A local rheumatologist is a physician who specializes in treating patients who have inflammatory disorders of the joints, bones and muscles. Some examples of diseases that a local rheumatologist treats include arthritis, gout, ankylosing spondylitis and Lyme disease. People who are obese or overweight are at a higher risk of developing arthritis and may benefit from working with a local rheumatologist. Extra weight puts strain on the joints and can make arthritis symptoms worse. Obesity has become an epidemic around the world. An adult is considered obese if they have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more   Trouvez des informations ou des prouveurs locaux comme un rhumatologue local à montréal et à québec

. A local rheumatologist can support people who are obese or overweight by diagnosing and treating inflammatory conditions such as arthritis. A local rheumatologist can also provide nutritional counseling and help you learn more about eating an anti-inflammatory diet. They can help you understand the benefits of exercise and recommend orthotics. A local rheumatologist can work with your health care team, from your local family physician and pharmacist to your cardiologist and physiotherapist.

If your arthritis pain doesn’t respond to non-surgical options, your physician or orthopedic surgeon may recommend surgery. Milder cases of shoulder arthritis may be treated with arthroscopy, which involves the surgeon inserting a small camera into the shoulder joint to display pictures on a TV screen. The surgeon is able to use tiny surgical instruments to repair the joint, making shoulder arthroscopy a minimally-invasive procedure. If your shoulder arthritis is more severe, you may require a shoulder joint replacement, during which the surgeon removes damaged parts of the shoulder and replaces them with an artificial prosthesis.

Scans

X-rays can show damage to the joints from rheumatoid arthritis. They can also help physicians track the progression of RA over time. Rheumatoid Arthritis Patient Communication System

Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms

Pain, Swelling & Stiffness

Rheumatoid arthritis causes pain and swelling in the joints, resulting in stiffness. At its onset, RA usually affects only a few joints. It may start in the knees, hands, wrists or feet and slowly begin to affect other joints. In some patients, rheumatoid arthritis seems to move from joint to joint. Many people say their rheumatoid arthritis symptoms are worse in the morning.

Rarely, RA symptoms appear suddenly. A person may go to bed feeling fine, but find it difficult to get out of bed in the morning.

Flare-ups are common in autoimmune disorders. If you have rheumatoid arthritis, there might be times when your symptoms flare and are more severe.

Fatigue

People with RA commonly feel tired, because their body’s immune system is attacking its own tissues and joints.

Other Symptoms

Over time, rheumatoid arthritis can affect other tissues and organs throughout the body, including the:

• Eyes
• Heart
• Kidneys
• Skin
• Lungs
• Nerves
• Blood vessels
• Glands

Depending on the part of the body that's affected, patients may experience a range of symptoms.