In All About Fibromyalgia, the authors provide a thoroughly revised and updated version of the highly successful Making Sense of Fibromyalgia, which was endorsed by the Arthritis Foundation, Southern California Chapter. This new volume continues to provide a comprehensive guide - for both patients and professionals - to this little known and poorly understood syndrome. It has now also been completely updated with the current understanding of the disease, and includes information on the latest drug treatments.

Six million people in the United States meet the criteria for fibromyalgia. On average, they see about four doctors before they were correctly diagnosed, and many were convinced they had a life-threatening illness such as a body-wide cancer. Fibromyalgia is a combination of pain, fatigue, and systemic symptoms. Ten million patient visits to doctors every year in the United States are for pain; $600 billion is spent annually to diagnose or manage chronic pain, including litigation fees. One group has estimated that patients with fibromyalgia run up $20 billion in medical expenses annually. 10% of US adults have moderate pain and 1% have severe pain. 12% have functional disability due to chronic pain. Additionally, at any visit, 15 percent of all patients tell their doctor they are tired. There is a paucity of reliable, detailed information about the fibromyalgia syndrome that patients can use to help themselves or others. This updated edition of Making Sense of Fibromyalgia is written by well known, widely published experts in the field. It distills complex concepts of amplified pain into a easily readable and understandable narrative. This monograph is aimed at college educated laypersons, allied health professionals, patients and treating physicians. Since it was first published in 1999, Making Sense of Fibromyalgia has sold over 100,000 copies. Now updated and improved, this effort should increase one's knowledge of a very complex subject.

One million people in the United States suffer from systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE or lupus), a chronic autoimmune disease that is potentially debilitating and sometimes fatal as the immune system attacks the body's cells and tissue, resulting in inflammation and tissue damage. SLE can affect any part of the body, but most often damages the heart, joints, skin, lungs, blood vessels, liver, kidneys and nervous system. The course of the disease is unpredictable, with periods of illness alternating with remission. It can be treated symptomatically, mainly with corticosteroids and immunosuppressants, though there is currently no cure. The symptoms of lupus vary widely, come and go unpredictably, and often mimic or are mistaken for other illnesses. As a result, patients present with varied symptoms to different practitioners and diagnosis can be elusive, with patients sometimes suffering unexplained symptoms and untreated lupus for years. Hence, a practical guide to the diagnosis and treatment of lupus is a valuable resource to an array of clinicians and may help expedite earlier diagnosis and better patient care. Part of the Oxford American Rheumatology Library, this concise, authoritative pocketbook describes the pathophysiology of lupus, diagnostic strategies and tools, and current and emerging therapeutic options, focusing on direct clinical applications for busy healthcare professionals. With 20 new tables and the most up-to-date information on the diagnosis, treatment and management of the condition, this second edition fulfills a need for a concise, practical guide to Lupus for clinicians that distills the principal features of this complicated, often misunderstood disorder.

This is an inviting and succinct guide to fibromyalgia, a syndrome that affects 6 million Americans annually. Fibromyalgia is a form of chronic neuromuscular pain, a pain-amplification syndrome brought on by abnormal interactions between hormones, the immune system, neurotransmitters, and the autonomic nervous system. Often misdiagnosed, and widely misunderstood, the majority of patients are turned away from doctors or treated for depression. In their earlier books Making Sense of Fibromyalgia and All About Fibromyalgia, noted medical writer Janice Wallace and Dr Daniel Wallace, a leading expert on this disorder, provided comprehensive guides - for both patients and professionals - to this little known and poorly understood syndrome. Now, in A Short Guide to Fibromyalgia, the Wallaces provide an inviting and succinct version of the syndrome laid out in clear and accessible language. The authors provide a clear, concise explanation of the syndrome and its symptoms, and outline latest treatments. A Short Guide to Fibromyalgia addresses a desperate need for concise, accessible information on this syndrome and offers reassurance to patients and their families.

Osteoarthritis afflicts about 25 million people in the United States--two-thirds of all people over 65--and the numbers will only grow in the coming years as baby boomers age. Yet few who suffer from this disease know much about it--how to relieve the pain, what exercises might help lessen their suffering, how to cut down on visits to the doctor. In All About Osteoarthritis, two leading authorities on the disease--Nancy E. Lane and Daniel J. Wallace--join forces to provide the most up-to-date and comprehensive discussion of osteoarthritis available, explaining what osteoarthritis is, how patients can help themselves, and how to find the best resources to manage the disorder. The authors offer information in a clear and accessible style, with detailed illustrations showing how key joints--knees, hips, fingers, backs, hands, and necks--degenerate. They take readers through the steps of diagnosis, how the body is affected, and ways to manage the disease. In user-friendly language, they describe all of the established treatment options, including new medications and their side effects, and help readers determine when surgery may be necessary. The authors also examine alternative treatments, clarifying which work, which may work, and which definitely do not. And they outline recent advances in the field and discuss where these breakthroughs may lead us. While osteoarthritis most acutely affects the elderly, it starts years before, and many people suffer the aches and pains of the condition well before old age. For aging baby boomers, much can be done before osteoarthritis becomes chronic and debilitating. This comprehensive guide will provide an excellent resource for patients and their families, caregivers, and medical professionals.

Afflicting one in 83 Americans, Sjoegren's is a serious and systemic autoimmune disease that, along with symptoms of extensive oral and ocular dryness, can lead to other serious complications including profound fatigue, chronic pain, major organ involvement, neuropathies and lymphoma. While there is no cure for Sjoegren's, approaches exist to help manage and treat aspects of the disease, and this revised handbook offers everything readers need to understand and cope with their diagnosis. The Sjoegren's Book, Fifth Edition is a comprehensive and authoritative guide, produced by the Sjoegren's Foundation and its medical advisors and edited by a leading authority on autoimmune disorders. This expanded edition provides readers with the best medical and practical information on this disease, bringing together current thinking about Sjoegren's in an easily readable and understandable book and providing important new content on areas not covered in previous editions. With more than fifty chapters written by leading experts, this handbook illuminates the major clinical aspects of the disease and is loaded with practical tips and advice as well as scientific advancements in the field. Indeed, it offers a wide-ranging look at the many faces of Sjoegren's, covering diagnosis, the many organ systems that can be affected, emotional burden and management, treatment options, and hope for the future. Recognized as the bible for Sjoegren's sufferers, this reliable and informative guide is the first place for patients to look when they have questions about this disabling disease. It is a valuable aid that patients can use while discussing their illness with their physician and an excellent resource for family members. Because Sjoegren's is greatly underdiagnosed, this handbook is a particularly valuable resource for healthcare professionals.

Guest edited by Drs. Daniel J. Wallace and R. Swamy Venuturupalli, this issue of Rheumatic Disease Clinics will cover several key areas of interest related to Best Practices and Challenges to the Practice of Rheumatology. This issue is one of four selected each year by our series Consulting Editor, Dr. Michael Weisman of Cedars-Sinai. Articles in this issue include, but are not limited to: The Economics of Rheumatology Practice in the United States, Manpower trends in rheumatology, Challenges to practicing rheumatology in an academic center, Challenges in practicing rheumatology in a government setting, Challenges to practicing rheumatology in a small private practice setting, Challenges to working in a large multispecialty organization, Challenges to practicing pediatric rheumatology, Clinical trials in rheumatology, Challenges in having an infusion center, Implementing treatment to target in the clinic, Future directions: implementing new technologies in clinical practice, Possible Challenges in Optimizing Medical Education for Rheumatologists, and the challenges of approaching and managing gout.