Rheumatology

Symptoms of rheumatological conditions vary depending on the condition you have, how severe it is and other factors like your age and general health. Many rheumatological conditions share similar symptoms, such as pain, stiffness, and swelling.

Some common symptoms of rheumatological conditions include: 

Joint pain

Pain in your joints may be mild or severe and may occur some or all of the time. Pain can also be worse after rest, or during certain activities.

Stiffness

Joint stiffness is often worse in the morning or after periods of rest.

Swelling

Your affected joints may appear swollen, red, and feel warm to the touch.

Fatigue

Extreme tiredness and lack of energy even after rest is common with rheumatological conditions.

Difficulty moving

Pain and stiffness may make moving your affected joint difficult, leading to reduced mobility.

Rheumatology encompasses a range of musculoskeletal conditions that cause inflammation in your muscles, joints and other soft tissues. Many rheumatological conditions are autoimmune diseases, which occur when your immune system mistakenly attacks its own tissues. However, others, like osteoarthritis, have different causes.

Some common conditions include:

Rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is a condition that can cause pain, swelling and stiffness in joints. It is what is known as an auto-immune condition. This means that the immune system, which is the body’s natural self-defence system, gets confused and starts to attack your body’s healthy tissues. In rheumatoid arthritis, the main way it does this is with inflammation in your joints.

Psoriatic arthritis

Psoriatic arthritis can cause pain, swelling and stiffness in and around your joints. It affects about 1 in 4 people who already have the skin condition psoriasis. Psoriasis causes patches of red, flaky skin which is covered with silvery-like patches. Some people may develop psoriatic arthritis before the psoriasis is even present.

Early inflammatory arthritis

New onset early inflammatory arthritis is characterised by unexplained joint swelling, pain and stiffness. Symptoms are typically worse first thing in the morning and relieved with activity. You should suspect early inflammatory arthritis where your joint pain is new in the last 6-12 weeks and associated with joint swelling and early morning stiffness of greater than 30 minutes.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis. It occurs when the protective cartilage that cushions the ends of your bones gradually wears away, causing joint pain, stiffness, and swelling. It is a degenerative disease that often develops as people age.

Crystal arthritis

This a painful form of inflammatory joint disease. It happens when microscopic crystals build up in the fluid and cartilage of your joints. When these sharp crystals shed into the joint space, your immune system overreacts, causing sudden and severe swelling, redness, and pain. The most common form of crystal arthritis is gout.

Ankylosing spondylitis

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a long-term inflammatory disease that primarily affects the spine and sacroiliac joints. Over time, it can cause the bones in your spine (vertebrae) to fuse together, leading to chronic pain, stiffness, and reduced flexibility

Giant Cell arteritis

Giant cell arteritis, also known as temporal arteritis, is a condition where arteries, particularly those at the side of the head (the temples), become inflamed (swollen). It is called ‘giant cell’ because abnormally large cells gather in the artery walls. It's a serious condition that requires urgent treatment. The symptoms of GCA include fatigue, loss of appetite, weight loss, fever and headache. This is often accompanied by tenderness over the temples, due to inflammation of the underlying blood vessels.

Vasculitis

Vasculitis is the name of a group of conditions that cause inflammation of the blood vessels. Inflammation is your immune system's natural response to injury or infection. It causes swelling and can help the body deal with invading germs. But in vasculitis, for some reason the immune system attacks healthy blood vessels, causing them to become swollen and narrow. There are many types of vasulitis.

Lupus

Lupus is a long-term condition that can cause inflammation in the skin, organs, and in various other places in the body.

Our team are passionate about patient-focused care with medical treatment, patient education and exercise. Sometimes, conditions are treated with:

Hyaluronic acid injections

Hyaluronic acid (HA) injections, often called "gel injections," are used to treat joint pain, particularly knee osteoarthritis, by lubricating the joint, improving movement, and reducing inflammation.

Image-guided spinal injections

Image-guided spinal injections for arthritis involve using real-time imaging (like X-ray or CT scans) to precisely deliver anti-inflammatory medications or numbing agents into the affected joints or nerves of the spine.

MSK ultrasound

Musculoskeletal (MSK) ultrasound is a highly precise, non-invasive, radiation-free imaging tool used for the real-time evaluation of joints, tendons, ligaments, and nerves. It is particularly valuable for the early diagnosis and monitoring of inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, gout, and psoriatic arthritis.

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections

PPRP injections use your own blood to help heal injuries to joints and tendons. A small blood sample is spun to concentrate platelets, which are then injected into the affected area. These platelets release growth factors that support healing, reduce pain and improve function.

The first step for any patient is usually an initial consultation. Unless your GP or insurer has told you otherwise, you should book your first appointment with a member of our rheumatology team.

Our rheumatology consultants are listed below, where there are more details of their areas of clinical interest and appointment times. Alternatively, please call our dedicated team of friendly advisors on 020 8546 6677.

At Kingston Private Health, you can either use your private health insurance or pay for your own treatment.