The role of the rheumatologist is to diagnose (detect), treat and medically manage patients with arthritis and other rheumatic diseases. These health problems affect the joints, muscles, bones and sometimes other internal organs (e.g. kidneys, lungs, blood vessels, brain). Because these diseases are often complex, they benefit from the care of an expert. Only rheumatologists are experts in this field of medicine. A rheumatologist aims to help patients with rheumatic disease have the best possible quality of life. Toward this aim, rheumatologists advocate for the patient in all aspects of health care and in the community.
Rheumatic or musculoskeletal conditions comprise over 200 diseases and syndromes. Many of these conditions are considered autoimmune diseases, which arise from an abnormal immune response of the body against its own tissues.
COMMON RHEUMATIC DISEASES AND CONDITIONS
- Ankylosing Spondylitis and other spondyloarthritis
- Bursitis/Tendinitis
- Fibromyalgia
- Gout
- Inflammatory Myopathy
- Inflammatory Eye Disease (particularly Uveitis)
- Lupus (Systemic Lupus Erythematous)
- Myositis
- Osteoarthritis and visco-supplementation (hyaluronic acid) injections
- Osteoporosis
- Polymyalgia Rheumatica
- Psoriatic Arthritis
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Sarcoidosis
- Scleroderma and Crest Syndrome
- Sjogren’s Syndrome
- Temporal arthritis
- Vasculitis
- Evaluation of joint pain and swelling
- Evaluation of a positive ANA test or a positive RF test