Articles on rheumatic and autoimmune conditions: joint pain and stiffness, inflammation, the blood tests involved and how long-term treatment is managed.
Before lupus nephritis therapy begins, care teams usually ask three linked questions: whether pregnancy is planned, because some immunosuppressive medicines can harm a developing…
Sarcoidosis treatment is chosen by weighing which organs are affected and how much harm is likely, not by the diagnosis alone. Many people with…
See a doctor about fibromyalgia when pain has been present on both sides of the body, above and below the waist, for roughly three…
Lupus needs a nephrologist when urine or blood tests suggest kidney inflammation (protein or blood in urine, rising creatinine, new high blood pressure), a…
Once treatment is adjusted, SLE flare symptoms such as joint pain, rash and fever often begin to ease within days when a glucocorticoid is…
Arthritis care follows a stepped approach often called the arthritis treatment ladder. Treatment usually begins with education, exercise, weight management and simple pain relief,…
Arthritis treatment in older adults is planned around the whole person: the type of arthritis, kidney and heart health, stomach risk, fall risk, memory,…
Before starting immunosuppressive treatment for vasculitis, clinicians usually screen for hidden infections such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV and tuberculosis, review vaccinations, document…
Gout attacks that keep coming back usually mean uric acid in the blood is still high enough for crystals to persist in the joints,…
People with psoriasis who develop new joint pain should ask for a rheumatology referral when the pain comes with joint swelling, morning stiffness lasting…
Bring a dated symptom log covering Raynaud's attacks (triggers, color changes, how long they last, any fingertip sores), reflux and heartburn patterns, and swallowing…
Gout is usually confirmed by finding uric acid (urate) crystals in fluid drawn from the painful joint and examined under a polarized microscope. A…
Eye pain with ankylosing spondylitis is most often acute anterior uveitis, an inflammation of the front of the eye that can threaten sight if…
Rheumatoid arthritis treatment works on two timescales. Anti-inflammatory medicines such as short-term corticosteroids often ease pain and stiffness within days, while the disease-modifying drugs…
Osteoarthritis treatment for active adults centers on staying active rather than resting the joint. Guidelines from the NHS and CDC put supervised exercise, strength…
Back stiffness that is worst on waking, lasts more than about 30 minutes and loosens with movement rather than rest is one pattern doctors…
Graded exercise for fibromyalgia means starting with an amount of movement you can do even on a difficult day, then increasing it in small,…
For most people with knee or hip osteoarthritis, physical therapy and joint injections are not competing choices but tools used at different points. Exercise-based…
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