Rheumatoid Arthritis Specialist

What is rheumatoid arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disorder that affects your joints and other body systems. Rheumatoid arthritis causes your own immune system to attack tissues in your body. Seeking treatment for arthritis helps ease pain and prevents debilitating complications.

What are the risk factors for rheumatoid arthritis?

The exact cause of rheumatoid arthritis isn’t known. Anybody can develop the condition, but the following things appear to increase your risk of rheumatoid arthritis:

• Genetics
• Being middle-aged
• Smoking
• Exposure to environmental toxins
• Obesity

Almost three times as many women as men develop rheumatoid arthritis.

What are the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis?

If you experience the following signs and symptoms, you could have rheumatoid arthritis or another form of arthritis:

• Warmth
• Joint swelling
• Stiffness
• Fatigue
• Joint pain

Rheumatoid arthritis often affects your finger and toe joints, but it can spread to your wrists, ankles, knees, elbows, shoulders, and hips.

The disease might affect other parts of your body, including your heart, blood vessels, lungs, bones, eyes, kidneys, nerves, and skin. If left untreated, rheumatoid arthritis can shift joints out of place and cause deformities.

How is rheumatoid arthritis diagnosed and treated?

At Brighton Beach Medical Group, Dr. Goldman diagnoses rheumatoid arthritis using a physical exam, blood tests, and imaging tests like X-rays, MRIs, and ultrasound to track disease’s progression and its severity. 

Rheumatoid arthritis has no cure, but your personalized treatment plan to manage the disease can include:

Medications

Dr. Goldman prescribes medications to reduce inflammation, relieve pain associated with rheumatoid arthritis, and prevent progression of the disease.

Physical or occupational therapy

Physical or occupational therapy helps keep your joints flexible and teaches you new ways to complete daily tasks to ease joint pressure.

Lifestyle changes

Lifestyle changes help you better manage rheumatoid arthritis. Getting regular gentle exercise, relieving stress, eating a nutritious diet, and applying heat or ice to joints helps reduce arthritis symptoms.

Surgery

In severe cases, Dr. Goldman might recommend surgery to repair or replace a joint to restore its structure and function.

Don’t let rheumatoid arthritis go untreated and become debilitating. If you exhibit signs or symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, schedule an appointment with Dr. Goldman at Brighton Beach Medical Group by phone today.