Rheumatology is the study, diagnosis and treatment of diseases that affect the muscles, joints bones, and immune system. Many rheumatic diseases are "autoimmune" meaning the immune system produces antibodies which attack our own organs, causing symptoms in the body. Common conditions include arthritis (such as rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis), lupus, gout, and osteoporosis. Refer to Conditions We Treat to learn more.

A rheumatologist is a physician has received 2-3 year specialized training beyond medical school and a 3 -year internal medicine residency.  A rheumatologist will diagnose and treat patients with rheumatic diseases with medications (pills, creams, injections, and IV). We do not perform surgery to treat joint disease but will refer you to the right specialist(s) if needed.

If you are experiencing rheumatologic symptoms, talk with your primary care physician and ask if seeing a rheumatologist is an appropriate treatment approach. Once we receive your treating physician’s referral, we will call you to schedule your initial appointment. 

For your first visit, please arrive 15 minutes early to complete registration forms if you have not already done so along with your insurance card, a photo ID, and a list of any medications and supplements you are currently taking. If you have any X-rays of your condition, bring those with you as well.  Your co-pay or deductible will be collected upon check-in.

This is a common question. Fibromyalgia is not a form of arthritis (joint disease). It does not cause inflammation or damage to joints, muscles or other tissues. However, because fibromyalgia can cause chronic pain and fatigue similar to arthritis, some people may think of it as a rheumatic condition. As a result, often a rheumatologist detects this disease (and rules out other rheumatic diseases). Your primary care physician can provide all the other care and treatment of fibromyalgia that you need. Visit American College of Rheumatology for more information.

Please contact your pharmacy when a prescription refill is needed and ask them to send an electronic prescription refill request to our office. Please allow 48 hours for processing refill requests. Keep in mind, some prescriptions may require a follow-up exam to determine the need for a refill.

There are several treatment options for relieving the symptoms of rheumatic diseases. If medication is available for your condition, we will discuss and prescribe it in addition to recommending lifestyle changes. A healthy diet, regular exercise, weight loss, limiting alcohol and stopping smoking are all important actions you can take in successfully relieving symptoms. Depending on your condition, we may also recommend physical and occupational therapies to complement medications or as an alternative if appropriate. Our goal is to relieve pain and inflammation, put disease in remission, and restore your quality of life.

At this time, we do not offer bill paying or refill requests online, but we hope to have this service in the future. Thank you for your understanding.