Conditions We Treat
- Ankylosing Spondylitis/Spondyloarthritis
AS is an inflammatory, autoimmune condition that typically begins in young adulthood, but often gets overlooked, or incorrectly diagnosed as pain from a previous injury or aging. It’s an underdiagnosed form of arthritis that creates inflammation in the spinal joints and causes chronic back pain and stiffness. AS is progressive. People may begin feeling pain in the lower back or buttocks region, and it can migrate to other areas of the body like the hips, neck, or shoulders.
- Autoinflammatory Syndromes
A group of rare diseases that cause episodes of inflammation and fever. They are also known as “periodic fever syndromes” because of the regular occurrence of inflammatory episodes.
- Gout Arthritis
Gout is a condition characterized by the acute onset of intense pain, swelling and redness in a joint. Most often the joints of the great toe are involved but other joints may also become inflamed. Elevated blood uric acid causes the development of acute gout in the joint in which crystals form, causing the intense inflammatory response. The physicians of SERA are experts in the diagnosis of gout, the treatment of an acute attack and the development of a long term plan for the prevention of further attacks and joint damage.
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease Associated with Arthritis
Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis can be associated with inflammatory arthritis, which we treat.
- Inflammatory Myopathy (Dermatomyositis/Polymyositis)
Autoimmune conditions that affect the body’s connective tissues, including ligaments, tendons, and the collagen-based tissue that covers muscle ends. They may cause swelling and tenderness in the muscles and sometimes the skin.
- Lupus
Lupus is a chronic (long-term) disease that can cause inflammation and pain in any part of your body. It’s an autoimmune disease, which means that your immune system — the body system that usually fights infections — attacks healthy tissue instead.
- Polymyalgia Rheumatica
Polymyalgia rheumatica is an inflammatory disorder that causes muscle pain and stiffness, especially in the shoulders. Signs and symptoms of polymyalgia rheumatica usually begin quickly and are worse in the morning. Most people who develop polymyalgia rheumatica are older than 65. It rarely affects people under 50.
- Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA)
Psoriatic arthritis is a type of arthritic inflammation that causes pain, stiffness and swelling in and around the joints, as well as sites of tendon and ligament connection to bone. Symptoms vary according to location and activity over time. Approximately 1 in 20 patients with psoriasis will develop arthritis with the skin condition. In most cases, psoriasis precedes the development of arthritis. The physicians of SERA will create a treatment plan geared toward reducing pain and inflammation, improving movement and preventing joint damage.
- Pseudogout (CPPD Arthropathy)
A condition in which calcium crystals deposit in the joints, characterized by sudden, intense pain, redness, warmth, and swelling in the knees wrists, shoulders, ankles, elbows, and/or hands.
- Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease characterized by inflammation of the lining of joints and surrounding tissues. Rheumatoid arthritis is considered an autoimmune disease, which usually affects joints on both sides of the body equally. If untreated, it can lead to long-term joint damage with resultant chronic pain, loss of function, and disability. Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic illness in which the joint is the primary target. It may occur at any age, most commonly in women in middle age. The physicians of SERA will develop a treatment plan that may include medications, exercise, physical therapy, and possibly a surgical approach for those who have had long term damage.
- Scleroderma
- Sjogren Syndrome
Sjogren Syndrome is an autoimmune condition in which the body attacks the glands that produce moisture, such as the salivary and tear glands. It can be associated with other conditions like RA and Lupus.
- Temporal Arteritis
- Vasculitis
Vasculitis is a term for a group of rare diseases that have in common inflammation of blood vessels. These vessels include arteries and veins. There are many types of vasculitis, and they may vary greatly in symptoms, severity and duration. Most types of vasculitis are rare, and the causes are generally not known. Vasculitis affects persons of both sexes and all ages.
