Dermatomyositis is the inflammation of muscle tissue. There is usually an associated rash. In this disease, patients generally have the following symptoms:
* weakness in the hips and shoulders,
* swelling and redness in the joints of the hands and ankles,
* redness and inflammation on parts of the skin of the face, and
* joint areas.

Patients who get this disease are usually women between the ages of 23 and 60. Occasionally, children, ages 5-15 are diagnosed with it.

Healthcare providers may suspect this dermatomyositis if you report with these symptoms and are in the right age group. Your provider may do the following tests:
* history and physical exam,
* blood tests,
* biopsy of the involved area to check for inflammation, and
* EMG, or electromyography, which is a test that looks at muscle strength and function.

If you are diagnosed with this disease, there are certain treatments that are available. These include:
* prednisone or other anti-inflammatory drugs, and
* ongoing physical therapy to prevent further weakness.

It is difficult to predict how patients with this disease will do. There are three ways it can affect the patient:
* a severe episode at the time of diagnosis, and then recovery,
* ongoing intermittent flares of the disease, but little progression, or
* the disease is progressive, severe, and debilitating.

Your healthcare provider will work closely with you to see how the disease should be managed. Occasionally, a rheumatologist is consulted to help assist. Working together, this disease can be controlled.

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