Connective Tissue Diseases: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

Medically reviewed by Dr Ganesh Kasavkar, MBBS, MRCP, Rheumatology and General Internal Medicine (CCT), GMC Reg. No. 7436153. Last reviewed: [8 September 2026] · Next review due: [8 September 2027]

Connective tissue disease is a group of autoimmune conditions in which the immune system attacks the tissue that supports your skin, joints, muscles and organs. Because this tissue runs throughout the body, symptoms can appear almost anywhere, so early, accurate assessment matters. At Renew Skin & Health Clinic in Royal Leamington Spa, our consultant led rheumatology service is built around identifying exactly which condition is present and putting together a plan that fits the person in front of us.

Connective tissue disease develops when the immune system mistakenly targets the body’s own connective tissue, causing ongoing inflammation. This can affect the skin, joints, muscles, blood vessels and organs such as the lungs, heart and kidneys. Common connective tissue disease symptoms include joint pain, skin changes, fatigue and, in some patients, involvement of the lungs or digestive system.

Patients describe symptoms in slightly different ways, but a pattern usually emerges:

• Persistent joint pain, sometimes with visible swelling
• Skin changes such as rashes, thickening or colour change in the fingers on exposure to cold
• Ongoing fatigue that does not lift with rest
• Muscle weakness, particularly when climbing stairs or lifting the arms
• Dryness of the eyes and mouth
• Breathlessness, cough or chest discomfort where the lungs or heart are affected

Because these features overlap heavily between conditions, a proper assessment by a rheumatologist matters before assuming which condition is responsible.

Lupus can affect the skin, joints and internal organs, including the kidneys, heart and lungs. Lupus symptoms often include joint pain, skin rashes, extreme tiredness and sensitivity to sunlight.

Early signs of lupus in females are particularly important to recognise, as lupus is significantly more common in women, and symptoms can be subtle at first. Signs of lupus vary between patients, but unexplained fatigue, joint stiffness and lupus and hair loss are frequently reported early on. During a lupus flare up, symptoms typically become more intense before settling again. When lupus affects the kidneys, this is known as lupus nephritis, and lupus nephritis symptoms such as swelling in the legs or changes in urine should always be assessed promptly.

Sjögren’s syndrome affects the glands responsible for producing moisture, most commonly leading to persistent dryness of the eyes and mouth. Some patients also experience joint pain, fatigue and, less commonly, involvement of other organs. A full assessment confirms the diagnosis and allows a suitable management plan to be put together.

Systemic sclerosis, widely known as scleroderma, causes the body to overproduce collagen, leading to thickening and tightening of the skin and, in some cases, involvement of the lungs, heart or digestive system. Common features include skin changes, Raynaud’s phenomenon and joint stiffness. Our consultant has a particular subspecialty interest in systemic sclerosis, running dedicated scleroderma clinics alongside a combined connective tissue disease and pulmonary hypertension service for patients with more complex presentations.

Mixed connective tissue disease describes a condition where a patient shows overlapping features of several connective tissue disorders, such as lupus, scleroderma and myositis, without fully matching any single diagnosis. Mixed connective tissue disease symptoms commonly include joint pain, muscle weakness, Raynaud’s phenomenon and swelling of the hands. Because MCTD can evolve over time, ongoing monitoring by a rheumatologist is an important part of long term care.

Undifferentiated connective tissue disease is diagnosed when a patient has some features of an autoimmune connective tissue disorder, such as joint pain, fatigue or skin changes, but does not meet the full criteria for a specific condition like lupus or scleroderma. UCTD is a genuinely common presentation in rheumatology clinics and requires careful, ongoing review, since some patients may later develop a more defined connective tissue disease, while others remain stable for many years.

Polymyositis and dermatomyositis are inflammatory conditions that primarily affect the muscles, causing progressive weakness, and in the case of dermatomyositis, characteristic skin changes as well. Dermatomyositis symptoms often include a distinctive rash on the eyelids, knuckles or chest, alongside muscle weakness that can affect everyday activities such as climbing stairs or lifting the arms. Prompt specialist assessment helps distinguish these conditions from other causes of muscle weakness.

Step 1 — Initial Consultation

Your first appointment is largely a conversation. Dr Kasavkar asks about your symptoms, your wider medical history and anything that concerns you, then carries out a hands on clinical examination.

Step 2 — Investigations

Where the picture needs more detail, blood tests, scans or imaging are arranged, which can include tests for specific autoantibodies linked to particular connective tissue diseases.

Step 3 — Diagnosis and Treatment Plan

Dr Kasavkar talks you through what the results show in plain language, then discusses the treatment routes that genuinely fit your circumstances rather than a one size fits all approach.

Step 4 — Ongoing Care

Your progress is reviewed at follow up appointments, with your treatment plan adjusted as your condition changes, which matters particularly for conditions such as MCTD and UCTD that can shift in character over time.

Working with your GP. With your consent, we write to your GP after your consultation so that your wider medical care stays joined up. If you would prefer us not to, please tell us at your appointment.

Depending on your condition and how it is affecting you, your plan may draw on:

• Medication management
• Joint injections, offered only where clinically appropriate following assessment
• Assessment and management of osteoporosis
• Practical lifestyle and exercise guidance
• Long term monitoring for inflammatory and autoimmune conditions
• Referral for specialist investigations where these are needed

No two patients receive an identical plan, because no two cases of connective tissue disease behave the same way. Where prescription treatment could help, your consultant explains the options in full during your consultation, and nothing is prescribed until a complete assessment has taken place. How well any individual responds varies from person to person, and we never promise a particular outcome. The aim of every plan is to manage your symptoms effectively and protect your long term health.

Your care is led by Dr Ganesh Kasavkar, MBBS, MRCP, Rheumatology and General Internal Medicine (CCT), GMC Reg. No. 7436153, on the GMC Specialist Register for Rheumatology.

Dr Kasavkar has over 10 years’ experience in rheumatology and over 15 years in general internal medicine, and works as a full time consultant rheumatologist within the NHS. He runs a weekly connective tissue disease clinic and a monthly scleroderma clinic, is a member of a vasculitis multidisciplinary team, and has established a combined connective tissue disease and pulmonary hypertension service. His practice spans systemic sclerosis, connective tissue disease, vasculitis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, axial spondyloarthritis and osteoporosis, alongside procedures including peripheral joint injections.

Patients seeing Dr Kasavkar are involved directly in decisions about their own care, rather than being handed a plan with no explanation.

• Consultant led care. You are assessed by a consultant on the GMC Specialist Register for Rheumatology, not a generalist.
• CQC registered. Renew Skin & Health Clinic Ltd is registered with and inspected by the Care Quality Commission.
• Established locally. We have been caring for patients in Royal Leamington Spa for over 15 years.
• Time to be heard. Appointments are unhurried, questions are answered properly, and you leave knowing what happens next.

Ongoing joint pain, skin changes, unexplained fatigue or any of the symptoms described above rarely improve by waiting them out. If any of this sounds familiar, contact us to arrange a consultation with our consultant rheumatologist. The earlier your condition is properly assessed, the more options are usually available to manage it well.

We see patients from across Warwickshire and the West Midlands, including Leamington Spa, Warwick, Kenilworth, Coventry, Stratford upon Avon, Rugby and Southam.

Renew Skin & Health Clinic

18 Guy Street, Royal Leamington Spa, CV32 4RT
Telephone: +44 1926 422 454 · Email: info@renewskinandhealthclinic.co.uk

• NICE Clinical Knowledge Summaries — Systemic lupus erythematosus
• British Society for Rheumatology — Guideline for the management of systemic lupus erythematosus
• NHS — Lupus
• LUPUS UK — patient information and support
• Scleroderma & Raynaud’s UK (SRUK) — patient information and support
• Myositis UK — patient information and support

This page is for general information and does not replace personalised medical advice. Renew Skin & Health Clinic Ltd is registered with the Care Quality Commission. Company No. 07359901.