More than 46 million people in the U.S. live with some form of arthritis or chronic joint symptoms. Arthritis affects joints, muscles, connective tissues, skin and organs, and can cause pain, swelling, stiffness and difficulty in movement. While there is no cure for the disease, effective arthritis treatment can address the symptoms and enable patients to lead more productive, pain-free lives.
BWH Center for Arthritis and Joint Diseases delivers world-class arthritis treatment.
The Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) Center for Arthritis and Joint Diseases is a pioneering force in arthritis treatment, enabling BWH to be ranked one of the top providers of rheumatology and arthritis treatment in the country by U.S. News & World Report. The Center has developed many innovative therapeutic treatments and today provides world-class treatment for the more than 100 causes of arthritis, specializing in rheumatoid arthritis therapy and treatment, treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus, and treatment of spine disorders, including spondylitis treatment. With the largest research funding base and investigative team of any rheumatology and allergy program in the country, the Center has contributed to significant advances in arthritis treatment.
Collaborating closely with other BWH specialists, our physicians deliver comprehensive arthritis treatment across the spectrum of arthritis and joint diseases, including osteoarthritis therapy, treatment of gout and pseudogout, and vasculitis treatment.
Arthritis treatment services at BWH
Other treatment services at the Center include:
Research at BWH
In April, 2011, researchers at BWH announced significant progress in development of an injectable gel for arthritis treatment that may help bring a new level relief to patients. As opposed to conventional medicines for arthritis treatment that are taken orally and therefore are dispersed throughout the body – taking longer to work and causing more unwanted side effects – the gel is a method of local delivery that targets the release of medicine to a specific joint. Injected directly into the joint, the gel contains medicine to treat the symptoms of arthritis. The biodegradable gel is engineered to break down and release the medicine in the presence of the very enzymes that cause arthritic flare-ups. Additional tests are underway, and researchers hope the gel may have broad application for the localized treatment of other diseases caused by enzymatic destruction of tissue.
Learn more about Arthritis Treatment and other Therapeutic Treatments at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
