Anterior knee pain (children)
Anterior knee pain is pain which occurs in the front of the knee around the knee cap. Anterior knee pain is more common during the teenage years and affects girls more than boys.
For more information, download the information sheet Anterior Knee Pain
Chilblains / Perniosis (children)
Chilblains are an injury to the skin of the hands and feet (although they can occur elsewhere like nose, ears, buttocks) caused by cold temperatures. The other name for chilblains is perniosis.
For more information, download the information sheet Skin – Chilblains
Chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis (children)
Chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis (CRMO) is a disease affecting the bones. Inflammation is normally one of the body’s protective responses to infection or injury, but in diseases such as CRMO, uncontrolled inflammation can cause damage. In CRMO, inflammation targets the bone and can occur throughout the body.
For more information, download the information sheet Chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis (CRMO)
Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a name given to a common group of symptoms marked by generalised pain and muscle stiffness, as well as extreme fatigue.These may range from very mild to severe, and may last for many years or come and go at different times. With the right advice most people find they learn to manage the pain and tiredness over time.
For more information, download the information sheet Fibromyalgia
For information about exercise, download the information sheet Exercise & Fibromyalgia.
Familial Mediterranean fever (children)
Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is a disease that results in episodes of fever, abdominal pain, chest pain, joint pain and rashes. It is most common in people of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern ancestry, but can occur in people of any ethnicity.
For more information, download the information sheet Familial Mediterranean Fever
Giant Cell Arteritis
Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA) is a condition where the body attacks its own blood vessels. GCA can affect the main artery in the heart and smaller blood vessels in the head. This can interrupt blood flow and can also cause pain, inflammation and tenderness around the temples. Because of this, the condition is also known as ‘temporal arteritis’. Around 1,000 Australians are diagnosed with GCA each year.
For more information, download the information sheet Giant Cell Arteritis
Growing pains / Benign nocturnal limb pains (children)
Growing pains are common and affect otherwise healthy children. The pains usually start in the preschool years. Growing pains are often difficult to pinpoint, but are usually in the legs.
For more information, download the information sheet Growing Pains
Haemochromatosis and haemochromatotic arthritis
Haemochromatosis is a condition caused by a build-up of iron in your body. People with haemochromatosis absorb too much iron from food (iron overload) and the extra iron can damage organs, particularly the liver, heart, pancreas, bones and joints.
For more information, download the information sheet Haemochromatosis
Hypermobility syndromes (children)
We are at our most flexible as babies and become less flexible with age. Many children are hypermobile (“double jointed”) in one or more joints. When this affects many joints, and is associated with pain, it is called a hypermobility syndrome.
For more information, download the information sheet Hypermobility Syndromes
Juvenile dermatomyositis (children)
Juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) is a rare condition that causes inflammation of the skin and muscle. Inflammation is one of the body’s protective responses to infection or injury, but in diseases such as JDM, uncontrolled inflammation can cause damage. Other parts of the body may also be affected such as the lung and intestines.
For more information, download the information sheet Juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM)
Localised scleroderma (children)
Localised scleroderma is an inflammatory disease affecting the skin. Inflammation is normally one of the body’s protective responses to infection or injury. In diseases such as localised scleroderma, uncontrolled inflammation leads to hardening and discolouration of the involved skin.
For more information, download the information sheet Skin – Localised Scleroderma
Lupus (systemic lupus erythematosus)
Systemic lupus erythematosus (also called SLE or lupus) is an autoimmune condition. The normal role of your body’s immune system is to fight off infections and diseases to keep you healthy. In an autoimmune disease like lupus, your immune system starts attacking your own healthy tissues.
For more information, download the information sheet Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Non-radiographic axial Spondyloarthritis
Non-radiographic axial Spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA) is an autoimmune disease which causes arthritis in the spine and pelvis. While ‘non-radiographic axial Spondyloarthritis’ is a very complicated name, it can be understood as: Non-radiographic: the inflammation will not show up on an x-ray (radiograph) but may show up on an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan. Axial: it mainly affects the spine (rather than arms or legs). Spondyloarthritis: arthritis that affects the joints as well as sites where ligaments and tendons join the bone.
For more information, download the information sheet Non-radiographic axial Spondyloarthritis
Polymyalgia rheumatica
Polymyalgia rheumatica means ‘pain in many muscles’. It is a condition that causes inflammation of the joints and tissues around the joints. This causes muscles to feel painful and stiff, especially in the shoulder, neck and hip areas. Polymyalgia rheumatica is different to fibromyalgia, a condition that does not cause inflammation.
For more information, download the information sheet Polymyalgia Rheumatica
Reactive arthritis
Reactive arthritis is a condition that causes inflammation, pain and swelling of the joints. It usually develops after an infection, often in the bowel or genital areas. The infection causes activity in the immune system.
For more information, download the information sheet Reactive Arthritis
Ross River virus and Barmah Forest virus
Ross River virus and Barmah Forest virus are infections that are spread to humans through mosquito bites. They cause similar illnesses, including joint inflammation and pain. People of all ages are at risk of developing these infections. Ross River virus is the most common and widespread of mosquito borne diseases that infect humans in Australia.
For more information, download the information sheet Ross River & Barmah Forest
Scleroderma
The word ‘scleroderma’ means ‘hard skin’. Scleroderma affects the connective tissues of the body (tissues that hold together joints, muscles, blood vessels and internal organs). Symptoms vary greatly from person to person and also depend on what part of the body is involved.
For more information, download the information sheet Scleroderma
Sever’s disease (children)
Sever’s disease causes pain in the bone at the back of the heel. This pain occurs because of a mismatch between the growth of the calf bones and muscles. It is slightly more common in boys than girls and usually affects children aged 8 – 12 years.
For more information, download the information sheet Heels – Severs Disease
Sjögren’s syndrome
Sjögren’s syndrome is an autoimmune condition. The normal role of your body’s immune system is to fight off infections and diseases to keep you healthy. In an autoimmune disease like Sjögren’s syndrome, your immune system starts attacking your own healthy tissues.
For more information, download the information sheet Sjögren Syndrome
Spondyloarthritis
Spondyloarthritis (sometimes called spondyloarthropathy or seronegative arthritis) is a name for types of arthritis that commonly affect the spine.
For more information, download the information sheet Spondyloarthritis