Rheumatology in Suffolk

St Edmunds Hospital is located on the beautiful St. Mary's Square, just across from the Greene King Brewery in Bury St Edmunds. People visit us from Newmarket, Diss, Sudbury, Thetford, Woolpit and Mildenhall. We also see patients from Hadleigh, Stowmarket, Ely and Haverhill. If you’re living in one of these areas and looking for a private hospital near you, our team is ready and waiting to help you.

The field of rheumatology deals with inflammatory joint diseases – including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis.

It also focuses on autoimmune diseases, such as lupus, Sjogren’s syndrome, scleroderma; and bone health-related conditions, including osteoporosis.

With a special interest in all kinds of inflammatory arthritis, musculoskeletal ultrasound, polymyalgia rheumatica, connective tissue diseases and joint injections, our Consultant’s clinic interests include gout, inflammatory arthritis, osteoarthritis, autoimmune connective tissue disease, and more.

Other conditions we see a lot in our clinic are:

• Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR)
• Gout
• Fibromyalgia.

Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR)

Causing pain, inflammation, and stiffness in the muscles around the shoulders, neck and hips, Polymyalgia Rheumatica, or PMR, is a condition we see regularly at The St Edmunds Hospital.

The cause of the condition is unknown, but it is more common in people over the age of 70.

People who present with the condition may find their muscles are stiff when they wake up, and they may feel tired and suffer a loss of appetite.

At The St Edmunds Hospital, we may help the patient manage their condition with steroids (and other steroid sparing agents, if needed), which can help alleviate the pain and stiffness and help them enjoy a better quality of life.

Gout

Causing swelling and intense pain in the joints, gout is a common condition which affects the big toe or knees. A healthy diet is always advised for patients with gout, as symptoms can come about due to regular intake of fatty foods.

Plenty of exercise can help prevent further attacks, and we can offer several treatment modalities for the condition here at The St Edmunds Hospital.

Fibromyalgia

A chronic condition which causes pain all over the body, other symptoms of fibromyalgia include extreme tiredness, stiffness in the muscles, difficulty sleeping and problems with memory.

We can help offer advice, support, and treatment guidance for fibromyalgia here in clinic. Our approach is patient-centred; we encourage patients to talk openly about their condition and symptoms, and we tend to arrive at a treatment plan together.

Managing and treating patients with a host of other conditions – including rheumatoid arthritis, early inflammatory arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), our Consultant Rheumatologist will ensure you get the best care.

Patients would present to a rheumatologist with either:

• Prolonged joint pain
• Muscle pain
• Muscle weakness
• A combination of the above.

Treatment usually takes some form of:

• Drug treatments
• Injections
• Physiotherapy services, if needed

The patient would be monitored and followed-up, depending on how they respond to any prescribed medication. If any other specialists need to be involved, like Orthopaedic Consultants, the patient can be referred for a future appointment.

Arthritis

In patients who present with arthritis, the earlier it is diagnosed, the more effective it is to treat, dependent on the type of arthritis, says our Rheumatologist.

The common conception that arthritis always leads to disability is not true anymore, as there are a lot of effective drug treatments that are now available. 

The earlier an appropriate diagnosis is made, the earlier we can offer effective treatments, which leads to less long-term mobility and disability issues.

During an initial consultation for any condition that falls under rheumatology at The St Edmunds, the Rheumatologist would:

• Take a full medical history, asking questions to learn more about you and your condition
• Perform a clinical examination
• Take a blood test
• Organise scans – either an x-ray, ultrasound, or MRI (or a combination) would be booked in for a later date.

Results can be discussed at the follow-up appointment, where a diagnosis will be made, and treatment commenced.

There are plenty of great reasons to choose The St Edmunds Hospital.

Every specialist working at Circle Health Group is an NHS-practicing consultant. This means the services they provide undergo a rigorous process of appraisal and recommendation.

Bedrooms with En-Suite Facilities

With 26 beds, with all rooms offering the privacy and comfort of en-suite facilities, views of the gardens, TV and high-speed Wi-Fi, our hospital is modern, clean, and comfortable.

We have an imaging department and physiotherapy team based here are there are three main theatres, one of which has been installed with lamina flow (clean air filter system).

A Dedicated Day Case Recovery Area

Our dedicated day case recovery area in our comfortable conservatory allows you to relax after your day case procedure. If you are staying with us, room service is provided to all inpatients by our catering team.

We have ample car parking spaces around the grounds, too, with a drop-off bay and disabled spaces directly opposite the entrance to the main hospital entrance for your convenience.

Thanks to the latest technology and on-site support services, our Rheumatologist can undertake a wide range of procedures here in clinic.

Here are some at-a-glance reasons why you might choose The St Edmunds Hospital for your consultation:

• Reduced waiting times – Patients who visit The St Edmunds Hospital can, of course, benefit from shorter waiting times than they would if, say, they were to pursue treatment on the NHS.
• Flexible appointments at a time to suit you – You can choose a rheumatology appointment time to suit you and your schedule – and in some cases, remote consultations will be offered.
• Consultant-led appointments – Your appointment at The St Edmunds Hospital will always be consultant-led, and you’ll see the same person each time you visit.
• Patient satisfaction and personalised care – In an independent survey* in 2020, 99% of our patients said they would recommend The St Edmunds Hospital, and the hospital has a CQC overall rating of ‘Good’. *Results compiled by healthcare agency, Quality Health.         
• Multidisciplinary care – Our teams work closely together, to ensure the best possible outcome for the patient.

The St Edmunds Hospital covers a wide catchment area. Patients visit from in and around Bury St Edmunds itself, as well as from further afield within Suffolk and the surrounding area.

If you’re looking for treatment in our rheumatology clinic, The St Edmunds is a great choice.

Want to make a consultation with our rheumatology specialist at The St Edmunds Hospital? You can get in touch with our team by calling 01284 701371.

You can also use our handy online booking system to make your appointment.