Dermatomyositis is a rare disease that causes muscle weakness and skin rashes. It can cause severe symptoms that can affect one's ability to breathe and swallow.
Categorised as a serious illness, dermatomyositis in rare cases can be fatal. | PTI
Breathing issues, aspiration pneumonia, difficulty in eating due to the disease affecting muscles in your oesophagus etc are among the complications caused.
Dermatomyositis has also been found to increase your risk of developing certain types of cancer, Cleveland Clinic's website said.
Itchy and painful rashes are the first sign of dermatomyositis, medical websites say. The red rashes may show up on areas including face, eyelids, elbows, chest and back.
The patient's muscles in the thigh, hip, neck, shoulder and other areas are weakened. It spreads to either side and gradually worsens.
According to Mayo Clinic, women are more prone to dermatomyositis than men
There's no cure for dermatomyositis. Doctors focus on helping patients regain muscle strength and remove rash marks on skin.
The cause of dermatomyositis is unknown. According to Mayo Clinic website, the disease has much in common with autoimmune disorders.
Autoimmune disorders happen when a person's immune system mistakenly attacks his/her body tissues.
(All images used in this story are representational in nature; info shared here are based on medical websites and for general awareness alone. They shouldn't be construed as professional medical advice)