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If you have arthritis or a related rheumatologic disorder, you know
that chronic pain, stiffness and swelling around the joints can make
it impossible to perform every day tasks, let alone live an active
lifestyle. When climbing stairs feels like climbing Mount Everest,
or opening a jar takes great perseverance, arthritis can make you
feel as if life is passing you by.
At The Center for Arthritis and Rheumatological Conditions, we specialize
in meeting the needs of patients suffering from all forms of arthritis.
Our experience helps us define exact cause of your symptoms, offer
the most appropriate treatments to relieve pain and slow the progression
of the disease, and provide expert care to greatly improve your quality
of life.
Choose an item below to learn more about our medical team, clinical
services and our comprehensive, compassionate approach to care:
At The Center for Arthritis and Rheumatological Conditions at Monmouth
Medical Center, we’ve brought together an outstanding team of
specialists to focus on the diagnosis, treatment and management of more
than 100 types of arthritis, autoimmune diseases, and joint-related
and soft tissue disorders.
This unparalleled expertise offers our patients the region’s
most comprehensive approach to care, and the most advanced treatments,
therapies and resources to reduce the pain and challenges of living
with arthritis and related disorders.
Whether you suffer from osteoarthritis, in which pain is caused by
the wearing down of the protective cartilage that cushions the joints,
or rheumatoid arthritis, in which inflammation is part of an autoimmune
response that destroys tissues, joints, ligaments and tendons, our
physicians can help. As specialists in arthritis care, we
work together to prescribe the best therapies and treatments to meet
patients’ lifestyles, and overall needs.
Additionally, we treat all forms of soft-tissue injuries, including
sports-related or overuse injuries to the joints, ligaments, and tendons.
We pinpoint the cause of the problem and offer treatments and therapies
that facilitate healing and functional recovery.
Our medical team is lead by:
Mutahir Ali Abidi, MD FACR
Medical Director
A board certified rheumatologist, Dr. Mutahir Abidi, medical director
of the Center for Arthritis and Rheumatological Conditions at Monmouth
Medical Center, specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of oseteoarthritis,
rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis and is highly trained in progressive
biologic treatment of inflammatory arthritic conditions such as rheumatoid
arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, reactive arthritis, and ankylosing
spondylitis. He has a particular interest in joint-related and soft-tissue
disorders including inflammatory joint diseases, fibromyalgia, lyme
disease and connective tissue disorders such as lupus erythematosus.
Working with a team of professionals who specialize in arthritis
and rheumatologic conditions, Dr. Abidi offers some of the most promising
treatments and therapies, as well as office-based procedures like
intraarticular injections for arthritis, bursa injections for bursitis,
and tendon injections for treating tendonitis. He also established
an infusion center at Monmouth Medical Center to ensure that patients
of the Center have access to the most current and highly effective
intravenous medication to treat various types of arthritis and osteoporosis
conditions.
To ensure a comprehensive approach to patient care, Dr. Abidi collaborates
with physicians of various specialties as a means to focus on the
diagnosis, treatment and management of symptoms. With Monmouth Medical
Center as a leading New Jersey university-level academic medical center,
Dr. Abidi has extensive involvement in teaching the community’s
future generation of physicians
and implementing research in the field of Rheumatology.
He received his internal medicine residency training at Drexel
University College of Medicine, where he then completed a fellowship
in rheumatology before entering private practice. Board certified
in internal medicine and rheumatology, Dr. Abidi earned his medical
degree from Ross University School of Medicine, graduating with highest
honors and capturing the Robert Ross Academic Excellence Award.
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The Center for Arthritis and Rheumatological Conditions treats more
than 100 forms of arthritis and autoimmune disorders, including:
- Osteoarthritis: Also known as degenerative
arthritis, osteoarthritis is a type of arthritis that is caused
by the breakdown and eventual loss of the cartilage of one or
more joints
- Rheumatoid Arthritis: An
autoimmune disease (illnesses that occur when the body tissues
are mistakenly attacked by its immune system) that causes chronic
inflammation of the joints, rheumatoid arthritis can also cause
inflammation of the tissue around the joints, as well as other
organs in the body.
- Gout: Also called metabolic arthritis, gout
is one of the most common forms of arthritis. People who suffer
from gout experience a higher than normal level of uric acid
in their system. This condition, called hyperuricaemia, can cause microscopic
crystals to form in various joints.
- Fibromyalgia: A chronic pain illness characterized
by widespread musculoskeletal aches, pain, and stiffness, soft
tissue tenderness, general fatigue, and sleep disturbances. The
most common sites of pain include the neck, back, shoulders,
pelvic girdle, and hands, but any body part can be affected.
- Osteoporosis: A condition that features loss
of the normal density of bone and fragile bone.
- Scleroderma: Also referred to as systemic
sclerosis, sclerodermais is an autoimmune disease of the connective
tissue that is characterized by the formation of scar tissue
(fibrosis) in the skin and organs of the body.
- Spondyloarthritis: The general name for a
family of inflammatory rheumatic diseases that can affect the
spine, joints, ligaments and tendons. These diseases can cause
fatigue and pain or stiffness in the back, neck, hands, knees,
and ankles as well as inflammation of the eyes, skin, lungs,
and heart valves.
- Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Also known as
Lupus, this is a condition of chronic inflammation caused by
an autoimmune disease. Patients with lupus produce abnormal antibodies
in their blood that target tissues within their own body rather
than foreign infectious agents.
- Metabolic diseases of the bone: Conditions
primarily caused by lack of vitamin D, calcium, or phosphate,
which leads to softening and weakening of the bones (known as
Osteomalacia, Rickets, Secondary nutritional hyperparathyroidism
or Fibrous osteodystrophy).
- Regional musculoskeletal pain syndromes: Pain
disorder that may involve either a single muscle or a muscle
group. The pain may be a burning, stabbing or aching.
- Joint infections
- Non-surgical exercise-related joint and muscle injury
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Arthritis is a term referring to a wide range of diseases that have
complex and unrelated causes and symptoms that affect the joints. That’s
why having access to physicians from a wide range of specialties in
one location offers the most comprehensive care. Patients benefit
from our patient-centered philosophy of care, and the collaborative
efforts of a team of specialists working together on their behalf.
This multidisciplinary team approach ensures easy, convenient access
to the region’s best specialists, including:
- Rheumatologists
- Orthopedists
- Endocrinologists
- Physiatrists
- Physical therapists
- Occupational Therapists
- Pain Management specialists
- Nutritionists
- Radiologists
- Certified Nurse Infusion Specialists
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Nearly half of all Americans with arthritis believe there is little
that can be done to help them. While it is true that arthritis
can be extremely painful, it is a disease that can be managed with
the proper care, and expertise. Accurate diagnosis is the first
step to reversing, eliminating or decreasing painful symptoms of disease.
At The Center for Arthritis and Rheumatological Conditions we offer
the newest, most promising treatments and therapies for arthritis,
as well as on-site infusion therapy for patients with autoimmune disorders
and osteoporosis. Our highly-trained Certified Infusion Nurse Specialists
administer proven intravenous medications, including:
- Remicade, Orencia and Rituxan – revolutionary
new treatments for rheumatoid arthritis
- Cytoxan – for severe rheumatoid arthritis and lupus erythematosus
- IVIG – (Intravenous Immune Globulin) for lupus and fibromyalgia
- Aredia – for severe osteoporosis
- Zometa and Boniva – for severe osteoporosis
Medications for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis can reduce pain
and increase functionality and, for many, may be a possible alternative
to surgery. These medications include:
For every patient, our physicians also coordinate services with other
specialists, as needed, for total integration of care. From
the fitting of orthopedic supports and braces, to the use of adaptive
equipment, to the creation of special exercise and nutrition programs,
our patients have easy access to expertise and resources that greatly
improve their quality of life.
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Monmouth Medical Center offers a vast array of outpatient diagnostic
services under one roof. At The Center for Arthritis and Rheumatological
Conditions, we combine convenience with high-technology for the highest
level of care.
Our state-of-the-art technology includes on-site Magnetic Resonance
Imaging (MRI), which provides detailed images of soft tissue and bone
to show disease progression and help identify appropriate therapies.
We also utilize the latest technology for bone densitometry (DEXA
scan) to identify patients’ risk of osteoporosis, and to track
the effects of treatment on all stages of bone disease such as osteoporosis,
and osteopenia.
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The Center for Arthritis and Rheumatological Conditions also offers
a wide range of support groups, patient education programs, and access
to a vast array of community resources for patients and families. Our
mission is to help you successfully manage your arthritis, reduce
pain, and live life to the fullest.
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Isn’t it time you took control of your arthritis? We’re
here to help — with the region’s most advanced, most comprehensive
arthritis care, in one convenient location. For more information,
or to make an appointment with one of our experienced arthritis specialists,
please call (732) 923-7550. We have office hours Monday through Friday,
from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.
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