Rheumatology
Rheumatic conditions are a broad group of inflammatory or autoimmune disorders that primarily affect the joints, muscles, bones and connective tissues and can lead to chronic pain, stiffness, swelling and reduced mobility. At MultiCare, our expert rheumatology team can assess you for rheumatic diseases. If you are diagnosed with a condition such as gout, lupus or other rheumatic disease, we offer treatments designed to reduce inflammation, prevent damage and improve how you move and feel.
What we treat
Many rheumatic conditions cause pain and swelling in your bones, joints, muscles, ligaments and tendons. Some conditions may also affect the skin, blood vessels and internal organs.
Common rheumatic conditions include:
- Behcet’s disease
- Crystalline arthritis, including gout and pseudogout
- Giant cell arteritis
- Inflammatory muscle diseases
- Inflammatory rheumatic diseases, including ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis
- Lupus
- Polymyalgia rheumatica
- Regional musculoskeletal disorders
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Scleroderma
- Sjogren’s syndrome
- Systemic sclerosis
- Undifferentiated connective tissue disease
- Vasculitis
How we help
Rheumatic conditions can be challenging to diagnose at times because people experience joint pain and fatigue for varying reasons. In rheumatic conditions, your joint symptoms are usually caused by inflammation rather than a mechanical cause, such injury or overuse. With the right diagnosis, you can get the care you need to manage your condition.
A rheumatologist will ask you about your symptoms, review your medical history, perform a physical exam, and may order laboratory tests and imaging. Once a diagnosis is made, the MultiCare rheumatology team develops a treatment plan to meet your specific needs.
In many cases, rheumatic conditions cannot be cured. Instead, your providers will find treatments to help you manage your condition, reduce symptoms and improve your quality of life. Common treatment options include:
- Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs to reduce inflammation and prevent joint damage
- Anti-inflammatory medications to reduce inflammation and pain
- Injections into joints to temporarily relieve pain
- Exercise and physical therapy to help you move more easily
- Changes to your diet to reduce inflammation and flares
