Overview of Rheumatological Conditions
Detailed information on symptoms, investigations and modern therapies.
At Pure Rheumatology London, Dr. Naveen Bhadauria is a specialist rheumatologist offering expert diagnosis and personalised care for a wide range of rheumatic, autoimmune, and musculoskeletal conditions. Early detection and targeted treatment are key to preventing long-term joint damage, reducing pain, and improving quality of life.
If you have persistent joint pain, stiffness, swelling, fatigue, or unexplained systemic symptoms (skin, eyes, lungs, etc.), consult a rheumatologist. Many conditions respond best when treated early.
Below is an overview of the key conditions Dr. Naveen Bhadauria manages, with symptoms, diagnosis, treatment approaches, and when specialist care is required.
Conditions Covered on This Page
- Osteoarthritis
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Psoriatic Arthritis
- Pain in Multiple Joints (Polyarthralgia)
- Lower Back Pain
- Back Pain
- Ankylosing Spondylitis
- Hand Pain
- Lupus
- Soft Tissue Rheumatism
- Carpal Tunnel
- Neck Pain
- Gout
- Shoulder Pain
- Osteoporosis
- Raynaud’s Phenomenon
- Rheumatoid Arthritis Early Diagnosis
What to Expect at Your Appointment
A thorough assessment focused on your symptoms and treatment goals.
- Comprehensive review of your symptoms and medical history
- Detailed joint and musculoskeletal examination
- Diagnostic tests if needed (blood work, ultrasound, or imaging)
- Clear explanation of findings and tailored treatment plan
- Time to ask questions and discuss your options
Get in contact today and book your private consultation.
Osteoarthritis
Degenerative joint changes and typical symptoms.
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the degenerative “wear-and-tear” form of arthritis, where joint cartilage gradually breaks down and bone changes develop. Symptoms include joint pain (worsening with activity), stiffness after rest, limited range of motion, and occasional swelling. Risk factors include age, joint injury, obesity, and genetics.
Diagnosis is typically by clinical examination and imaging (X-ray, ultrasound, MRI), with lab tests used to exclude inflammatory causes. Management focuses on lifestyle and non-drug measures, analgesics/NSAIDs, joint injections, and in severe cases surgical referral. A rheumatologist brings expertise in complex cases, overlapping conditions, and optimising long-term care.
Rheumatoid Arthritis Early Diagnosis
Autoimmune inflammation and characteristic symptoms.
Early diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is crucial to prevent joint damage and long-term disability. Symptoms may include joint pain, swelling, and stiffness lasting more than 30 minutes in the morning, often affecting both sides of the body.
Diagnosis involves a careful history, physical examination, blood tests such as rheumatoid factor and anti-CCP antibodies, and imaging with ultrasound or MRI to detect early inflammation. Starting treatment promptly with disease-modifying drugs (DMARDs) or biologics can significantly improve long-term outcomes.
Psoriatic Arthritis
Inflammation linked to psoriasis and joint symptoms.
Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is an inflammatory arthritis associated with psoriasis. It can affect peripheral joints, entheses (tendon insertions), and the spine, and may present asymmetrically. Symptoms include joint pain, swelling, dactylitis (“sausage digits”), nail changes, and skin lesions. Diagnosis requires correlation of rheumatologic and dermatologic findings, imaging, and exclusion of other disorders.
Treatment includes DMARDs, biologics, NSAIDs, steroids, and coordinated dermatology care.
Pain in Multiple Joints (Polyarthralgia)
Common causes of pain affecting multiple joints.
Polyarthralgia refers to pain affecting several joints at once, which can result from simple wear and tear or more serious inflammatory conditions. Symptoms may include aching, stiffness, and reduced range of movement, often without visible swelling or redness.
Diagnosis involves a careful history, examination, blood tests, and imaging to determine whether the cause is mechanical, metabolic, infectious, or autoimmune.
Treatment depends on the underlying condition and may include pain relief, physiotherapy, lifestyle measures, or disease-specific therapies.
Lower Back Pain
Physiotherapy, pain management and specialist treatment.
Lower back pain is a common complaint that can arise from mechanical strain, degenerative changes, or underlying inflammatory conditions such as axial spondyloarthritis. Symptoms range from localised aching and stiffness to pain that radiates into the legs or worsens at night. Diagnosis may involve physical examination, imaging (X-ray, MRI), and blood tests to rule out inflammatory or systemic causes.
Management includes physiotherapy, exercise, pain relief, and, when indicated, specialist treatments for underlying rheumatologic disease.
Back Pain
Exercise therapy, pain relief and targeted rheumatologic treatment.
Back pain can result from muscle or ligament strain, degenerative changes in the spine, or underlying inflammatory conditions such as ankylosing spondylitis. Symptoms may include stiffness, aching, or sharp pain that sometimes radiates to other areas. Diagnosis involves a thorough clinical assessment, imaging such as X-ray or MRI, and blood tests where an inflammatory cause is suspected.
Treatment ranges from physiotherapy and exercise programmes to pain relief and, if needed, targeted therapies for specific rheumatologic conditions.
Ankylosing Spondylitis
Inflammatory spinal arthritis that can lead to stiffness and reduced mobility.
This form of inflammatory arthritis primarily affects the spine and sacroiliac joints, and over time can cause reduced spinal flexibility or fusion. Patients commonly report chronic back pain (often worse at night), stiffness, and improvement with exercise. Extra-articular features may include uveitis and gut involvement.
Diagnosis uses imaging (X-rays, MRI) and may include HLA-B27 testing. Treatment includes NSAIDs, physical therapy/exercise, and biologic therapies if needed.
Hand Pain
Common causes of hand pain and how they are assessed.
Back pain can result from muscle or ligament strain, degenerative changes in the spine, or underlying inflammatory conditions such as ankylosing spondylitis. Symptoms may include stiffness, aching, or sharp pain that sometimes radiates to other areas. Diagnosis involves a thorough clinical assessment, imaging such as X-ray or MRI, and blood tests where an inflammatory cause is suspected.
Treatment ranges from physiotherapy and exercise programmes to pain relief and, if needed, targeted therapies for specific rheumatologic conditions.
Lupus
A complex autoimmune disease that can affect multiple organs.
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) & Connective Tissue Diseases.
These autoimmune, multisystem conditions can affect joints, skin, kidneys, blood, lungs and more. Patients may present with arthralgia/arthritis, rash (e.g. “butterfly” malar rash), photosensitivity, proteinuria, cytopenias, serositis, and other systemic signs. Diagnosis depends on a combination of clinical criteria and autoantibody testing (ANA, anti-dsDNA, complement levels). Management includes immunosuppression, steroids, biologics, and careful monitoring of organ involvement.
Soft Tissue Rheumatism
Painful conditions affecting muscles, tendons and surrounding tissues.
Soft tissue rheumatism refers to painful conditions affecting structures around the joints, such as muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bursae. Common examples include tendonitis, bursitis, and fibromyalgia. Symptoms often include localised pain, tenderness, and reduced movement, sometimes with swelling in the affected area.
Diagnosis is usually clinical, supported by imaging such as ultrasound if needed, to rule out joint disease. Treatment may involve rest, physiotherapy, pain relief, local injections, and lifestyle measures such as exercise and posture correction.
Carpal Tunnel
Median nerve compression at the wrist causing hand symptoms.
Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve is compressed as it passes through the wrist, leading to pain, numbness, tingling, and weakness in the hand and fingers. Symptoms are often worse at night or with repetitive wrist movements. Diagnosis is based on history, examination, and sometimes nerve conduction studies.
Treatment may include wrist splints, activity modification, steroid injections, or, in persistent cases, surgical release of the nerve.
Neck Pain
Common causes of neck pain and stiffness.
Neck pain is a frequent problem that may result from muscle strain, poor posture, degenerative changes such as cervical spondylosis, or less commonly, inflammatory or autoimmune conditions. Symptoms include stiffness, aching, reduced range of motion, and sometimes pain radiating into the shoulders or arms. Diagnosis involves a clinical assessment, supported by imaging such as X-ray or MRI when needed.
Treatment may include physiotherapy, posture correction, pain relief, and in certain cases, targeted rheumatologic therapies if an underlying inflammatory cause is identified.
Gout
Crystal induced arthritis causing sudden, severe joint inflammation.
Gout is caused by deposition of monosodium urate crystals in joints, triggering acute inflammatory attacks. Other crystal arthropathies (e.g. calcium pyrophosphate) also exist. Episodes present with sudden, intense pain, swelling, redness (often starting in the big toe).
Diagnosis is confirmed by joint aspiration and microscopic crystal identification; imaging and blood uric acid levels support diagnosis. Treatment involves acute therapies (NSAIDs, colchicine, steroids) and long-term urate-lowering therapy plus lifestyle change.
Shoulder Pain
Common causes of shoulder pain and restricted movement.
Shoulder pain can arise from rotator cuff problems, bursitis, tendonitis, osteoarthritis, or inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. Symptoms may include aching, stiffness, weakness, or reduced range of movement, sometimes worsening at night or when lifting the arm. Diagnosis is based on physical examination and may be supported by imaging such as ultrasound, X-ray, or MRI.
Treatment ranges from rest, physiotherapy, and pain relief to corticosteroid injections or disease-specific therapies if an underlying rheumatologic condition is identified.
Osteoporosis
Reduced bone strength increasing the risk of fractures.
Osteoporosis is a condition where bone density and strength are reduced, increasing the risk of fractures, particularly in the spine, hip, and wrist. It is often silent until a fracture occurs, though symptoms can include back pain, height loss, or stooped posture from vertebral fractures. Diagnosis is made using a DEXA bone density scan and blood tests to assess for secondary causes.
Treatment may include calcium and vitamin D supplementation, lifestyle measures such as weight-bearing exercise, and medications like bisphosphonates, denosumab, or other bone-strengthening therapies.
Raynaud’s Phenomenon
Vascular spasm of the fingers and toes triggered by cold or stress.
Raynaud’s phenomenon is a condition where small blood vessels in the fingers and toes overreact to cold or stress, causing colour changes (white, blue, then red), numbness, tingling, or pain. It may occur on its own (primary Raynaud’s) or be associated with underlying autoimmune or connective tissue diseases (secondary Raynaud’s).
Diagnosis is usually clinical, but blood tests may be performed to rule out systemic causes. Management includes keeping warm, avoiding triggers, and, in more severe cases, medications to improve circulation.
Rheumatoid Arthritis Early Diagnosis
Reduced bone strength increasing the risk of fractures.
Early diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is crucial to prevent joint damage and long-term disability. Symptoms may include joint pain, swelling, and stiffness lasting more than 30 minutes in the morning, often affecting both sides of the body.
Diagnosis involves a careful history, physical examination, blood tests such as rheumatoid factor and anti-CCP antibodies, and imaging with ultrasound or MRI to detect early inflammation. Starting treatment promptly with disease-modifying drugs (DMARDs) or biologics can significantly improve long-term outcomes.
