Ankylosing Spondylitis
A type of arthritis that mostly affects the spine. Chronic inflammation causes swelling between vertebrae and joints between the spine and pelvis.
Arthritis & Rheumatology
Comprehensive care to reduce your pain and improve mobility so you can get back to an active life
At IU Health Arthritis & Rheumatology, our board-certified rheumatologists provide evaluation, medical treatment and education for patients with disorders of the joints, muscles and connective tissue.
We provide the highest level of care, backed by years of clinical experience and the latest technology and research, for patients with difficult-to-define symptoms and complex rheumatic conditions.
If you suffer from arthritis or a connective tissue disorder, IU Health Rheumatology understands the debilitating pain and swelling that keep you from enjoying an active life. We will help you manage your disease so that your symptoms don’t define you.
Our first priority is correctly diagnosing your rheumatic condition. Your symptoms may be confusing and point to a variety of causes, but our rheumatologists will listen to your concerns, evaluate your physical condition and perform the necessary tests to arrive at an accurate diagnosis. This diagnosis is critical to developing an effective treatment plan.
Diagnosis
We use a combination of the following methods to diagnose your condition:
- Your clinical history helps identify the proper diagnosis and knowledge of current or past conditions may influence treatment decisions
- Physical exam allows your doctor to check your general health, painful joints, muscle strength, as well as your ability to stand, bend, and walk
- Imaging tests including X-rays, MRI, and CT scans take pictures of your body and can show how much joint damage has been done
- Other tests such as blood tests to determine the cause of symptoms, or removing fluid from your joint for inspection and analysis
The history and physical will take 45 minutes to an hour.
Treatment Options
IU Health offers the latest treatments for rheumatic diseases affecting joints, muscles and connective tissue. We take a comprehensive approach to help you manage pain and improve the mobility and function of your joints. Your treatment plan may include:
- Exercise to improve flexibility and blood flow, provide weight control and decrease pain
- Rest and joint support with the use of a cane, crutches, walker, splints or braces; or stress reduction techniques, such as biofeedback
- Pain relief using heating pads, water therapy and ice packs
- Weight control to reduce stress on weight-bearing joints and limit further injury
- Medication to reduce arthritis symptoms and improve joint function, as well as biologic medications that work with the immune system to help it function better
- Surgery may be needed to reposition bones, replace joints or remove loose pieces of bone or cartilage to improve function
Multidisciplinary Care
The complex nature of these inflammatory and immune disorders means they often affect multiple systems in the body. We work closely with IU Health physicians in other fields, such as pulmonary, renal gastroenterologists, orthopedic surgery and others to give you complete care.
Our Approach to Arthritis & Rheumatology
If you suffer from arthritis or a connective tissue disorder, IU Health Rheumatology understands the debilitating pain and swelling that keep you from enjoying an active life. We will help you manage your disease so that your symptoms don’t define you.
Our first priority is correctly diagnosing your rheumatic condition. Your symptoms may be confusing and point to a variety of causes, but our rheumatologists will listen to your concerns, evaluate your physical condition and perform the necessary tests to arrive at an accurate diagnosis. This diagnosis is critical to developing an effective treatment plan.
Diagnosis
We use a combination of the following methods to diagnose your condition:
- Your clinical history helps identify the proper diagnosis and knowledge of current or past conditions may influence treatment decisions
- Physical exam allows your doctor to check your general health, painful joints, muscle strength, as well as your ability to stand, bend, and walk
- Imaging tests including X-rays, MRI, and CT scans take pictures of your body and can show how much joint damage has been done
- Other tests such as blood tests to determine the cause of symptoms, or removing fluid from your joint for inspection and analysis
The history and physical will take 45 minutes to an hour.
Treatment Options
IU Health offers the latest treatments for rheumatic diseases affecting joints, muscles and connective tissue. We take a comprehensive approach to help you manage pain and improve the mobility and function of your joints. Your treatment plan may include:
- Exercise to improve flexibility and blood flow, provide weight control and decrease pain
- Rest and joint support with the use of a cane, crutches, walker, splints or braces; or stress reduction techniques, such as biofeedback
- Pain relief using heating pads, water therapy and ice packs
- Weight control to reduce stress on weight-bearing joints and limit further injury
- Medication to reduce arthritis symptoms and improve joint function, as well as biologic medications that work with the immune system to help it function better
- Surgery may be needed to reposition bones, replace joints or remove loose pieces of bone or cartilage to improve function
Multidisciplinary Care
The complex nature of these inflammatory and immune disorders means they often affect multiple systems in the body. We work closely with IU Health physicians in other fields, such as pulmonary, renal gastroenterologists, orthopedic surgery and others to give you complete care.
We collaborate with the Indiana University School of Medicine to bring our patients the latest research findings. The IU School of Medicine Division of Rheumatology performs research on a variety of rheumatology topics and also offers a fellowship in rheumatology.
Why IU Health for Arthritis & Rheumatology Care
We collaborate with the Indiana University School of Medicine to bring our patients the latest research findings. The IU School of Medicine Division of Rheumatology performs research on a variety of rheumatology topics and also offers a fellowship in rheumatology.
Dec 12
McKissack had pain in her back that prevented her from visiting her husband. She asked her IU Health doctor for help and was prepped for surgery.
Patient Stories for Arthritis & Rheumatology
Dec 12
McKissack had pain in her back that prevented her from visiting her husband. She asked her IU Health doctor for help and was prepped for surgery.
