Dermatomyosytis: Know Signs And Symptoms To Watch Out For

Muscle weakness, stiffness, or soreness: This can make activities like climbing stairs, sitting, and getting up from chairs challenging.

It may affect other activities, including raising arms overhead, and could lead to difficulty swallowing due to esophageal involvement.

Rashes: Rashes, typically appearing on sun-exposed areas, upper eyelids, knuckles, and fingers, are common dermatological manifestations.

Lung Involvement: Lung involvement in dermatomyositis can lead to complications such as lung fibrosis and shortness of breath.

Associated Symptoms: Associated symptoms of dermatomyositis include joint inflammation, fever, and unexplained weight loss.

Additional symptoms: It may include joint pains with morning stiffness and swelling, Raynaud's phenomenon, muscle weakness affecting various movements, unexplained fever and weight loss, and persistent rashes sensitive to sunlight.

Symptoms may vary in severity and can overlap with those of other autoimmune rheumatic diseases.

Timely diagnosis and treatment are imperative for effective symptom management and complication prevention.

Individuals experiencing persistent rashes coupled with weakness or any of the mentioned symptoms should seek medical evaluation.

Diagnostic evaluation involves blood tests (CPK, SGOT, SGPT), imaging studies (MRI of muscles), electromyography (EMG), and occasionally, muscle biopsy.

Inputs From: Dr Puneet Mashru, Consultant-Rheumatologist, Sir H N Reliance Foundation Hospital