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Rheumatoid arthritis

Swelling and stiffness in the small joints of the hands and feet, worst in the morning and lasting more than an hour. It is an immune condition, not wear and tear — and the first months of treatment matter enormously.

Do not wait for an appointment

Time matters more in this condition than in almost any other.

  • Morning stiffness lasting more than an hour
  • Swelling in the small joints of the hands or feet, on BOTH sides
  • Symptoms lasting more than six weeks
  • Fever, weight loss or severe fatigue alongside it
  • Neck pain, arm tingling or unsteadiness in someone with long-standing rheumatoid — this needs assessing before any operation
Sheet 52 · Joint protection and hand exercisesBone & joint diseaseEarly treatment changes the long-term outcome

Do this

  • Get to a rheumatologist quickly. Treatment started early prevents joint damage that cannot be undone
  • Keep the joints moving — Sheet 52
  • Protect the joints: larger handles, both hands for lifting, tools that reduce grip force
  • Tell every doctor and every anaesthetist that you have rheumatoid arthritis, especially before surgery
  • Keep taking the medication when you feel well — that is why you feel well

Avoid this

  • Waiting to see if it settles. The first months are the ones that count
  • Assuming it is ordinary arthritis because you are older
  • Stopping treatment without discussing it
  • Having any operation without your neck being considered first

The questions everybody asks

Is this the same as the arthritis my grandmother had?

No. This is an immune disease, not wear and tear.

And unlike wear-and-tear arthritis, this one responds to medication that can stop the damage. That is why the diagnosis matters so much.

Why do you ask about my neck?

Because long-standing rheumatoid can loosen the top of the neck, and that matters under anaesthetic.

It is checked before surgery. It is a small check that prevents a catastrophic complication, and it is the reason we ask every time.

Will I end up with deformed hands?

Far less often than a generation ago.

Modern treatment has changed this disease profoundly. The people who do best are the ones who started treatment early.

Open the exercise sheet

Pictures, how many and how often, and what it should feel like. Free, and printable.

Guides for you

In your language, free to download. Each one is a short PDF you can keep on your phone or print.

Methotrexate Englishहिंदीमराठी
Eating with Arthritis Englishहिंदीमराठी
Your Steroid Tablets Englishहिंदीमराठी
Starting to Exercise Safely Englishहिंदीमराठी

On cost: if we suggest a scan, an injection or an operation, ask us what it costs and what happens if you do nothing. We will answer both. You should never feel pushed into spending money.

Consultation is ₹500 for a first visit and ₹300 for a follow-up, the same at both clinics. For anything else, ask at the desk or on WhatsApp before it is done — we will tell you the exact cost.

Should you come and see us?

A page is a starting point, not a diagnosis. If the pain is not settling, come in and have it looked at properly — bring any X-ray, MRI or CT films you already have.

Nallasopara West

Opposite Patil Hospital

Shop No. 14, Veena Apartment,
Opposite Patil Hospital, near Panchmukhi Hanuman Mandir,
S.T. Stand Road, Nallasopara West — 401203

Monday to Saturday
12:00 noon – 2:00 pm  ·  7:30 pm – 9:30 pm
Sunday by prior appointment only

Call 87665 22099

Virar East

Opposite Parimal Hospital

Shop No. 7, Damodar Tower,
Opposite Parimal Hospital, Morya Nagar,
Manvel Pada Road, Virar East — 401305

Monday to Saturday
5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Sunday by prior appointment only

Call 92702 84859

Other conditions

Ready when you are.

Call either clinic during consulting hours, or send a WhatsApp message any time.

Nallasopara West Virar East