Specialty Area: Rheumatology

Description of Specialty: Rheumatology is that subspecialty of internal medicine which deals with the diagnosis and treatment of arthritis and various immune mediated diseases.

1. Diagnosis: Rheumatoid Arthritis

Questions that should be asked:

  1. What is the cause of this arthritis?
  2. Is this always a crippling disease?
  3. How will this arthritis affect my occupation and my home life?
  4. What are the risks of therapy?
  5. How long will it take for me to experience improvement?

2. Diagnosis: Osteoarthritis

Questions that should be asked:

  1. What is the cause of this arthritis?
  2. What can I do to prevent further degeneration of my joints?
  3. What are the new non-surgical methods of treating osteoarthritis?
  4. How can physical therapy minimize disability?

3. Diagnosis: Lower Back Pain

Questions that should be asked:

  1. How do I prevent recurring lower back pain?
  2. What are the proper ways of sitting, standing and lifting that will minimize lower back pain?
  3. Why do so many people have low back pain?
  4. What are the most common causes of low pack pain?
  5. How is low back pain treated?
  6. What warning signs should I look for with low back pain?
  7. When is low back pain acute and when is it chronic?
  8. Will exercise help?

4. Diagnosis: Bursitis or Epicondylitis

Questions that should be asked:

  1. What causes bursitis (shoulder) or epicondylities (tennis elbow)?
  2. How do you prevent and cure bursitis?
  3. Is an injection into a bursa a cure or merely for pain relief?

5. Diagnosis: Gout

Questions that should be asked:

  1. Does diet cause gout?
  2. Do I need to avoid alcohol entirely or moderately?
  3. For what length of time do I need to take my medicine?
  4. Does gout ever go away?

6. Diagnosis: Osteoporosis

Questions that should be asked:

  1. Is this a disease that affects women and men equally?
  2. How do you prevent osteoporosis?
  3. How much calcium do I need to take daily?
  4. Are estrogens worthwhile to take and what are the safety questions surrounding estrogen use?
  5. When does osteoporosis start?

7. Diagnosis: Ankylosing spondylitis, Reiters syndrome and psoriatic arthritis

Questions that should be asked:

  1. How is heredity related to this disease?
  2. What are the chances that my children will develop this illness?
  3. How can physical therapy help me prevent disability?

8. Diagnosis: Scleroderma

Questions that should be asked:

  1. What is this disease?
  2. How will this illness affect me over time?
  3. Are there different forms of scleroderma?
  4. What is CREST?
  5. Are medications for management or cure?

9. Diagnosis: Carpal tunnel syndrome

Questions that should be asked:

  1. What causes this problem?
  2. How can I prevent recurrence?
  3. What do I need to modify in my workplace or home to prevent recurrence?
  4. Is surgery the only cure or is there a conservative treatment?

10. Diagnosis: Spinal stenosis

Questions that should be asked:

  1. What is spinal stenosis and is it common?
  2. Can physical therapy help relieve symptoms?
  3. What role does surgery play in the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis?
  4. What is an epidural injection of cortisone and how can it help?

11. Diagnosis: Lupus

Questions that should be asked:

  1. What is lupus and is it treatable?
  2. Is this disease related to heredity?
  3. How valuable are the blood tests and does a test always mean collogen disease?
  4. Will I need perscriptions all my life?
  5. Is a corrective diet necessary?
  6. Is lupus contagious?
  7. May I use birth control pills, alcohol?
  8. May I exercise?
  9. Are there support groups?

12. Diagnosis: Vasculitis

Questions that should be asked:

  1. What does vasculitis mean?
  2. Is this a serious illness?
  3. What are the side effects and risks of treatment such as cortisone and anti-cancer drugs versus having no treatment at all?

13. Diagnosis: Medications

Questions that should be asked:

  1. Ask about the differences in medications: gold, methotrexate, prednisone, cyclosporin, imuran, cytoxin or nsaids.
  2. What are the short-term and long-term effects of each medication?

Leslie M. Brandwin, M.D. Private Practice

                                                                                   

Home Page