Rheumatology

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory and autoimmune disease (your immune system attacks and destroys healthy cells in your joints by mistake).

Symptoms include:

• Typically symmetrical swollen, stiff, and painful small joints (feet, hand, and wrist)
• It may involve larger joints
• Stiffness worsens in the morning 
• Fatigue
• Poor appetite
• Fever

Osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease is the commonest form of arthritis. It mainly occurs in the knee, hips, and fingers.  

Symptoms include:

• Joint pain during movements that worsens at the end of the day
• Crepitus 
• Joint instability
• Joint stiffness

PsA is an autoimmune disease associated with psoriasis (a chronic skin disease). It can affect small or large joints.

Symptoms include:

• Swollen, painful joints
• Joint stiffness
• Pain 
• Rashes
• Changes in colour and texture of nails
• Fatigue

This autoimmune disease affects the sacroiliac joints and spine. 

Symptoms include:

• Gradual onset of lower back pain that worsens at night
• Morning back stiffness
• Pain radiating to the hips and buttocks 
• Fatigue

Gout develops due to a build-up of uric acid crystals within the joint. It usually affects the big toe joint initially.

Symptoms include:

• Intense pain in joints like the big toe, knees, ankles, wrists, and fingers
• Red and swollen joints
• Joint stiffness

SLE is a chronic autoimmune disease that can affect multiple organs and can be fatal. Medical interventions and lifestyle modifications can help manage the disease.

Symptoms include:

• Itchy and painful rashes across cheeks (butterfly rash)
• Arthritis 
• Photosensitivity (sensitivity to light)
• Oral ulcers
• Seizure 
• Chest pain
• Fatigue
• Raynaud’s phenomenon - fingers and toes become white/pale or blue 

Systemic sclerosis is a connective tissue disorder that may affect your organs, blood circulation and skin

Symptoms include:

• Oedematous fingers (swelling due to fluid accumulation) 
• Shiny skin
• Thickening of the skin on fingers
• Joint pain
• Joint stiffness
• Raynaud’s phenomenon
• Telangiectasia- dilated blood vessels visible on the skin surface
• Pain while swallowing (odynophagia)
• Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)

Sjogren’s syndrome is an autoimmune disorder that affects moisture-producing glands (salivary and lacrimal glands).

Symptoms include:

• Dry eyes
• Dry mouth
• Dry skin
• Vaginal dryness
• Fatigue 
• Polyarthritis 
• Swelling between ears and jaw (swollen salivary glands)
• Joint or muscle pain

Vasculitis is an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation of the blood vessels. It can present as a minor problem to a more severe condition where it affects your entire body. 

Signs and symptoms of vasculitis depend on the type and severity of the disease. 

Common symptoms include:

• Fever
• Weight loss
• Loss of appetite
• Fatigue 
• Body aches