The following section is a
sampling of information at the
American College of Rheumatology

web site.

Patient Education
The ACR and ARHP have prepared information for patients about 22 rheumatic diseases, about the caregivers who treat patients with arthritis, and about several common medications used to treat rheumatic diseases.

Briefing papers on caregivers:
For many patients, care from an interdisciplinary team offers the best results in treating rheumatic diseases. These briefing papers outline the role of many health professionals you might come into contact with as a patient.

• What is a Rheumatologist?

• The Role of the Advanced Practice Nurse

• The Role of the Registered Nurse

• The Role of the Occupational Therapist

• The Role of the Physical Therapist

• The Role of the Social Worker

• The Role of Interdisciplinary Team Management

• The Role of the Psychologist

• The Role of the Rheumatologist

Disease-Specific Information:
Listed below are some of the more common diseases treated by rheumatology health care professionals. Use this information as a starting point in your research about rheumatic diseases.

• Ankylosing Spondylitis

• Lyme Disease

• Psoriatic Arthritis Updated!

• Fibromyalgia Myopathies

• Rheumatoid Arthritis

• Giant Cell Arteritis

• Osteoarthritis

• Scleroderma

• Gout New!

• Osteoporosis

• Sjogren's Syndrome 

• HIV-Associated Rheumatic Disease Syndromes

• Glucocorticoid-induced Osteoporosis

• Systemic Lupus

• Erythematosus

• Juvenile Arthritis Updated! Polymyalgia

• Rheumatica

• Tendonitis / Bursitis

• Pseudogout

Additional Topics of Note

• Back Pain Exercise and Arthritis

• Joint Injection/Aspiration

• Clinical Research Trials

Information About Medications

This new information for patients describes some of the most common medications being used in rheumatologic care.
 

• Azathioprine Leflunomide

• Biologics Methotrexate

• Cyclophosphamide Minocycline

• Cyclosporine Mycophenolate

• Gold NSAIDs

• Hydroxychloroquine Sulfasalazine

Online Resources

American College of Rheumatology

 Patient Education
 

Arthritis Foundation

 Disease Center 

MedlinePlus

 Drug Information 

Ankylosing Spondylitis

 Spondylitic Assoc. of America
 

Spondylitic Assoc. of America

• Pain American Chronic Pain Assoc

• National Found. For trmnt.of Pain

Crohn’s Disease

  Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation
 

Fibromyalgia

• Fibromyalgia Network

• National Fibromyalgia Assoc.

• American Fibromyalgia Association

Osteoporosis

National Osteoporosis Foundation
 

Scleroderma

The Scleroderma Foundation
 

Sjogren’s Syndrome

The Sjogren’s Foundation
 

Systemic Lupus

Erythematosus Lupus Foundation of America