Disease Education
Rheumatologic diseases are chronic conditions that affect the joints, muscles, bones, and immune system. At the Arthritis Clinic of Central Texas, our providers specialize in the evaluation, diagnosis, and long-term management of these complex conditions.
The goal of care is to accurately identify the underlying disease process, reduce inflammation, manage symptoms, and help preserve joint function and overall quality of life. Because many rheumatologic conditions are autoimmune or inflammatory in nature, they often require ongoing monitoring and individualized treatment strategies.
Each patient’s condition is unique, and diagnosis is based on a combination of clinical evaluation, laboratory testing, and imaging when appropriate. Your provider will work closely with you to develop a personalized treatment plan tailored to your specific diagnosis, disease severity, and response to therapy.
Below is a partial list of common rheumatologic diseases and conditions evaluated and treated at the Arthritis Clinic of Central Texas:
- Ankylosing spondylitis | Español
- Gout | Español
- Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (Wegener’s) | Español
- Inflammatory Myopathies | Español
- Systemic Lupus | Español
- Osteoarthritis | Español
- Osteoporosis | Español
- Polymyalgia Rheumatica | Español
- Calcium Pyrophosphate Deposition (CPPD) (formerly called Pseudogout) | Español
- Psoriatic Arthritis | Español
- Raynaud’s Phenomenon | Español
- Reactive Arthritis | Español
- Rheumatoid Arthritis | Español
- Scleroderma | Español
- Sjögren’s Syndrome | Español
- Spinal Stenosis | Español
- Spondyloarthritis | Español
- Tendinitis and Bursitis | Español
- Vasculitis | Español
Drug Education
Your Rheumatologist carefully evaluates and manages your medications to ensure they are both safe and effective for your specific condition. The goal of treatment is to reduce inflammation, control disease activity, relieve symptoms, and help prevent long-term joint and tissue damage.
Because many rheumatologic conditions require ongoing therapy, medication management is an important part of your care. Your provider will regularly review your treatment plan, monitor for side effects, and watch for any potential drug interactions to ensure your medications continue to be appropriate and well tolerated over time.
Treatment may involve different types of medications depending on your diagnosis, symptom severity, and response to therapy. These may be used alone or in combination as part of a comprehensive, individualized treatment plan.
Below are some of the most commonly prescribed medications used in the management of rheumatologic conditions:
- Abatacept (Orencia) | Español
- Anakinra (Kineret) | Español
- Anti-TNF (Enbrel, Humira, Remicade, Cimzia, Simponi, Aria) | Español
- Apremilast (Otezla) | Español
- Azathioprine (Imuran) | Español
- Belimumab (Benlysta) | Español
- Bisphosphonate Therapy | Español
- Cyclophosphomide (Cytoxan) | Español
- Cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune, Gengraf) | Español
- Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) | Español
- Illaris | Español
- Kevzara IM | Español
- Leflunomide (Arava) | Español
- Methotrexate (Rheumatrex, Trexall) | Español
- Mycophenolate Mofetil and Mycophenolate Sodium (Cellcept and Myfortic) | Español
- NSAIDs | Español
- Rinvoq | Español
- Rituximab (Rituxan and MabThera) | Español
- Saphnelo | Español
- Secukinumab (Cosentyx) | Español
- Skyrizi | Español
- Stelara | Español
- Sulfasalazine (Azulfidine) | Español
- Taltz | Español
- Teriparatide (Forteo) | Español
- Tocilizumab (Actemra) | Español
- Tofacitinib (Citrate, Xeljanz) | Español
- Tremfya | Español
Copay Assistance Programs
Biologic medications are advanced therapies used to treat many rheumatologic conditions by targeting specific components of the immune system. While these treatments can be highly effective, they are often costly and may require additional financial support options for patients.
To help make treatment more accessible, many pharmaceutical manufacturers offer copay assistance programs and patient support services. These programs are designed to help eligible patients reduce out-of-pocket costs for biologic medications, including copays, coinsurance, and deductibles.
Your provider and clinical staff can help identify which assistance programs may be available based on your prescribed medication. Enrollment typically involves a simple application process through the medication’s manufacturer or specialty pharmacy, and eligibility requirements may vary by program.
Our team is committed to helping patients navigate these resources to ensure access to appropriate and ongoing therapy without unnecessary financial burden.
Below is a list of commonly used biologic medications and their associated copay assistance programs:
