210-526-2339 Request Appointment

Blogs

Rheumatology Solutions Blog View all posts

Diet Changes to Make If You Have Arthritis
Your diet affects your health, and when you have a condition like arthritis, you may wonder if there are foods you should avoid or even a diet you can follow that would help. Here, we offer some general guidelines for eating when you have arthritis.
Mar 14th, 2023

Lesser-Known Symptoms of Systemic Sclerosis
Systemic sclerosis can be difficult to diagnose because the symptoms vary so much from person-to-person. In this post, we discuss a few symptoms you may not know could be related to systemic sclerosis.
Feb 13th, 2023

Your Questions About Gout Answered
The first time you have symptoms of gout, it can be scary. Even getting a diagnosis can cause some anxiety, especially if you aren’t familiar with the condition. In this post, we answer some common questions about gout..
Jan 1st, 2023

5 Subtle Signs of Systemic Lupus You Should Know
Systemic lupus erythematosus, or SLE, is the most common type of lupus. An autoimmune disease that causes inflammation throughout the body, lupus can cause numerous symptoms. Here we discuss five signs that are easy to miss.
Sep 1st, 2022

Rheumatoid Arthritis: What Signs Should You Look For?

If you have a family history of rheumatoid arthritis or other risk factors, you may wonder about signs and symptoms. Early treatment of rheumatoid arthritis is associated with better outcomes, so if you notice symptoms, see your doctor.
Aug 1st, 2022

5 Ways to Prevent Gout
Gout is one of the oldest diseases on record and was once called the “disease of kings.” Now we know that most anyone can be affected by gout—and we know that attacks can be limited or even prevented.
May 1st, 2022

What You Can Expect After IV Infusion Therapy
If your doctor has suggested you use the infusion services available at Rheumatology Solutions, you may have some questions. In this post, we try to address some of the more common questions about what to expect.
Apr 1st, 2022

3 Ways Your Diet Impacts Arthritis
When it comes to diet and arthritis, there is an astounding amount of information. Some of that information is useful, some not. In this post we look at how diet can impact arthritis, as well as what you should strive to eat or avoid.
Mar 6th, 2022

What Are Musculoskeletal Injections?
Your musculoskeletal system is complex, and lots of things can go wrong. Musculoskeletal injections may be useful in helping to ease the pain of certain conditions, injuries, or other problems.
Feb 8th, 2022

A Closer Look at Rheumatoid Arthritis
A diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis leaves you asking many questions and wondering what’s to come. In this post, we take a closer look at this condition and what you can expect if you have it.
Jan 18th, 2022

Who’s at Risk for Psoriatic Arthritis?

Psoriatic arthritis is a form of inflammatory disease that affects your joints. If you’re concerned about developing psoriatic arthritis, you may want to read on to learn whether you have any of the risk factors.
Dec 23rd, 2021

Things You Might Not Know About Living with Lupus
Lupus is an autoimmune disorder that can be difficult to diagnose. If you’ve recently learned you have lupus, there are probably things you don’t know yet, and if you’ve lived with lupus for a while, there may be things your loved ones don’t know.
Nov 7th, 2021

Can Your Diet Increase Your Risk of Gout?

Some of the risk factors for developing gout are outside your control, like being male. However, your diet plays a significant role in your risk of developing this painful form of arthritis.
Oct 1st, 2021

How Arthritis Affects Your Overall Health

The word arthritis makes most people think of joint pain, and for good reason. Joint pain is a common symptom in all the more than 100 different types of arthritis. But arthritis can affect your overall health in other ways, too.
Sep 1st, 2021

Third Dose of the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 Vaccines
On 12 August 2021 the FDA expanded the emergency use authorization for the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines to include a 3rd injection for people whose immune system are moderately to severely impaired, including rheumatology patients.
Aug 15th, 2021

Arthritis Benefits of IV Infusion Therapy

Chronic conditions often have an array of potential treatment options, and figuring out which one or combination works best for you can feel like navigating a maze in the dark. In this post, we discuss IV infusion therapy for arthritis.
Aug 12th, 2021

Diagnosed with Gout? 5 Important Management Tips
You’ve noticed that your joints are painful, and your doctor has told you that you have gout, a common form of arthritis. When you have a flare, you probably have one question: What can I do to reduce the pain?
Jul 7th, 2021

Immunosuppressant Medications and COVID-19 Vaccination
Patients on DMARDs should receive COVID-19 Vaccination. However, certain DMARDs can impact the effectiveness of vaccines. In this blog, I discuss this issue in detail and provide resources on how to adjust medications when receiving vaccination.
Jun 26th, 2021

Good Health Simply
I am Dr. Thomas Hoffmann.  I'm a Rheumatologist who treats auto-immune diseases like lupus or RA where the body's immune system overreacts and attacks joints or organs in the body.
Jun 19th, 2021

5 Signs of Systemic Sclerosis
Systemic sclerosis is a rare condition, and some of the symptoms sound like conditions themselves. In this post, we describe five signs of systemic sclerosis -- in language you can understand.
Jun 17th, 2021

What to Do About Psoriatic Arthritis
Psoriatic arthritis is an autoimmune disorder in which your immune system attacks your joints. You may imagine there’s nothing that can be done, but there are some lifestyle changes and treatment methods that can help.
May 17th, 2021

Recognizing the Symptoms of Sjӧgren's Syndrome
Some diseases cause different symptoms in different people and don’t always follow the same progression pattern in all patients. Sjӧgren’s syndrome is one such condition. Keep reading to learn how to identify the symptoms of this condition.
Mar 15th, 2021

Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine
In this post, I describe the mechanism of action, the safety, and the efficacy of the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine.
Feb 28th, 2021

5 Benefits of Exercise When You Have Joint Inflammation
When you pull a muscle or strain a ligament, you need to rest, so it may seem logical that when you have joint inflammation, you should avoid exercise. However, there are some important benefits of exercising, even if you have joint pain.
Feb 15th, 2021

Pseudogout Versus Gout: There Is a Difference
Gout and pseudogout share some similarities, as you might imagine. However, there are some critical medical differences. In this post, we describe the difference between the two conditions and why it matters.
Jan 17th, 2021

Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine
The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine received FDA emergency use authorization on 18 December 2020. This article summarizes the information about its efficacy and side effect profile based on information available as of 26 Feb 2021.
Dec 18th, 2020

The Best Treatment Options for Vasculitis
Vasculitis is the name of a group of conditions that all involve inflammation of the blood vessels. It’s a disorder of the immune system, but there are treatments that can help.
Dec 13th, 2020

Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine
The FDA has granted emergency use authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in patients 16 years and older. In this article, I am summarizing the information known about this vaccine as of 13 December 2020.
Dec 13th, 2020

The Importance of Getting Your Vaccinations
The last few years have seen a rise in the amount of misinformation regarding vaccines. We’d like to take a moment to explain why vaccinations are so important, especially for those who have chronic conditions.
Nov 3rd, 2020

Benefits of Vitamin and Nutritional Supplements
Have you ever wondered why vitamin and nutritional supplements are so highly recommended by medical professionals? They have benefits that can enhance your overall health and increase your quality of life. Keep reading to learn more.
Oct 1st, 2020

Skin Care Tips for Systemic Sclerosis
Systemic sclerosis is also known as scleroderma, and it’s a mysterious autoimmune condition that has no cure, but it can be managed. Skin problems and discomfort are a hallmark of the disease, but you can take steps toward real relief.
Sep 1st, 2020

The Best Treatment Options For Lupus
Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes pain and other serious complications. Many people are uninformed about this disease and its symptoms. However, it is treatable, and we go over some of the best treatment options here.
Aug 13th, 2020

How IV Infusion Therapy Can Help With Your Chronic Pain
Whether you have rheumatoid arthritis or another type of rheumatologic disease, chances are your pain will eventually stop responding to conventional medications. That’s when you’ll need the next level of pain relief: IV infusion therapy.
May 26th, 2020

COVID 19 Update 29 May 2020
The basics of the virus have not changed. The pandemic is now world-wide. The differences in responses around the world in combination with growing knowledge of the virus and disease show us what is working and what has not worked. 
Jun 2nd, 2020

COVID 19
COVID thoughts 29 March Hi, I’m Dr. Thomas Hoffmann. I am a Rheumatologist and prior Special Forces medic. Here are my thoughts on COVID and interpreting the conflicting opinions in the media.
Mar 29th, 2020

Reducing Your Risk of Infection
In the midst of influenza season, and with the novel Coronavirus COVID-19 spreading in US communities, many of you have asked what measures you can take to minimize your risk. This list incorporates those measures recommended by the CDC...
Mar 14th, 2020

Prescription Update: Hydrocodone
Effective October 6th, 2014 hydrocodone containing products were classified as schedule II medications. Schedule II medications are the most tightly controlled prescriptions available.
Oct 5th, 2014