Polyarteritis Nodosa Center - Pittsfield, MA
Pittsfield Rheumatologist Doctors for Polyarteritis NodosaType of Physician: Rheumatologist What is a Rheumatologist? A subspecialty certification by the Board of Internal Medicine; practitioners treat diseases of the joints, muscles, bones, and tendons. The rheumatologist diagnoses and treats arthritis, back pain, muscle strains, common athletic injuries, etc. The rheumatologist may work closely with other specialists such as orthopaedic surgeons and physical therapists. Specialty: Rheumatology Common Name: Rheumatologist Doctors in Pittsfield * Contemporary Rheumatology Specialists PC  Berkshire Rheumatology Associates  Northampton Internal Medicine  Northampton Internal Medicine  Arthritis Treatment Center  Arthritis Treatment Center  Arthritis Treatment Center  Arthritis Treatment Center  RiverBend Medical Group Chicopee Office  Arthritis Treatment Center  Arthritis Treatment Center  Springfield Medical Associates  Springfield Medical Associates  Springfield Medical Associates  Hampden County Physician Associates LLC  Palmer Medical Center  James Figueroa MD Pittsfield, MassachusettsUpcoming Local Events2012-06-03
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Polyarteritis NodosaRead the Polyarteritis Nodosa article » What is polyarteritis nodosa?Polyarteritis nodosa is a rare autoimmune disease (immune system attacking its own body) featuring spontaneous inflammation of the arteries (arteritis). Because arteries are involved, the disease can affect any organ of the body. The most common areas of involvement include the muscles, joints, intestines (bowels), nerves, kidneys, and skin. Poor function or pain in any of these organs can be a symptom. Poor blood supply to the bowels can cause abdominal pain, local bowel death, and bleeding. Fatigue, weight loss, and fever are common. Polyarteritis nodosa is most common in middle-age people. Its cause is unknown, but it has been reported after hepatitis B infection. Polyarteritis is not felt to be an inherited condition.
How is polyarteritis nodosa diagnosed?The diagnosis is supported by tests that indicate inflammation including elevation of blood sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein. The white blood cell count and platelet count can be elevated, while the red blood count is decreased (anemia). Hepatitis B virus testing (for either antigen and antibody) can be found in 10%-20% of patients with polyarteritis nodosa. Urine testing can show protein and red blood cells in the urine. In patients with nerves affected, nerve function tests are abnormal. The diagnosis of polyarteritis nodosa is confirmed by a biopsy of involved tissue that reveals the inflamed blood vessels (vasculitis). Examples of tissues that are sometimes biopsied include nerves, muscle, kidneys, and bowel. Vasculitis of the bowel and kidneys can often be detected with an angiogram (x-ray testing while contrast "dye" is infused into the blood vessels). The American College of Rheumatology established criteria for the classification of polyarteritis nodosa in 1990. For classification purposes, a patient is said to have polyarteritis nodosa if ... Recommended Reading Related to Polyarteritis NodosaScleritis facts
What is scleritis?Scleritis is an inflammation of the sclera, the white portion of the eye. What is the sclera?The sclera is the tough, white fibrous outer wall layer of the eye. It is a type of connective tissue. The sclera provides both the white color of the eye and allows the eye to maintain its shape. It extends from the edge of the cornea (the clear, dome-shaped window in the front of the eye) all the way to the optic nerve in the back of the eye.
What causes scleritis?Scleritis is an uncommon disease and is differentiated from episcleritis, which is a more common ocular condition. In episcleritis,... Other Related Polyarteritis Nodosa ArticlesEmergency Contact for Pittsfield
Nearby Pittsfield Hospitals *Berkshire Medical Center BMC Hillcrest Campus Austen Riggs Center Fairview Hospital North Adams Regional Hospital Samaritan Hospital Southwestern Vermont Medical Center Albany Memorial Hospital St Mary's Hospital Troy Northampton VA Medical Center Stratton VA Medical Center at Albany Albany Medical Center Albany Medical Center South Clinical Campus Capital District Psychiatric Center Columbia Memorial Hospital St Peter's Hospital Cooley Dickinson Hospital  Noble Hospital Featured Articles*Provider Directory Terms of Use: The WebMD 'Provider Directory' is provided by WebMD for use by the general public as a quick reference of information about Providers. The Provider Directory is not intended as a tool for verifying the credentials, qualifications, or abilities of any Provider contained therein. Inclusion in the Provider Directory does not imply recommendation or endorsement nor does omission in the Provider Directory imply WebMD disapproval. |
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Viral Hepatitis
- Hepatitis is most often viral, due to infection with one of the hepatitis viruses (A, B, C, D, E, F (not confirmed), and G) or another virus (such as those that cause infectious mononucleosis, cytomegalovirus disease). The main nonviral causes of hepatitis are alcohol and drugs. Many patients infected with hepatitis A, B, and C have few or no symptoms of illness. For those who do develop symptoms of viral hepatitis, the most common are flu- like symptoms including: loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, fever, weakness, tiredness, and aching in the abdomen. Treatment of viral hepatitis is dependant on the type of hepatitis.
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Vasculitis
- Vasculitis is a general term for a group of uncommon diseases which feature inflammation of the blood vessels. Each form of vasculitis has its own characteristic pattern of symptoms. The diagnosis of vasculitis is definitively established after a biopsy of involved tissue demonstrates the pattern of blood vessel inflammation. Treatment is directed toward decreasing the inflammation of the arteries and improving the function of affected organs.
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Connective Tissue Disease
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Hepatitis B
- The hepatitis B virus is a unique, coated DNA virus belonging to the Hepadnaviridae family of viruses. The course of the virus is determined primarily by the age at which the infection is acquired and the interaction between the virus and the body's immune system. Successful treatment is associated with a reduction in liver injury and fibrosis (scarring), a decreased likelihood of developing cirrhosis and its complications, including liver cancer, and a prolonged survival.
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Scleritis
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