Patient's question:
I am 53 years old. Recently, as I have gotten older, I have been experiencing leg pain. I have previously visited the immunology department, but the effect was not significant. I have taken both Chinese and Western medicine, especially when the weather changes, I feel uncomfortable. Is this condition an autoimmune disease? Can it be cured?Doctor's answer:
Connective tissue diseases refer to a broad category of diseases that affect connective tissues. This category includes conditions such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, dermatomyositis, and Sj?gren's syndrome. These diseases are characterized by their tendency to affect multiple systems, have a long duration, and exhibit complex clinical features.In clinical practice, doctors often encounter cases that are difficult to explain or do not respond to conventional treatments. In such situations, they may consider the possibility of a connective tissue disease or, more broadly, a rheumatic autoimmune disease. For example, if you have anemia, it is generally expected that iron deficiency anemia would improve with iron supplementation. However, if there is no significant improvement after treatment, it suggests the possibility of an underlying other disease. At this point, the possibility of a connective tissue disease should be considered.