Exercise and Arthritis:

Exercise can help you manage your arthritis.

Exercise reduces joint pain and stiffness.

Builds muscle to reduce pressure on joints.

Helps promote overall health and well-being.

Find out more at the Arthritis Foundation Website




Rheumatology


Each year millions of patients are affected with arthritis causing them to suffer from severe joint pain from inflammation of the joints and tissue destruction. Riverside Medical Clinic's Rheumatology department was established in 1999 to treat patients in Riverside County with a variety of disorders that have plagued patients. As Riverside Medical Clinic's Rheumatologist, Dr. Andre Babajanians evaluates and treats various types of arthritis disorders. Arthritis can have many symptoms from the mildest to the more severe and no two patients will suffer the same symptoms. Patients diagnosed with any type of arthritis are referred to Dr. Babajanians at our Main Clinic facility for a complete work up to confirm the diagnosis. Once a diagnosis is confirmed, Dr. Babajanians will then determine a course of treatment best for your type of arthritis. Arthritis is generally not curable but there are many treatments available to reduce the pain and swelling allowing patients to live better lives. The treatment plan selected will depend upon the severity of your diagnosis. You and the doctor will determine the best course of treatment for you and how often you should be monitored when you first start your treatment.

Dr. Babajanians' office has many pamphlets relating to the arthritis condition you have been diagnosed with. Patients wanting to get more information can visit The Patient Information Library located in our Main Clinic on the lower level or go online to the Arthritis website.

Some forms of arthritis treated by Dr. Babajanians are:

  • Osteoarthritis:
    The most common form of arthritis. Causing weakening and breakdown of the cartilage, the shock-absorbing tissue in the joints.
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis:
    This is an inflammatory process involving multiple joints
  • SLE (Lupus)
    The cause is unknown. It is also an autoimmune disease. Instead of your immune system fighting off antigens, the antibodies fight the body's own cells.
  • Paget's Disease
    Acceleration of the bone formation process changes the strength and shape of the bone. Centers in on one or more areas but will rarely spread to other areas once it is established.
  • Sjogren's Syndrome
    An autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system makes a mistake and attacks its own moisture producing glands.
  • Ankylosing Spondylitis or AS
    Primarily affects the spine or back. Joints and ligaments that permit the back to move and flex become inflamed.
  • Psoriatic Arthritis
    An arthritis condition that cases pain and swelling in some joints and scaly skin patches on some areas of the body.
  • Gout
    A disease that causes sudden severe episodes of pain and tenderness, redness, warmth and swelling in some joints. Many patients are placed on a special diet to decrease the episodes if attacks.
  • Polymyalgia Rheumatica

Vasculitis

The result of these diseases is severe inflammation of the blood vessel walls causing damage to the lining of the blood vessels. The inflamed vessels are too narrow or close completely slowing down or stopping the blood flow.

Examples of severe vasculitis include:

  • PAN (Polyarteritis Nodosa)
    Vasculitis that affects the small and medium-size arteries throughout the body. Any tissue or organ can be involved but this disease usually affects the kidneys, skin, intestines, joints and nerves. These conditions will vary from person to person.
  • Wegener's Granulomatosis
    Inflammations of the small and middle-size blood vessels. This inflammation is so destructive that it causes lumps of tissue that can form in a patients sinuses, nose, ears and lungs. This disease can affect the kidneys, skin eyes, heart and nervous system.