Doctor specialising in treatment of Rheumatic Disorders
Whether you already have a diagnosis or are expecting one in the near future, living with a rheumatic disorder can require lifestyle changes, medical treatment and support. Finding a doctor specialising in treatment of rheumatic disorders is key to getting the right plan for managing your condition and in many instances the best way of ensuring your condition causes you the least pain and discomfort.
There are a wide range of different rheumatic disorders and here is a closer look at just a few:
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis usually affects the fingers, toes wrists and other joints. They become swollen, stiff and in the most severe cases can appear misshapen, with permanent effect. There are hundreds of thousands of people with rheumatoid arthritis in the UK and it is a condition rheumatologists and researchers are working hard to find out more about the condition to offer even better treatments.
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is one of many arthritic conditions and there are around eight million people in the UK who have some degree of this condition. It effects the joints by eroding their lining.
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a condition which sees the loss of bone density over time. It is, to some degree, a natural consequence of ages and is most common in older people, most specifically women who have been through the menopause. Osteoporosis leads for painful joints but also results in many bone fractures with around 60,000 hip fractures in the UK due to this condition.
Psoriatic Arthritis
As the name suggests, psoriatic arthritis is linked to the painful skin condition psoriasis. It causes severe pain and swelling around the joints but also the skin and it effects around 1 in 14 people who are diagnosed with psoriasis.
Paget’s Disease
Paget’s diseases causes severe pain and often deformity due to a thickening of the bones. The spine and skull are usually the most effected and it effects around 5 in every 100 people aged 50 or over.
Related Symptoms of Rheumatic Disorders
Whilst pain in the joints, damage to the bones and inflammation are often the most typical symptom of rheumatic disorders, many conditions also affect the organs. Many rheumatic disorders are considered autoimmune conditions and they act against the body’s own internal defence.
The chronic inflammation related to many rheumatic disorders can result in conditions such as cardiovascular disease and nerve conditions. Anaemia is a common complaint too as is the risk of lung complications, which shows it is important to consider the other wider consequences when diagnosed with a rheumatic disorder.
Whilst this outlook may seem quite bleak it is often far from the case as a professional doctor specialising in treatment of rheumatic disorders will ensure you are placed on a treatment plan to alleviate your symptoms and improve your quality of life.
Contact Dr Stephanie Barrett
To discuss any Rheumatoid Arthritis treatments you would like help with please contact Dr Stephanie Barrett on:
Tel: 020 7730 8508
Email: enquiries@drstephaniebarrett.com