Martin Health System | For your health | Winter 2018

martinhealth.org 7 Martin Health Physician Group welcomes Sukanya Pachaidee, MD Rheumatologist Sukanya Pachaidee, MD, has always been drawn to medicine. She started her medical career in California, first as a research assistant and then as a registered nurse for nine years. In 1995, she chose to pursue a degree in medicine. She completed her studies at St. George’s University School of Medicine in Grenada, West Indies, and her residency training in internal medicine at Albany Medical College in New York. Dr. Pachaidee then completed a rheumatology fellowship at New York Medical College. Dr. Pachaidee treats osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, spondyloarthropathy, gout, lupus, scleroderma, ankylosing spondylitis, pseudogout, myositis, tendinitis, vasculitis, polymyalgia rheumatica, bursitis, trigger finger, carpal tunnel syndrome, shoulder pain, hip pain, tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow. IF LATELY your hands have felt a bit achy, swollen and stiff, you might think that’s just another middle-aged pain to mention to your doctor—someday. You’re right about the part to tell your doctor. But not about the part to wait. The reason? You may have rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Getting a timely diagnosis—and starting treatment as soon as possible—can help limit the amount of destruc- tion RA causes to the joints. Unlike osteoarthritis, RA isn’t caused by wear and tear of the joints. Instead, the body’s defense SCHEDULE YOUR VISIT WITH DR. PACHAIDEE. 2150 SE Salerno Road, Suite 200, Stuart, FL 34997 772.245.2300 RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS Don’t delay in getting help system mistakenly attacks healthy tissues around the joints, often damaging the hands, wrists, fingers or feet. In some cases RA can affect other major organs. Signs and symptoms Stiff joints is a common symptom of both osteoarthritis and RA, but the stiffness from RA is often worse in the morning and may last several hours, even the entire day. Osteoarthritis usually doesn’t cause prolonged morning stiffness. Other signs and symptoms of RA include a loss of energy, low fevers, and firm lumps under the skin in places such as the elbow and hands. What do rheumatologists do? A rheumatologist is a physician who received further training in the diagnosis and treatment of mus- culoskeletal disease and systemic autoimmune conditions, commonly referred to as rheumatic diseases. These diseases can affect the joints, muscles and bones, causing pain, swelling, stiffness and deformity. Rheumatologists treat joint disease, but unlike an orthopaedist, they do not perform surgeries. RHEUMATOLOGY