What is vasculitis?

Vasculitis is a group of medical conditions which cause damage to the blood vessels through inflammation. Depending on which blood vessels are affected, vasculitis can be classified as large vessel, medium vessel, or small vessel vasculitis. Learn about the signs and symptoms of vasculitis such as purpura, bloody stool and urine, and bruits. Vasculitis can cause vessel walls to thicken and narrow, cutting off vital blood supply to tissues and organs. Symptoms include fever, fatigue, weight loss, and muscle and joint pain. Some forms of vasculitis improve on their own. Others require medications.