the hand and wrist
- Worsens at night
🔹 Cause: Compression of the median nerve in the wrist
Sciatica
🔹 Symptoms:
- Sharp pain radiating from the lower back down the leg
- Numbness or tingling in the leg
- Weakness in the affected leg
- Worse pain while sitting or standing for long periods
🔹 Cause: Compression of the sciatic nerve
Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR)
🔹 Symptoms:
- Severe muscle pain and stiffness (shoulders and hips)
- Fatigue and fever
- Difficulty lifting arms or getting out of bed
- Joint swelling in some cases
🔹 Cause: Autoimmune inflammation of muscles
Paget’s Disease of Bone
🔹 Symptoms:
- Bone pain and deformities
- Increased risk of fractures
- Enlarged or misshapen bones
- Hearing loss (if it affects the skull)
🔹 Cause: Abnormal bone remodeling process
Myositis (Inflammation of Muscles)
🔹 Symptoms:
- Muscle weakness (especially in shoulders and hips)
- Difficulty swallowing or breathing (in severe cases)
- Skin rash (in dermatomyositis)
- Fatigue and joint pain
🔹 Cause: Autoimmune or viral infection
Bursitis
🔹 Symptoms:
- Swelling and tenderness around joints
- Pain that worsens with movement
- Common in shoulders, elbows, hips, and knees
🔹 Cause: Inflammation of bursae (fluid-filled sacs in joints)
Spinal Stenosis
🔹 Symptoms:
- Pain or numbness in the lower back and legs
- Weakness in the legs
- Worse pain while walking or standing
- Relief when bending forward or sitting
🔹 Cause: Narrowing of the spinal canal, compressing nerves