If you haven’t been feeling quite right for some time and your GP suspects you have arthritis and wants you to see a specialist rheumatologist for further diagnosis, it is understandable that you will feel worried about this.
Whether arthritis is a disease that is entirely new to you, or you have family members or friends that have the condition, you can feel very scared and overwhelmed by your new situation.
Dr Bhadauria and his team are here to help reassure you that getting a diagnosis for arthritis isn’t all bad news. It can help you to learn more about rheumatoid arthritis and understand that with today’s modern holistic, multi-disciplinary treatment approach used by our team, you can still live an active and fulfilling life.
Dispelling common myths about arthritis
It can be natural for you to feel scared based on your diagnosis alone. Many people think that arthritis only affects older people and that having it will severely restrict your life.
Nothing could be further from the truth, and firstly it can help to understand your diagnosis and the differences and similarities between different arthritic health conditions.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA): If you have been diagnosed with RA, this is an autoimmune disease where the body starts to attack its own tissues.
Osteoarthritis: If you have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis, this is a common condition caused by the wear and tear of the supporting cartilage between your joints.
Both of these conditions are called arthritis, and both share the same symptoms of joint pain, but that is where the similarities between these two conditions end.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
RA has a systemic effect on the body. It creates an inflammatory state within your body that can affect many joints, organs and bodily functions throughout your system.
It is essential that you don’t leave RA untreated, so once you start to feel symptoms that could be indicative of RA, make sure you see your GP for help or simply book a private consultation with Dr Bhadauria and his team at one of his London-based clinics.
Consulting with a specialist rheumatologist such as Dr Bhadauria can help to put your mind at ease. You may have been experiencing some inflammatory symptoms that you don’t understand.
Having a consultation that includes a physical examination and a full panel of blood tests can confirm or rule out inflammatory conditions such as psoriatic arthritis or spondylitis that may be the cause of your symptoms.
Treating the body holistically
No matter what inflammatory arthritis condition you are diagnosed with, Dr Bhadauria and his team like to take a multi-disciplinary approach to tailor an individual treatment plan for each patient.
Unfortunately, in many cases, people with arthritis are only given prescription medication to manage their condition and then are left alone to cope with their new diagnosis without any support.
This is not the case with Dr Bhadauria and his dedicated and caring team. He offers a complete package of support to his patients that includes diagnosing, managing and rehabilitating patients with all types of musculoskeletal conditions.
Medical treatments can include steroid joint injections and prescription analgesic pain relief, but long-term management plans will consist of physiotherapy and diet and lifestyle changes to achieve better treatment results.
The ongoing support from Dr Bhadauria and his team can help to reassure you that your long term health and management of your condition is in excellent hands.
