Rheumatoid arthritis. Lupus. Polymyalgia rheumatica. Psoriatic arthritis. These are but a few of the over 100 rheumatic diseases that cause the immune system to attack a person’s joints, muscles, bones and organs. The pain and inflammation make simple tasks such as walking, getting dressed, and even brushing hair and teeth sometimes impossible.

What triggers a flare and how are they managed? What treatments work best? What caused it, and will a cure ever be found? In Living with Rheumatic Diseases, eleven men and women invite readers inside their rheumatic lives to give honest answers to common questions. Confessing emotions, fears, and hopes, the heartfelt stories offer refreshing insight from nonclinical perspectives, and highlight the unexpected ways we find courage and hope while living with an autoimmune disorder.