Dr. Bruce Goeckeritz is a rheumatologist with Lexington Rheumatology, a Lexington Medical Center physician practice. He spoke about his specialty in an interview on WLTX recently.
A rheumatologist is a doctor who treats the medical conditions that manifest themselves in the joint. That includes all kinds of arthritis, gout and lupus, to name a few.
According to Dr. Goeckeritz, there have been a lot of technological breakthroughs that allow better treatments for people with these conditions.
For example, researchers have discovered that fibromyalgia, a chronic pain disorder of the joints and muscles, occurs because of problems with the central nervous system - specifically with the way the brain processes sensory input.
"We can treat these patients in a number of ways including physical therapy, water-based therapy and with exercise," Dr. Goeckeritz said.
There are also advances in learning how to use the body's own immune system to help fight disease.
"We've been making great strides, especially in the field of immunology," he said. "Researchers have discovered the mechanisms behind these illness at the molecular level and are finding treatments targeting molecules to treat them."
Lexington Rheumatology is dedicated to treating joint and soft tissue diseases with exceptional patient care and flexible appointments. Visit LexingtonRheumatology.com to learn more or schedule an appointment.
