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Hydroxychloroquine is a medication originally developed to treat malaria, but for many years it has been a core treatment for autoimmune diseases like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and some inflammatory arthritis conditions.

Rheumatologists are specialized physicians who diagnose, treat, and manage autoimmune and complex musculoskeletal conditions. They address systemic autoimmune diseases like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjögren’s, and scleroderma, as well as joint and musculoskeletal disorders such as gout, tendinitis, and bursitis. Using detailed history, physical exams, lab tests, and imaging, they develop personalized care plans to reduce inflammation, prevent organ damage, and preserve joint function, helping patients regain quality of life.

Rheumatoid Arthritis, often called RA, is a chronic autoimmune disease. That means your immune system—which normally protects you from infections—mistakenly attacks your own joints. This causes inflammation in the lining of the joints (called the synovium), leading to pain, swelling, stiffness, and sometimes warmth or redness.

Autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissues, causing chronic inflammation and tissue damage. They may be systemic (affecting multiple organs, e.g., RA, lupus, Sjögren’s, scleroderma) or organ-specific (e.g., thyroid disease, type 1 diabetes, MS). Triggers include genetics, infections, medications, hormones, and environmental exposures. Symptoms vary but often include fatigue, joint pain, rashes, or organ dysfunction. Early detection and treatment with DMARDs, biologics, or JAK inhibitors can prevent long-term complications and significantly improve patient outcomes.

Sjögren’s syndrome is a chronic autoimmune disorder where the immune system attacks moisture-producing glands, primarily affecting the eyes and mouth. Common symptoms include dry eyes, dry mouth, fatigue, joint pain, neuropathy, and interstitial lung disease. Diagnosis involves blood tests, eye exams, and sometimes a lip biopsy. While there is no cure, management focuses on symptom relief and maintaining quality of life through artificial tears, saliva substitutes, medications like hydroxychloroquine, dental care, and immune support. Early detection and a tailored care plan can significantly improve daily functioning for patients.

Inflammation is the body’s natural defense mechanism, but it can be acute and healing or chronic and damaging. This article explains that inflammation often does not correlate directly with pain and can manifest as stiffness, fatigue, brain fog, flu-like symptoms, or numbness. Causes include infections, autoimmune diseases, injuries, metabolic disorders, environmental toxins, and more. Rheumatologists use lab tests (CRP, ESR, ANA, RF, anti-CCP) and clinical evaluation to detect and manage inflammation. Treatment combines lifestyle strategies, pharmaceuticals, and topicals to control symptoms and protect tissues, with topicals offering targeted relief and fewer systemic side effects.

Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain syndrome characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, severe fatigue, sleep disturbances, cognitive dysfunction (“fibro fog”), and various overlapping symptoms such as IBS, headaches, and bladder issues. Unlike autoimmune diseases, it does not cause inflammation or tissue damage; instead, it stems from central sensitization, where the nervous system overreacts to pain signals. Diagnosis is clinical, using ACR criteria and symptom scoring. Treatment is multidimensional—focusing on sleep optimization, graded exercise, CBT, mind-body therapies, and medications like SNRIs and pregabalin. With proper management, patients can achieve meaningful relief and maintain quality of life.

This article explains the key tests rheumatologists order to diagnose autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Because symptoms often overlap, doctors use a combination of bloodwork (ANA, CRP, ESR, complement levels, CK), specific autoantibodies (like anti-dsDNA, anti-SSA/SSB, RF, anti-CCP), urine tests, and imaging (X-ray, ultrasound, MRI) to identify inflammation, pinpoint the disease, and check for organ involvement. No single test provides a full answer—rheumatologists interpret them together to build an accurate picture of what’s happening in the body. Patients are encouraged to ask questions and stay engaged in understanding their results and treatment plan.