Arthritis Center - Castro Valley, CA
Castro Valley Rheumatologist Doctors for ArthritisType of Physician: Rheumatologist What is a Rheumatologist? A subspecialty certification by the Board of Internal Medicine; practitioners treat diseases of the joints, muscles, bones, and tendons. The rheumatologist diagnoses and treats arthritis, back pain, muscle strains, common athletic injuries, etc. The rheumatologist may work closely with other specialists such as orthopaedic surgeons and physical therapists. Specialty: Rheumatology Common Name: Rheumatologist Doctors in Castro Valley * East Bay Rheumatology  Arthritis and Rheumatology Center  Fremont Medical Group  Barry E Shibuya MD  Washington Arthritis Center  Nishio & Sharma MD  Nishio & Sharma MD  Richard R Fong MD  Hisaka Ohmoto & Charlene Hu MDs  Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center  Northern California Arthritis Center  Northern California Arthritis Center  Northern California Arthritis Center  Northern California Arthritis Center  Northern California Arthritis Center  Northern California Arthritis Center  John Muir Medical Center Hospitalist  Ronald G Connolly MD  SOAR Sports Orthopedic & Rehabilitation  SOAR Sports Orthopedic & Rehabilitation  Umesh Sab MD  Menlo Medical Clinic  Palo Alto Medical Clinic Medical Specialties  Palo Alto Medical Clinic Medical Specialties  Michael P Stevens MD  Peninsula Medical Center San Mateo Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation  Medical Specialties Clinic  Medical Specialties Clinic  Medical Specialties Clinic  Stanford University Medical Center  Kaiser Permanente Medical Group Rheumatology  Lipton Kucera & Associates  Burlingame Pacifica Medical Group  Camino Medical Group Mountain View Clinic  Camino Medical Group Mountain View Clinic  Peninsula Medical Group  UC Davis Rheumatology  Thomas A McDermott MD  G Ang-Fonte MD  Pacific Rheumatology Associates  Nancy Lee Carteron MD FACR  Pacific Rheumatology Associates  Pacific Heights Medical Group  Pacific Rheumatology Associates  Pacific Heights Medical Group  Robert J Deitz MD  Weitz Medical Management  Kaiser Santa Clara Rheumatology  Ernest I Katler MD  Michael K Chan MD  Ephraim P Engleman MD  Mercy Doctors Medical Group  SOAR Medical  UCSF Rheumatology  Internal Medicine  Arthritis Care Center  Bruce J Dreyfuss MD  UCSF VA Medical Center  Arthritis & Rheumatism Center  Arthritis & Rheumatism Center  Arthritis & Rheumatism Center  Feng Lee & Restifo MD  Feng Lee & Restifo MD  Feng Lee & Restifo MD  Peter H Stein MD  KPMC Santa Teresa Medical Center Rheumatology  Joan T Campagna MD  Joan V Barber MD  Thaila Ramanujam MD  Santa Cruz Medical Foundation Soquel Ave  Lester Miller MD  Albert A Ferrari MD  Kaiser Stockton Rheumatology  Kaiser Stockton Rheumatology  Kaiser Stockton Rheumatology  Gerlie L Papillion MD  UC Davis Specialty Clinic  Lisa B Kremer MD  Northern California Medical Associates  Woodland Healthcare Clinic  Raul J Romea MD  Kaiser Permanente  UC Davis Medical Group Internal & Family Practice Clinic  UC Davis Medical Group Internal & Family Practice Clinic  Mercy Medical Group Medical Specialties  Sutter Medical Foundation Subspecialty  Sutter Medical Foundation Subspecialty  Kanwal Khanna MD  Midtown Internal Medicine Group  Douglas E Roberts MD  Sacramento Rheumatology Consultants  Sacramento Rheumatology Consultants  Sutter Gould Medical Foundation  Monterey Joint Replacement & Sports Medicine  Heart Institute  Arthritis Center  Arthritis Center  Douglas Haselwood MD  E Michael Thelen MD  UC Davis Medical Group Roseville Castro Valley, CaliforniaUpcoming Local Events2012-06-16
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ArthritisWhat is arthritis? What causes arthritis?Arthritis is a joint disorder featuring inflammation. A joint is an area of the body where two different bones meet. A joint functions to move the body parts connected by its bones. Arthritis literally means inflammation of one or more joints. Arthritis is frequently accompanied by joint pain. Joint pain is referred to as arthralgia. There are many types of arthritis (over 100 identified, and the number is growing). The types range from those related to wear and tear of cartilage (such as osteoarthritis) to those associated with inflammation resulting from an overactive immune system (such as rheumatoid arthritis). Together, the many types of arthritis make up the most common chronic illness in the United States. The causes of arthritis depend on the form of arthritis. Causes include injury (leading to osteoarthritis), metabolic abnormalities (such as gout and pseudogout), hereditary factors, the direct and indirect effect of infections (bacterial and viral), and a misdirected immune system with autoimmunity (such as in rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus). Arthritis is classified as one of the rheumatic diseases. These are conditions that are different individual illnesses, with differing features, treatments, complications, and prognoses. They are similar in that they have a tendency to affect the joints, muscles, ligaments, cartilage, and tendons, and many have the potential to affect other internal body areas.
What are arthritis symptoms and signs?Symptoms of arthritis include pain and limited function of joints. Inflammation of the joints from arthritis is characterized by joint stiffness, swelling, redness, and warmth. Tenderness of the inflamed joint can be present. Many of the forms of arthritis, because they are rheumatic diseases, can cause symptoms affecting various organs... Recommended Reading Related to ArthritisWhat is citrulline antibody?Citrulline antibody is an immune protein (antibody) that binds to a non-standard amino acid (citrulline) that is formed by removing amino groups from the natural amino acid, arginine. Citrulline antibodies are measured with a blood test that is analyzed in laboratories. Research suggests that in the joints of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, proteins may be changed to citrulline as part of the process that leads to inflammation of the rheumatoid joint. Citrulline antibody has also been referred to as anti-citrulline antibody, anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody, and anti-CCP. For what is citrulline antibody used?Citrulline antibody is present in the blood of most patients with rheumatoid arthritis. It is used in the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis when evaluating patients with unexplained joint inflammation. A test for citrulline antibodies is most helpful in looking for the cause ... Other Related Arthritis ArticlesEmergency Contact for Castro Valley
Nearby Castro Valley Hospitals *Eden Medical Center Alameda County Medical Center Fairmont Campus John George Psychiatric Pavilion Kindred Hospital San Francisco Bay Area San Leandro Hospital St Rose Hospital Kaiser Permanente Hayward Medical Center San Ramon Regional Medical Center Alameda Hospital ValleyCare Health System Pleasanton Alameda County Medical Center Highland Campus Washington Hospital Fremont Hospital Alta Bates Summit Medical Center Summit Campus Kaiser Permanente Medical Center at Oakland Kaiser Permanente Walnut Creek Medical Center Children's Hospital & Research Center Oakland Alta Bates Summit Medical Center Alta Bates Campus Alta Bates Summit Medical Center Herrick Campus John Muir Medical Center Walnut Creek Campus Mills Hospital Kaiser Permanente Redwood City Medical Center San Mateo Medical Center Menlo Park Surgical Hospital Valley Memorial Hospital Sequoia Hospital Mills-Peninsula Health Services San Francisco General Hospital Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Livermore Division of the VA Palo Alto Healthcare System St Luke's Hospital Stanford Hospital & Clinics Chinese Hospital Saint Francis Memorial Hospital Kaiser Permanente South San Francisco Medical Center California Pacific Medical Center Davies Campus California Pacific Medical Center Pacific Campus John Muir Medical Center Concord Campus John Muir Behavioral Health Center UCSF Medical Center at Mount Zion Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Medical Center VA Palo Alto Health Care System Laguna Honda Hospital & Rehabilitation Center VA Northern CA Healthcare System at Martinez St Mary's Medical Center UCSF Medical Center at Parnassus California Pacific Medical Center East Campus California Pacific Medical Center California Campus Seton Medical Center Contra Costa Regional Medical Center Doctor's Medical Center San Pablo El Camino Hospital San Francisco VA Medical Center Sutter Delta Medical Center Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara Medical Center Seton Medical Center Coastside Regional Medical Center of San Jose O'Connor Hospital Santa Clara Valley Medical Center Marin General Hospital Kentfield Rehabilitation & Specialty Hospital El Camino Hospital of Los Gatos St Helena Hospital Center for Behavioral Health Kaiser Permanente Vallejo Medical Center Sutter Solano Medical Center Good Samaritan Hospital San Jose Good Samaritan Hospital Mission Oaks Kaiser Permanente San Rafael Medical Center Kaiser Permanente San Jose Medical Center Featured Articles*Provider Directory Terms of Use: The WebMD 'Provider Directory' is provided by WebMD for use by the general public as a quick reference of information about Providers. The Provider Directory is not intended as a tool for verifying the credentials, qualifications, or abilities of any Provider contained therein. Inclusion in the Provider Directory does not imply recommendation or endorsement nor does omission in the Provider Directory imply WebMD disapproval. |
Suggested Reading on Arthritis by Our Doctors
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Related Diseases & Conditions
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Gout
- Gout is a condition that results from crystals of uric acid depositing in tissues of the body. Gout is a condition that can lead to abnormally elevated levels of uric acid in the blood, recurring attacks of joint inflammation (arthritis), deposits of hard lumps of uric acid in and around the joints, and decreased kidney function and kidney stones.
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Pinched Nerve
- A pinched nerve can be caused of a variety of conditions, for example, carpal tunnel syndrome, herniated disc, sciatica, arthritis, spinal stenosis, trauma, and more. Common symptoms of a pinched nerve include pain, numbness, tingling, and weakness. Treatment of a pinched nerve depends on the cause of the pinched nerve.
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Lyme Disease
- Lyme disease is a bacterial illness, which is spread by ticks when they bite the skin. Initially the disease affects the skin causing a reddish rash associated with flu-like symptoms. It takes weeks to months after the initial redness of the skin for its effects to spread throughout the body. Lyme disease can be treated with antibiotics. Lyme disease can be prevented by using tick avoidance techniques.
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Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that causes chronic inflammation of the joints, the tissue around the joints, as well as other organs in the body. Because it can affect multiple other organs of the body, rheumatoid arthritis is referred to as a systemic illness and is sometimes called rheumatoid disease.
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Knee Pain
- The knee joint is composed of three compartments and ligaments which stabilize the joint. Causes of knee pain may include injury, degeneration, infrequently infection and rarely bone tumors. Although routine x-rays do not revel meniscus tears, they can be used to exclude other problems of the bones and tissues. The knee joint is the most commonly involved joint in rheumatic disease, as well as immune diseases that affect various tissues of the body.
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Lower Back Pain
- There are many causes of back pain. Pain in the low back can relate to the bony lumbar spine, discs between the vertebrae, ligaments around the spine and discs, spinal cord and nerves, muscles of the low back, internal organs of the pelvis and abdomen, and the skin covering the lumbar area.
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Psoriasis
- Psoriasis is a long-term skin condition that may cause large plaques of red, raised skin, flakes of dry skin, and skin scales. There are several types of psoriasis, including psoriasis vulgaris, guttate psoriasis, inverse psoriasis, and pustular psoriasis. Symptoms vary depending on the type of psoriasis the patient has. Treatment of psoriasis may include creams, lotions, oral medications, injections and infusions of biologics, and light therapy. There is no cure for psoriasis.
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Torn Meniscus
- A torn meniscus (knee cartilage) may be caused by suddenly stopping, sharply twisting, or deep squatting or kneeling when lifting heavy weight. Symptoms of a meniscal tear include pain with running or walking long distances, popping when climbing stairs, a giving way sensation, locking, or swelling. Treatment depends upon the severity, location, and underlying disease of the knee joint.
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Lupus
- Systemic lupus erythematosus is a condition characterized by chronic inflammation of body tissues caused by autoimmune disease. Lupus can cause disease of the skin, heart, lungs, kidneys, joints, and nervous system. When only the skin is involved, the condition is called discoid lupus. When internal organs are involved, the condition is called systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
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Osteoarthritis
- Osteoarthritis is a type of arthritis caused by inflammation, breakdown, and eventual loss of cartilage in the joints. Also known as degenerative arthritis. Osteoarthritis can be caused by aging, heredity, and injury from trauma or disease.
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Sarcoidosis
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Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction (SI Joint Pain)
- Sacroiliac joint (SI) dysfunction is a general term to reflect pain in the SI joints. Causes of SI joint pain include osteoarthritis, abnormal walking pattern, and disorders that can cause SI joint inflammation including gout, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and ankylosing spondylitis. Treatment includes oral medications, cortisone injections, and surgery.
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Sjogren's Syndrome
- Sjögren's syndrome is an autoimmune disease involving the abnormal production of extra antibodies that attack the glands and connective tissue. Sjögren's syndrome with gland inflammation (resulting dry eyes and mouth, etc.) that is not associated with another connective tissue disease is referred to as primary Sjögren's syndrome. Sjögren's syndrome that is also associated with a connective tissue disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, or scleroderma, is referred to as secondary Sjögren's syndrome. Though there is no cure for Sjögren's syndrome, the symptoms may be treated by using lubricating eye ointments, drinking plenty of water, humidifying the air, and using glycerin swabs. Medications are also available to treat dry eye and dry mouth.
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Ankle Pain
- Ankle pain is commonly due to a sprain or tendinitis. The severity of ankle sprains ranges from mild (which can resolve within 24 hours) to severe (which can require surgical repair). Tendinitis of the ankle can be caused by trauma or inflammation.
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Fever
- Although a fever technically is any body temperature above the normal of 98.6 degrees F. (37 degrees C.), in practice a person is usually not considered to have a significant fever until the temperature is above 100.4 degrees F (38 degrees C.). Fever is part of the body's own disease-fighting arsenal: rising body temperatures apparently are capable of killing off many disease- producing organisms.
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Elbow Pain
- Elbow pain is most often the result of tendinitis, which can affect the inner or outer elbow. Treatment includes ice, rest, and medication for inflammation. Inflammation, redness, warmth, swelling, tenderness, and decreased range of motion are other symptoms associated with elbow pain. Treatment for elbow pain depends upon the nature of the patient's underlying disease or condition.
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Scoliosis
- Scoliosis causes an abnormal curvature of the spine. When the cause of scoliosis is unknown the disorder is described based on the age when the scoliosis develops (infantile, juvenile, or adolescent idiopathic scoliosis). In functional scoliosis, curvature develops due to a problem somewhere else in the body. With neuromuscular scoliosis, there is a problem when the bones of the spine are formed. Treatment typically involves observation, bracing, and surgery and is dependent upon the severity of the curvature.
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Scleroderma
- Scleroderma is an autoimmune disease of the connective tissue. It is characterized by the formation of scar tissue (fibrosis) in the skin and organs of the body, leading to thickness and firmness of involved areas. Scleroderma is also referred to as systemic sclerosis, and the cause is unknown. Treatment of scleroderma is directed toward the individual features that are most troubling to the patient.
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Carpal Tunnel Syndrome And Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome
- Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition in which irritation of the wrist's median nerve causes tingling and numbness of the thumb, index, and the middle fingers. This condition is known as tarsal tunnel syndrome in the ankles and feet. Treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome depends on the severity of the symptoms and the nature of any disease that might be causing the symptoms.
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Ankylosing Spondylitis
- Ankylosing spondylitis is a type of arthritis that causes chronic inflammation of the spine. The tendency to develop ankylosing spondylitis is genetically inherited.
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Baker Cyst
- A Baker cyst, also called a popliteal cyst, is swelling caused by knee joint fluid protruding to the back of the knee (popliteal area of the knee). Not uncommon, baker cysts can be caused by virtually any type of joint swelling (arthritis). They are often resolved with removal of excess knee fluid in conjunction with cortisone injections.
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Paget's Disease
- Paget's disease is a chronic bone disorder due to irregular breakdown and formation of bone tissue. Symptoms of Paget's disease include bone pain, headaches and hearing loss, pressure on nerves, increased head size, hip pain, and damage to cartilage of joints.
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Bone Spurs
- Bone spurs are pointy outgrowths of bone that develop in areas of inflammation or injury. They commonly occur on the heel and spine and may be the result of reactive arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, or diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis. Symptoms include pain, numbness, and tenderness. Treatment focuses on decreasing inflammation and avoiding re-injury.
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Psoriatic Arthritis
- Psoriatic arthritis is a disease that causes skin and joint inflammation. Symptoms include painful, stiff, and swollen joints, tendinitis, and organ inflammation. Treatment involves antiinflammatory medications and exercise.
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Osteomyelitis
- Osteomyelitis is an infection of the bone. Potential causes include injections around the bone, fractures that puncture the skin, recent surgeries, and bacterial infections that travel from other areas of the body, spreading through the blood to the bone. Symptoms include pain, fever, chills, stiffness, and nausea. Treatment involves antibiotics and pain medications. Surgery is sometimes necessary.
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Henoch-Schonlein Purpura
- Henoch-Schonlein Purpura (HSP or anaphylactoid purpura), a type of blood vessel inflammation, results in rash, arthritis, and occasional abdominal cramping. HSP often resolves on its own. Joint pain may be treated with anti-inflammatory and cortisone medications.
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Connective Tissue Disease
- Connective tissue disease is when the body's connective tissues come under attack, possibly becoming injured by inflammation. Inherited connective tissue diseases include Marfan syndrome and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, polymositis, and dermatomyositis are examples of connective tissue diseases that have no known cause.
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Lumbar Spinal Stenosis
- Lumbar stenosis can be caused by degenerative arthritis (the most common cause), tumor, infection, or metabolic disorders (Paget's disease of the bone). Symptoms include low back pain, weakness, pain, numbness, and loss of sensation in the legs. Other conditions may cause similar symptoms of lumbar stenosis, including diabetic neuropathy, claudication, and peripheral vascular disease. Diagnosis, is a medical history and imaging studies. Lumbar stenosis may be treated with medication or surgery.
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Frozen Shoulder
- A frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) is when the shoulder joint experiences a significant loss in its range of motion due to inflammation, scarring, or injury. Treatment involves anti-inflammatory medication, cortisone injections, and physical therapy.
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