Arthritis & Rheumatology

At UC San Diego Health, you'll find compassionate rheumatologists who are board-certified in both internal medicine and rheumatology.

This means your care will be led by doctors with the training and knowledge to comprehensively diagnose and manage your rheumatic disease.

Rheumatologists specialize in non-surgical treatments of joint, autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. While minor, temporary joint and muscle aches are normal, if you are experiencing persistent or significant joint discomfort, swelling or loss of mobility, consider seeing a rheumatologist at UC San Diego Health.

You can prevent irreversible joint damage, pain and disability by getting your condition diagnosed and treated early on by one of our rheumatologists.

Conditions Treated

Your rheumatologist can diagnose and treat all types of rheumatic conditions, including more than 100 types of arthritis:

• Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
• Lupus
• Psoriatic arthritis
• Ankylosing spondylitis
• Scleroderma
• Polymyalgia rheumatica
• Reactive arthritis
• Gout

Arthritis Care

If you have arthritis or a related condition, your personalized care plan may include:

• Physical therapy and exercise to strengthen the muscles around the affected joints, maintain mobility and improve posture and biomechanics
• Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) or biologic response-modifying drugs for rheumatoid arthritis and autoimmune disorders. Besides improving symptoms, these drugs may also slow or stop disease progression.
• Medications for symptom relief, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), acetaminophen and topical rubs
• Corticosteroid (cortisone) injections to reduce inflammation in a joint
• Hyaluronic acid injections to reduce joint pain by lubricating the joint
• Splints to help protect the joints
• Lifestyle modifications, including healthy eating and weight loss, if needed, as well as yoga, tai-chi or meditation

Most people with arthritis will not need surgery. However, if your joint damage is severe, you may be a candidate for a joint replacement or joint fusion surgery.

Your rheumatologist can refer you to an orthopedic surgeon with expertise in your affected joint. UC San Diego Health's orthopedics care is ranked among the nation's best.