A Brief Overview of Rheumatology

What is Rheumatology?

Rheumatology is a medical sub-specialty which deals with bone, joint and connective tissue disorders. Most of these disorders are autoimmune in nature i.e., an individual’s immune system affects his/her own tissues and organs.

Rheumatologists are physicians managing these disorders with medicines, injections and exercises.

Common Diseases Treated

• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Ankylosing spondylitis/spondyloarthritis
• Psoriatic arthritis
• Gout
• Osteoporosis
• Osteoarthritis

Less Common Diseases Treated

• SLE (systemic lupus erythematosus/lupus)
• Systemic sclerosis/mixed connective tissue disease
• Sjogren’s syndrome
• Vasculitis (e.g., Takayasu’s arteritis, ANCA vasculitis, etc.)
• Sarcoidosis

When to Visit a Rheumatologist?

• Pain and/or early morning stiffness in multiple joints (rheumatoid arthritis)
• Low back pain and early morning stiffness (spondyloarthritis)
• Any non-traumatic bone or joint pain
• High uric acid with joint pain (gout)
• Fracture after a trivial or minor fall (fracture due to osteoporosis)
• Young females with fever, joint pains, oral ulcers and excessive hair loss (lupus/SLE)
• Non-healing ulcer in legs (vasculitis)
• Recurrent red eye or eye inflammation
• Dry mouth and dry eyes (Sjogren’s syndrome)
• Color change (white/blue) in fingers on cold exposure (Raynaud’s phenomenon)
• Recurrent miscarriages/recurrent blood clots (anti-phospholipid antibody syndrome)

Common Investigations

• Hemogram with ESR
• C-reactive protein
• Serum uric acid
• Rheumatoid factor & anti-CCP
• Anti-nuclear antibody
• Anti-neutrophilic cytoplasmic antibody
• HLA-B27/B51
• Anti-phospholipid antibodies
• 25-OH vitamin D levels, calcium, phosphorus
• X-ray/ultrasound/MRI/DXA SCAN

“One-stop care for rheumatic diseases at Kauvery Hospital.”
“As we have a qualified rheumatologist, physician assistant, physiotherapy, laboratory investigations, imaging (x-ray, MRI), pharmacy, intra-articular injections, day-care biologic infusions and in-patient care for the management of ill patient.”