What is back pain? Back pain is one of the most common medical problems in the United States. It might feel like a dull, constant ache or a sudden, sharp pain. Back pain can result from: An accident. A fall. Lifting something heavy. Changes that happen in the spine as you age. A disorder or medical condition. Treatment depends on the cause and symptoms of your pain. You can do things to improve your health and lower your chance of developing chronic (long-lasting) back pain.

¿Qué es el dolor de espalda? El dolor de espalda es uno de los problemas de salud más frecuentes en los Estados Unidos. Podría sentirse como un dolor leve y constante o como un dolor punzante y repentino. El dolor de espalda puede surgir debido a lo siguiente: Un accidente Una caída Por levantar un objeto pesado Por cambios que ocurren en la columna a medida que envejece Un trastorno o una afección de salud. El tratamiento depende de la causa y de los síntomas del dolor. Usted puede hacer algunas cosas para mejorar su salud y disminuir la posibilidad

What is vitiligo? Vitiligo is a chronic (long-lasting) autoimmune disorder that causes areas of skin to lose color. When skin cells that make color are attacked and destroyed, the skin turns a milky-white color. A person with vitiligo sometimes may have family members who also have the disease. There is no cure for vitiligo, but treatment may help skin tone appear more even.

¿Qué es el vitíligo? El vitíligo es un trastorno autoinmunitario crónico (de larga duración) que hace que algunas áreas de la piel pierdan su color natural. Cuando se atacan y se destruyen las células que producen la pigmentación o color de la piel, esta adquiere un aspecto blanco lechoso. Nadie sabe qué causa el vitíligo, pero puede ser una enfermedad autoinmunitaria. En las personas con enfermedades autoinmunitarias, las células inmunitarias atacan por error los tejidos sanos del cuerpo, en lugar de atacar los virus o las bacterias. A veces, una persona con vitíligo puede tener familiares que también tienen la

What is scleroderma? Scleroderma is an autoimmune connective tissue and rheumatic disease that causes inflammation in the skin and other areas of the body. This inflammation leads to patches of tight, hard skin. Scleroderma involves many systems in your body. A connective tissue disease is one that affects tissues such as skin, tendons, and cartilage. There are two major types of scleroderma: Localized scleroderma only affects the skin and the structures directly under the skin. Systemic scleroderma, also called systemic sclerosis, affects many systems in the body. This is the more serious type of scleroderma and can damage your blood

What is psoriasis? Psoriasis is a chronic (long-lasting) disease in which the immune system works too much, causing patches of skin to become scaly and inflamed. Most often, psoriasis affects the: Scalp. Elbows. Knees. The symptoms of psoriasis can sometimes go through cycles, flaring for a few weeks or months followed by times when they subside (or go into remission). If you have psoriasis, you may have a higher risk of getting other serious conditions, including: Psoriatic arthritis. Heart attack or stroke. Mental health problems, such as low self-esteem, anxiety, and depression.

¿Qué es la psoriasis? La psoriasis es una enfermedad crónica (de larga duración) en la que el sistema inmunológico trabaja demasiado, provocando que ciertas áreas de la piel se vuelvan escamosas e inflamadas. Por lo general, la psoriasis afecta a: el cuero cabelludo, los codos, las rodillas. A veces, los síntomas de la psoriasis son cíclicos, con brotes que duran algunas semanas o varios meses, seguidos de momentos en los que hay mejoría (es decir, entran en remisión). Si tiene psoriasis, puede correr un mayor riesgo de tener otras afecciones graves, entre ellas: artritis psoriásica, ataques al corazón o accidentes

What is acne? Acne is a common skin condition that happens when hair follicles under the skin become clogged. Oil and dead skin cells plug the pores, and outbreaks of lesions (often called pimples or zits) can happen. Most often, the outbreaks occur on the face but can also appear on the back, chest, and shoulders. For most people, acne tends to go away by the time they reach their thirties, but some people in their forties and fifties continue to have this skin problem.

What is atopic dermatitis? Atopic dermatitis, often called eczema, is a chronic (long-lasting) disease that causes the skin to become inflamed and irritated, making it extremely itchy. Scratching leads to: Redness. Swelling. Cracking. “Weeping” clear fluid. Crusting. Scaling. In most cases, there are times when the disease is worse, called flares, followed by times when the skin improves or clears up entirely, called remissions. Atopic dermatitis is a common condition, and anyone can get the disease. However, it usually begins in childhood. Atopic dermatitis cannot be spread from person to person. No one knows what causes atopic dermatitis. Depending on

What is osteonecrosis? Your bones are made up of living cells that need a blood supply to stay healthy. In osteonecrosis, blood flow to part of a bone is reduced. This causes death of bone tissue, and the bone can eventually break down and the joint will collapse. Osteonecrosis can happen to any bone, but most often it develops in the ends of long bones, such as the: Thigh bone. Upper arm bone. Less often, the bones of the elbows, ankles, feet, wrists, and hands are affected. When the disease involves part of a bone in a joint, it can

¿Qué es la osteonecrosis? Los huesos están formados por células vivas que necesitan un suministro de sangre para mantenerse saludables. En la osteonecrosis, se reduce el flujo de la sangre a una parte de un hueso. Esto podría causar la muerte del tejido óseo y, finalmente, el hueso podría romperse y se podría colapsar la articulación. La osteonecrosis puede afectar a cualquier hueso, pero la mayoría de las veces se desarrolla en los extremos de los huesos largos, como: hueso superior de la pierna (fémur), hueso superior del brazo (húmero). Con menos frecuencia se ven afectados los huesos de los

What is gout? Gout is a type of arthritis that causes pain and swelling in your joints, usually as flares that last for a week or two, and then go away. Gout flares often begin in your big toe or a lower limb. Gout happens when high levels of a substance called serum urate build up in your body. When this happens, needle-shaped crystals form in and around the joint. This leads to inflammation and arthritis of the joint. However, many people with high levels of serum urate will not develop gout. With early diagnosis, treatment, and lifestyle changes, gout

¿Qué es la gota? La gota es un tipo de artritis que causa dolor e hinchazón en las articulaciones, generalmente en forma de ataques que duran de una a dos semanas y luego desaparecen. A menudo, los ataques de gota comienzan en el dedo gordo del pie o en una extremidad inferior. La gota ocurre cuando se acumulan altas concentraciones de una sustancia llamada urato sérico (ácido úrico) en el cuerpo. Cuando esto sucede, se forman cristales en forma de aguja en y alrededor de la articulación, provocando inflamación y artritis en la misma. No obstante, hay muchas personas con