Rheumatology Diagnoses
The medical speciality of Rheumatology covers a range of conditions but the most common diagnoses are described below.
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is form of ‘wear and tear’ of the joints of the body. This occurs particularly with increasing age and with injuries or damage to joints. If the damage within a joint begins to increase over time this can result in increasing pain, swelling and stiffness in a joint. This can make patients with osteoarthritis in one joint, rely and indeed overload other joints to compensate for the osteoarthritis. Therefore many joints can become painful in osteoarthritis. There are multiple therapies that can be considered (that do not require surgery) and therefore early diagnosis and early treatment are important.
Back pain and spondylosis
Back pain is a common complaint and can occur for many different reasons. When back pain persists, it is important to make a thorough assessment to consider the most likely cause. There are often similar features shared between common ‘mechanical’ back pain and spondyloarthritis (described below). Getting the diagnosis right first time is important to get the best outcome. Therefore it is important to distinguish the cause, to ensure an early diagnosis and the correct treatments are started as soon as possible.
Gout
Gout is a painful form of arthritis which is the commonest cause of ‘inflammatory arthritis’. It can affect almost any joint in the body. Gout is more common as we get older and in men. It is caused when uric acid crystals occur in and around the joints. These can trigger attacks of painful joint swelling that affect one or more joints. Uric acid is a normal product of the body. However some people have higher levels in the blood and this encourages the uric acid to form in and around the joints. Unlike many types of inflammatory arthritis, gout is ‘curable’ with the correct treatment. Recurrent painful attacks of gout are very disabling and the good news is these can be stopped for many people by starting the correct treatment and carefully adjusting this (individually tailored to each patient). There are many reasons why people with gout continue to struggle needlessly and these can often be solved, to the great relief of many patients with gout.
Rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is a condition that typically presents with pain, swelling and stiffness in the joints of the body. This condition occurs when the immune system, which is the natural self-defence system of the body, becomes confused and then attacks the healthy tissues of the body including the joints. When the joints are attacked, they become inflamed, painful, stiff and swollen. If this persists then permanent damage can then occur. There are many effective therapies for this condition and therefore an early diagnosis typically results in better outcomes.
Spondyloarthritis
Spondyloarthritis is an umbrella term that describes a family of related forms of arthritis. These typically present with pain, swelling and stiffness of the joints of the body. This includes the joints of the arms and legs as well as the spine and pelvis. There may also be inflammation of the eyes, skin, bowel and tendons. If this inflammation persists then permanent damage can then occur. However there are effective therapies for these conditions and an early diagnosis typically results in better outcomes.
Autoimmune Connective Tissue Disease, Vasculitis and Sarcoidosis
These conditions can cause inflammation and damage to some or many parts of the human body including the skin, joints, muscles, lungs, heart, eyes, the nervous system and beyond. This includes conditions such as Lupus, Sjӧgrens, Myositis, Scleroderma, Mixed Connective tissue disease, anti-phospholipid syndrome, vasculitis and sarcoidosis. This group of conditions occurs when the immune system, which is the natural self-defence system of the body, becomes confused and then attacks the healthy tissues of the body. There are effective therapies for these conditions and an early diagnosis typically results in better outcomes.
Polymyalgia Rheumatica, Temporal Arteritis (Giant cell arteritis), Large Vessel Vasculitis
These conditions are a family of related forms of inflammation that can affect the blood vessels and joint tissues. This group of conditions occurs when the immune system, which is the natural self-defence system of the body, becomes confused and then attacks the healthy tissues of the body including the blood vessels. They can present with a range of different symptoms including aching around the thighs, pelvis, spine and shoulders, a new headache, loss of vision, loss of appetite and weight to name a few. There are effective therapies for these conditions and an early diagnosis typically results in better outcomes.
