About Rheumatology
Rheumatic disease consists of more than 100 conditions, including all forms of arthritis (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis), certain autoimmune disease (e.g., systemic lupus), musculoskeletal pain disorders and osteoporosis. Rheumatic disease can affect virtually any part of the body. They are usually associated with inflammation (swelling and redness), almost always accompanied by pain and have symptoms that can have a profound effect on the ability to perform daily activities
Common Conditions Treated
- Gout
- Fibromyalgia
- Lupus
- Osteoarthritis
- Bursitis
- Osteoporosis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Psoriatic arthritis
- Tendonitis
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Paget’s Disease
Treatment and services
Rheumatic diseases are chronic diseases that affect the skin, bones, joint structures and muscles, usually causing inflammation and pain. Although rheumatic diseases take many forms, many have a common origin: the body’s immune system mistakes its own cells for harmful foreign agents and attacks them.
To understand how inflammation and pain occur in a joint, it’s important to understand how our joints and muscles work together to give us the ability to move – from picking up a pencil to dancing and from walking to nodding our heads. Every joint is made up of:
- Bones
- Cartilage – a smooth, white, shock-absorbing layer that caps each bone to allow it to move smooth against the other bone or bones in the joint
- Synovial membrane – provides lubrication for the joint
- Ligaments – strong fibers that attach one bone to another, keeping the joint stable, supported and properly aligned
- Tendons – attach muscles to bones either above or below the joint
Some joints also have fluid-filled sacs (bursae) between the muscles, tendons and bones. Bursae are designed to reduce the friction that occurs when the bones, muscles and tendons move. Each bursa is lined with a synovial membrane, which releases lubricating fluid.
Rheumatology Services offers treatments, including:
- Assistive devices
- Diet
- Drug therapy
- Exercise
- Joint injections/aspiration
- Lifestyle modifications
- Pain management
- Rehabilitation
- Surgery
Related programs and services
Orthopedics
The Orthopedic Program enlists a comprehensive and individualized approach to foot and ankle care, complex spinal deformities, upper extremity conditions, including shoulder, elbow, hand and wrist, as well as joint replacement and reconstruction.
Allergy & Immunology
Health Allergy & Immunology focuses on the treatment of all allergic diseases, anaphylaxis, primary immunodeficiency, severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), asthma, rhinitis, and autoimmune diseases.
Integrative Medicine
Integrative Medicine combines the best of “alternative” and complementary treatments with mainstream modern medicine and psychology to provide care for the whole person: mind and body.