Rheumatology
Our Rheumatology Department offers a wide range of services to diagnose and treat joint, bone and connective tissue diseases in adults. We also provide a service for diagnosis and management of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (by visiting Paediatric Rheumatologists from Wolverhampton).
Our department includes a specialist service to diagnose, prevent and treat osteoporosis and other metabolic bone diseases in adults.
We offer high quality multidisciplinary care supported by nurse specialists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, pharmacists, orthotists and excellent specialist radiology services including bone densitometry (DXA) scanning.
In keeping with best quality clinical care we are actively involved in clinical trials and research to ensure our patients have access to the most up to date treatments.
Services
- Consultants and specialist nurse run outpatient clinics at RJAH for diagnosis and on-going management and disease surveillance.
- For rheumatology patients:
- Outreach clinics at Shrewsbury, Whitchurch and Newtown hospitals. Our consultants also run clinics at Telford and Ludlow . Visit the Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust Community Rheumatology page for more information.
- Day case admissions for drug infusions and joint injections.
- Inpatient beds on Sheldon Ward for medical management and intensive rehabilitation.
- For osteoporosis and metabolic patients:
- Bone densitometry scanning using DXA (Dual X-ray Absorptiometry) of the spine, hip, forearm, whole body and body composition measurements.
- Bone marker service (including measurement of a marker of bone breakdown in a urine sample).
- Peripatetic (mobile) service for intravenous treatment of bone disease. Available as an inpatient and day-case service at RJAH or at outreach clinics in Shrewsbury, Telford and Ludlow.
- Inpatient beds on Sheldon Ward for diagnosis and medical management.
Referrals
Referrals can be made for a range of conditions, including:
- Back, neck, shoulder and sodt tissue pain
- Chronic widespread pain including fibromyalgia
- Connective tissue disease
- Gout and other crystal deposition diseases
- Hypermobility
- Inflammatory arthritis (including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis)
- Osteoarthritis (non-surgical)
- Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)
- Vasculitis
Osteoporosis and metabolic bone disease referrals can be made for a range of conditions including:
- Aromatase inhibitor patients
- Glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis
- Postmenopausal and age related osteoporosis
- Male osteoporosis
- Paget's Disease of Bone
- Primary hyperparathyroidism
- Osteogenesis Impoerfecta - a genetic bone disorder also known as "brittle bone disease"
- Osteomalacia
- Other secondary causes of bone loss such as:
- Gut disorders including coeliac disease
- Crohn's disease
- Eating disorders such as anorexia
- Immobility, including patients after stroke or spinal cord injury
- Endocrine disorders such as Cushing's disease
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Renal bone disease
- Vitamin D deficiency
Referrals can be made via:
- NHS referral via your GP or another consultant. (In shropshire all referrals should be made via your GP unless there is an urgent clinical need).
- Private consultation via individuals consultant.
- For rheumatology patients who live in North Wales, the Local Health Board has requested that all new referrals should be directed to the rheumatology service at Wrexham Maelor hospital.
- Appointments are given for bone densitometry (DXA) scan only or a clinic appointment with a consultant. There is a 'Choose and Book' service available for DXA scans only, accessed through your GP, available through most Shropshire GP's.
Useful resources
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