I call it a three ring circus (maybe
even more rings). This means there is something going on in each ring such as
knee pain, nose pain, tinnitus with one thing spotlighted. On one day
the nose is hurting the most and the others are simmering, later that day the
tinnitus is extremely loud, with the knees have a catch in them but not
spotlighted. It runs through the body that way if you are lucky with most the
things on the simmer and only one spotlighted. Hopefully not all rings are
spotlighted at the same time, we call that a flare!
Definition
of Symptoms by the National Institute of Health
Relapsingpolychondritis (RP) is characterized by recurrent inflammation of cartilage (the
tough but flexible tissue that covers the ends of bones at a joint) and other
tissues throughout the body. The features of the condition and the severity of
symptoms vary significantly from person to person, but may include:
- Ear: The ears are the most commonly affected body part. Symptoms include a sudden onset of pain, swelling, and tenderness of the cartilage of one or both ears. The pinna usually loses firmness and becomes floppy; hearing impairment may also occur. Inflammation of the inner ear may also cause nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and/or ataxia. The ear can eventually deform to look 'like a boxers' ear or cauliflower ear'.
- Joint: The second most common finding is joint pain with or without arthritis.
- Eye: Affected people may experience episcleritis, uveitis and/or scleritis. Scleritis may lead to a bluish or dark discoloration of the sclera (white of the eye) and may even be associated with vision loss in severe cases.
- Nose: Nasal cartilage inflammation may lead to stuffiness, crusting, rhinorrhea, epistaxis (nose bleeds), compromised sense of smell and/or saddle nose deformity (a condition where the nose is weakened and thus "saddled" in the middle).
- Airways: Inflammation may affect the larynx, trachea (windpipe), and bronchi (tubes that branch off the trachea and carry air to the lungs). Airway involvement may lead to a cough, wheezing, hoarseness and recurrent infections. It can become life-threatening if not properly diagnosed and managed.
Less commonly, RP may
affect the heart, kidneys, nervous system, gastrointestinal tract, and/or
vascular (veins) system. Nonspecific symptoms such as fever, weight loss, malaise, and fatigue may
also be present.
Let's get together
and see what those of us diagnosed with Relapsing Polychondritis have in
common. Because RP is so rare, new things about it are being found out all of
the time.
Summations from the Facebook group:
As those of use
living this disease each day in and day out, we have found some commonalities
among us. We find so very many symptoms that all of us share. Usually all of
the above with a strong percentage with these other conditions.
- Many of us have problems with our spines, bulging discs, Degenerative disk disease, herniation, stenosis
- Tinnitus
- Costochondritis
- Multiple urinary tract infection
- Pain across the face
- Exhaustion not associated with the drugs
- An interesting number has Trigeminal neuralgia
- Labral Tears in our hips
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