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Rheumatology is a medical subspecialty that focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of systematic autoimmune and rheumatic diseases. These inflammation and auto-immunity disorders may affect the musculoskeletal system causing pain in the joints, muscles, ligaments, tendons, and/or soft tissue. These conditions are often chronic and can affect multiple joints. Rheumatic diseases can present as joint pain, stiffness, swelling, inflammation, and fatigue, and may affect the skin, eyes, nervous system, blood vessels, brain, internal organs and soft/connective tissue. The symptoms can severely affect movement, daily functioning, and even sleep.
Rheumatology focuses on the diagnosis and management of your disease. Various treatments exist to manage the disease process, alleviate symptoms, and prevent progression. Non-surgical options include medication (anti-inflammatories, disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs-(DMARDs), biologics therapy, and over-the-counter pain relievers), physical therapy, injections (corticosteroid), rehabilitation, and lifestyle modifications including diet and exercise. The development of new, cutting edge medication directed at precise immune function abnormalities have offered tremendous improvement in outcomes – offering pain relief, improvement in quality of life, and preservation of function.
At Orthopaedic Associates, we acknowledge the importance of accurate and early diagnosis of rheumatic conditions in order to slow or prevent disease progression. We also understand the frustration associated with missed or incorrect diagnosis of chronic rheumatologic conditions. Our board-certified rheumatologist, Dr. Lisa Harrington, focuses on accurate diagnosis and personalized treatment of your rheumatologic disorder. Her extensive training included not only internal medicine but an additional 2-year fellowship in rheumatology and autoimmune conditions. As she has a specialization in lifestyle medicine as well, she includes a unique focus on lifestyle modifications aimed at limiting medication usage when possible.
In addition to disease management with medications and lifestyle modifications by our in-house rheumatologist, our practice offers a team of experienced orthopaedic surgeons, a podiatrist, and physical therapists to ensure you receive the best care possible. With this multidisciplinary collaboration we can develop an individualized treatment plan that provides complete care and addresses all of your needs. For the cases where conservative treatment options have failed and severe joint damage is present, our rheumatologist and orthopaedic surgeons collaborate together to determine if surgical intervention is indicated.
At Orthopaedic Associates, we treat a wide range of systemic rheumatic diseases including autoimmune diseases, heritable connective tissue disorders, osteoarthritis, and inflammatory disorders. These conditions include, but are not limited to the following:
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© 2023 Orthopaedic Associates, Inc. All rights reserved
For urgent injuries that need immediate assistance, we offer same day or next day appointments. For all other appointments, you will receive a callback within 2 business days.