Mixed connective tissue disease is a term used by some doctors to describe a disorder that is characterized by features of three connective tissue diseases – lupus, polymyositis and scleroderma. Because of this it is sometimes referred to as an overlap disease.

Mixed connective tissue disease develops most often in women. In fact, about 80% of the people with this disease are women. It is usually diagnosed in young adults in their 20s and 30s. However, mixed connective tissue disease can occur anywhere from ages 5 to 80, as children have occasionally been diagnosed with this disease. Mixed connective tissue disease occurs all over the world and in all races.

Mixed connective tissue disease is a type of connective tissue disease. It is characterized by abnormal function or structure of your connective tissue.

A connective tissue disease is any disease that has the connective tissues of your body as a primary target of disease. Your connective tissues are the structural portions of your body. They essentially hold the cells of your body together. These connective tissues form a matrix, or framework for your body.

Mixed connective tissue disease does not have a unique set of ways in which it affects you. Instead, you will have effects like that of lupus, scleroderma and polymyositis. Some of these effects are:

• Joint pain
• Joint swelling
• Muscle weakness
• Fatigue
• Mild fever
• Swollen fingers
• Raynaud’s phenomenon – This is blood vessel spasms that interrupt the flow of blood to your ears, nose, finger and toes.

The signs and symptoms of these three diseases do not usually occur at the same time. This makes diagnosis of mixed connective tissue disease a complicated procedure.

You or a loved one may have mixed connective tissue disease. This disorder may be why you or your loved one is unable to work. It may be the cause of your disability.

If this is true, you or your loved one may need help. You may need financial assistance.

Where will you get the financial help that you need? Who will you be able to turn to?

Have you or your loved one applied for Social Security disability benefits or disability benefits from the Social Security Administration because of the disability caused by mixed connective tissue disease? Were you or your loved one denied?

You or your loved one may be thinking about appealing the denial by the Social Security Administration. If you decide to do this, there is something vital that you need to know.

You or your loved one will need the representation of a disability attorney like the one you will find here in what can prove to be a long and exasperating process. The reason for this is because people who are represented by a disability lawyer are approved more often than those people who do not have an attorney.