Disease A-Z Library

Degenerative Bones, Joints, and Spine Care (A – Z)

Browse plain-English disease and condition guides, including symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment options, prevention, and when to seek medical care.

3,214 articlesUpdated medical education library

Diseases A-Z

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Disease A-Z Library

Reactive Dactylitis

Reactive dactylitis, often called “sausage digit,” refers to a diffuse swelling of an entire finger or toe that arises as part of reactive arthritis. In reactive...

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Tenosynovitis-Predominant Dactylitis

Tenosynovitis-predominant dactylitis is a form of sausage digit in which inflammation of the tendon sheaths (tenosynovium) drives the characteristic swelling of an entire finger or toe....

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Psoriatic Dactylitis

Psoriatic dactylitis, often called “sausage digit,” is the swelling of an entire finger or toe due to inflammation of joints, tendon sheaths, and soft tissues. It...

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Sickle Cell Dactylitis

Sickle cell dactylitis, often called “hand–foot syndrome,” is one of the earliest painful complications of sickle cell disease. It happens when sickled red blood cells block...

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Dactylitis

Dactylitis—often called “sausage digit”—is a medical term describing uniform swelling of an entire finger or toe. This swelling gives the digit a sausage-like appearance and usually...

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Costochondral Enthesitis

Costochondral enthesitis is an inflammatory condition that affects the point where the ribs meet the costal cartilage of the chest wall. This junction—known as the enthesis—is...

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Medial Epicondyle Enthesitis

Medial epicondyle enthesitis is a condition in which the spot where the forearm flexor and pronator tendons attach to the inner (medial) bony bump of the...

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Lateral Epicondyle Enthesitis

Enthesitis refers to inflammation at the enthesis, the specific site where a tendon or ligament attaches to bone. In this condition, the normal collagen fibers at...

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Plantar Fascia Enthesitis

Plantar fascia enthesitis is the inflammation of the enthesis—the specialized zone where the plantar fascia (the thick band of tissue supporting the foot’s arch) attaches to...

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Insertional Achilles Enthesitis

Insertional Achilles enthesitis is a painful inflammation occurring where the Achilles tendon attaches to the back of the heel (the posterosuperior aspect of the calcaneus). In...

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Achilles Tendon Enthesopathy

Achilles tendon enthesopathy is a condition in which the tendon that connects the calf muscles (gastrocnemius and soleus) to the heel bone (calcaneus) becomes irritated, inflamed,...

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Achilles Enthesitis

Achilles enthesitis, also known as Achilles tendon enthesopathy or insertional Achilles enthesitis, is inflammation at the point where the Achilles tendon attaches to the calcaneus (heel...

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Fibrocartilaginous Enthesitis

Fibrocartilaginous enthesitis is inflammation at the site where a tendon, ligament, or joint capsule attaches to bone—specifically at an enthesis that normally contains fibrocartilage. In healthy...

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Fibrous Enthesitis

Fibrous enthesitis is a form of inflammation that affects the fibrous attachments where tendons, ligaments, or joint capsules connect to bone—known as entheses. Unlike fibrocartilaginous entheses...

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Crystalline Enthesitis

Crystalline enthesitis refers to inflammation at the enthesis—the site where tendons or ligaments attach to bone—caused by the local deposition of microscopic crystals. In a healthy...

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Traumatic Enthesitis

Traumatic enthesitis is the painful inflammation that occurs at the exact spot where a tendon, ligament, or joint capsule attaches to bone—known as the enthesis—when it...

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Septic Enthesitis

Septic enthesitis is an infection of the enthesis, the site where a tendon or ligament attaches to bone. In this condition, bacteria (or, less commonly, fungi...

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Calcific Enthesitis

Calcific enthesitis is a condition characterized by calcium deposits forming at the sites where tendons, ligaments, or joint capsules attach to bone—known as entheses. These deposits...

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Mechanical (Overuse) Enthesitis

Mechanical (overuse) enthesitis is an inflammatory condition affecting the entheses—the sites where tendons, ligaments, or joint capsules attach to bone—resulting from repetitive stress or microtrauma rather...

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Inflammatory Enthesitis

Inflammatory enthesitis is a condition where the body’s defense system mistakenly attacks the enthesis—the spot where a tendon, ligament, or joint capsule fastens to bone. Unlike...

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