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

Calcific Enthesitis

Enthesis (plural: entheses) refers to the anatomic junction where connective tissues—such as tendons, ligaments, joint capsules, or bursae—attach to bone. Calcific enthesitis is characterized by inflammation...

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Chronic Enthesitis

Chronic enthesitis is a persistent inflammation of the enthesis, the point where tendons, ligaments, or joint capsules attach to bone. In healthy tissue, the enthesis acts...

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Acute Enthesitis

Acute enthesitis is inflammation at the site where a tendon, ligament, or joint capsule attaches to bone (the enthesis). This inflammation develops rapidly—often within days—and causes...

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Axial Enthesitis

Axial enthesitis is the inflammation of entheses—the sites where tendons, ligaments, or joint capsules attach to bone—specifically within the axial skeleton (spine, sacroiliac joints, rib cage,...

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Peripheral Enthesitis

Peripheral enthesitis is the inflammation of entheses located outside the spine—specifically, the sites where tendons, ligaments, or joint capsules attach to the bones of the arms,...

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Enthesitis

Enthesitis is the inflammation of the entheses—the critical junctions where tendons, ligaments, or joint capsules attach to bone. These fibrocartilaginous or fibrous zones help dissipate mechanical...

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Gouty Arthritis Mutilans

Gouty arthritis mutilans is an exceptionally rare and severe form of chronic tophaceous gout in which long-standing urate crystal deposits (tophi) lead to profound bone loss...

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Rheumatoid Arthritis Mutilans

Rheumatoid arthritis mutilans is a rare, severe form of long‐standing rheumatoid arthritis characterized by aggressive bone resorption and joint destruction that leads to dramatic deformities and...

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Psoriatic Arthritis Mutilans (PAM)

Psoriatic arthritis mutilans (PAM) is the rarest and most severe form of psoriatic arthritis, characterized by profound joint inflammation that leads to bone destruction, joint collapse,...

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Arthritis Mutilans

Arthritis mutilans is a rare, severe form of inflammatory arthritis characterized by aggressive bone and joint destruction, most often affecting the hands and feet. In this...

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Lambdoid Synostosis

Lambdoid synostosis (also called lambdoid craniosynostosis) is a rare birth defect in which one or both of the lambdoid sutures at the back of an infant’s...

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Costal Synostosis

Costal synostosis is a medical condition in which two or more ribs join together prematurely by bone (ossify), rather than remaining separate and flexible. In a...

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Craniosynostosis

Craniosynostosis is a birth condition in which one or more of the fibrous joints (sutures) between the bones of an infant’s skull close too early. Normally,...

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Unilateral Cranial Suture Fusion

Unilateral cranial suture fusion—often called unilateral craniosynostosis—is a birth condition in which one of the joints (sutures) between the bones of an infant’s skull closes too...

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Contralateral Pseudo‐Articulation

Contralateral pseudo-articulation is a specific form of lumbosacral transitional vertebra (LSTV) in which one side of the enlarged lumbar transverse process fuses completely with the sacrum,...

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Bilateral Complete Fusion

Bilateral Complete Fusion refers to a congenital or acquired condition in which two adjacent bony structures—most commonly vertebrae—become fully united on both sides, resulting in a...

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