Rheumatology

Care and Relief for Your Joints, Muscles and Bones

Your body’s immune system is there to protect you from illness and disease. But sometimes the immune system doesn’t behave as it should and instead of protecting you, it attacks your body. This can cause rheumatic conditions, such as arthritis and lupus, which affect your joints, muscles and bones. 

Diagnosing rheumatic conditions can be challenging. From minor aches and pains to chronic conditions, Sanford Health’s rheumatologists are specially trained to provide you with relief.

Signs You May Have a Rheumatic Condition

Rheumatic conditions can affect parts of or all of your body. Your symptoms can change over time. Talk to your primary care doctor if you’re experiencing:

• Joint pain lasting longer than a week

• Joint swelling

• Joint pain you feel at rest that gets better when you are active

• Tiredness or fatigue

• Stiffness in the joints that lasts beyond mornings

• Redness or warmth around a joint

• Skin reactions and rashes

Rheumatic Conditions We Treat

Rheumatology is the study and treatment of over 100 conditions that affect joints, muscles, bones and the immune system. These conditions often cause pain, stiffness and swelling.

Conditions we treat include:

Arthritis

• Gout
• Juvenile idiopathic arthritis
• Osteoarthritis
• Psoriatic arthritis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Temporal arthritis

Autoimmune diseases

• Lupus
• Vasculitis

Bone disease

• Osteoporosis

Connective tissue disease

• Mixed connective tissue disease 
• Scleroderma

Inflammatory disease

• Dermatomyositis

Treatment for Rheumatic Conditions

Rheumatic conditions are chronic diseases. While they do not go away, we can help you manage them. Effective treatment can make you feel better and improve symptoms.

Every case of joint pain is different. Each of the over 100 types of rheumatic diseases needs a different treatment plan. We often try a variety of treatments to find the one that works best for you.

Depending on your individual needs, your treatment options may include:

• Medication

• Diet and exercise

• Joint aspirations to remove excess fluid and relieve pressure on swollen joints

• Joint steroid injections to lessen pain and swelling

Find a Doctor

Sanford Health rheumatology experts improve lives. Make an appointment with one of our providers to get on your path to relief.