Rheumatology
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory
disease that primarily affects the joints
causing pain, swelling and stiffness. Anyone
can get the disease, though it occurs more
often in women. Occasionally it can be self
limiting but most often it is persistent.
Rheumatoid arthritis can cause serious joint
damage. Modern medications have produced
significant improvements so that joint
damage can be limited and life styles not
inhibited. We offer our patients the
anti-inflammatory diet treatment to limit the potentially
debilitating effects of this disease.
The immune system is designed to attack
foreign substances in the body. If you have
lupus, something goes wrong with your immune
system and it attacks healthy cells and
tissues. This can damage many parts of the
body such as the joints, heart, lungs, blood
vessels and brain. There are many kinds of
lupus but the most common type is systemic
lupus erythematosus. Anyone can get lupus,
but it most often affects women. Lupus is
also more common in women of African
American, Hispanic, Asian, and Native
American descent than in Caucasian women.
Derived from the Greek words "sklerosis,"
meaning hardness, and "derma," meaning skin,
scleroderma literally means hard skin.
Though it is often referred to as if it were
a single disease, scleroderma is really a
symptom of a group of diseases that involve
the abnormal growth of connective tissue,
which supports the skin and internal organs.
In some forms of scleroderma, hard, tight
skin is the extent of this abnormal process.
In other forms, however, the problem goes
much deeper, affecting blood vessels and
internal organs, such as the heart, lungs,
and kidneys.
Scleroderma is believed to be an
autoimmune disease and is more common in
women but the disease also occurs in men and
children. It affects people of all races and
ethnic groups.
Sjögren's syndrome is an inflammatory
disease that can affect many different parts
of the body, but most often affects the tear
and saliva glands. Patients with this
condition may notice irritation, a gritty
feeling, or painful burning in the eyes. Dry
mouth or difficulty eating dry foods and
swelling of the glands around the face and
neck are also common. Roughly 1 to 2 percent
of the population has Sjögren's syndrome.
This condition can affect people of any age,
but symptoms usually appear between the ages
of 45 and 55. It affects ten times as many
women as men and sometimes develops as a
complication of another autoimmune disorder.
It is a relatively under diagnosed disease.
This is a condition that can occur by
itself or in conjunction with lupus or other
connective tissue diseases. The affected
patients are prone to blood clots and
pregnancy losses. Over the years we at the
Rheumatology Center have successfully
managed women with this condition who are at
risk for a miscarriage and seen them through
their pregnancy to a successful outcome.
IVIg is used in
Antiphospholipid syndrome.
Myositis is the general term used to
describe inflammation of the muscles.
Dermatomyositis and polymyositis are all
considered inflammatory myopathies.
Inflammatory myopathies are thought to be
autoimmune diseases. All of these diseases
can cause muscle weakness, but each type is
different. Some early signs of myositis
include trouble rising from a chair, tired
feeling after standing or walking and
difficulty swallowing or breathing. Myositis
may occur on its own or in conjunction with
other connective tissue diseases.
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is the most common type of
arthritis, especially among older people. In
fact, more than half of the population age
65 or older has X-ray
evidence of osteoarthritis in at least one
joint. Both men and women have the disease.
People with osteoarthritis usually have
joint pain and limited movement. Scientists
do not know yet what causes the disease, but
they suspect a combination of factors,
including being overweight, the aging
process, joint injury, and stresses on the
joints from certain jobs and sports
activities.
We offer our patients the most up to date
treatment for the management of OA,
including physical therapy, intra-articular
injections and quality of life management.
Raynaud’s Disease
Raynaud's disease is a condition that
causes some areas of your body – such as
your fingers, toes, tip of your nose and
your ears – to feel numb and cool in
response to cold temperatures or stress.
It's a disorder of the blood vessels that
supply blood to your skin. During a
Raynaud's attack, these arteries narrow,
limiting blood circulation to affected
areas. Typically, fingers or toes change
color on cold exposure appearing white or
blue. Women are more likely than men are to
have the disorder. It's more common in
people who live in colder climates.
If you suffer from above disorders please
read the diet section first and then Omga-3 page and
Turmeric page to help reverse these issues.
