Best Doctors in India for Rheumatoid Arthritis treatment
- Orthopedic Surgeon, Hyderabad, India
- Over 30 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. J V S Vidya Sagar is a renowned Orthopedic Surgeon and one of the most experienced surgeons for Arthroscopy in India.
- Dr. Vidya Sagar has been performing Arthroscopic and Joint Replacement surgeries for over 30 years during which he has performed 31,500 Arthroscopies, 13,400 joint replacement surgeries, 27, 600 knee joint surgeries, and 20,800 surgeries for ligament reconstruction, and over 38,600 surgeries for cerebral palsy and polio.
- Orthopedic Surgeon, Mumbai, India
- Over 25 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Kaushal Malhan is a renowned Orthopedic Surgeon in Mumbai with expertise in hip and knee replacement surgery and regional resurfacing.
- Dr. Kaushal Malhan’s name has been recorded in the Limca Book of Records for his innovative Tissue Preserving Total Knee Replacement Technique that helps in reducing post-operative recovery time.
- Dr. Malhan pioneered computer-assisted joint replacement surgery in India and is the first orthopedic surgeon to perform gender-specific computer-assisted and minimally invasive knee replacement.
- Orthopedic Surgeon, New Delhi, India
- Over 20 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Mrinal Sharma is a highly renowned Orthopedic Surgeon and Joint Replacement Specialist with a specialization in Arthroplasty.
- Dr. Mrinal Sharma holds with him an experience of more than a decade and has achieved huge success with joint replacement procedures, especially of the knee, during his career.
- He is among the new generation of Orthopedic surgeons who use Computer Navigated techniques for performing knee and hip replacement surgeries.
- Orthopedic Surgeon, Mumbai, India
- Over 20 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Murali Poduval is a well-known Orthopedic surgeon in Mumbai with a specialization in Joint Replacement surgeries.
- He holds an extensive experience of close to 2 decades in Orthopedics and Joint replacement surgery and is an expert in the management and treatment of deformity correction, arthroplasty, and complex trauma.
- He is highly skilled in performing all types of primary and revision surgeries on the hip, knee, and spine. His primary interest also includes hip arthroplasty for severe defects in children and adolescents.
- Orthopedic Surgeon & Spine Surgeon, New Delhi, India
- Over 40 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Pradeep Sharma is the Director of the BLK-Max Centre for Orthopedics, Joint Reconstruction, and Spine Surgery in Delhi.
- Dr. Pradeep Sharma has an experience of 40+ years in the field and is an expert in the treatment of both adult and pediatric patients.
- Dr. Pradeep Sharma runs arthroplasty Fellowships supported by Zimmer and Stryker and has trained and mentored young surgeons in Arthroplasty.
- Orthopedic Surgeon, Kolkata, India
- Over 30 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Rakesh Rajput is the Director and HOD – Orthopedics at The Calcutta Medical Research Institute (CMRI), Kolkata.
- Dr. Rakesh Rajput’s expertise lies in Joint replacement surgeries for the knee and hip, Arthroscopy, and Pelvic and Ace tabular trauma. He is also highly skilled in Minimally invasive orthopedic surgeries.
- Dr. Rakesh Rajput received his training in Joint replacement procedure from the prestigious University of Dundee and has worked and trained under some of the best orthopedic surgeons in the world.
- Orthopedic Surgeon & Spine Surgeon, Mumbai, India
- Over 25 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Ram Chaddha is a specialist Spine Surgeon in Mumbai with expertise in the management and treatment of all kinds of spinal disorders for over 25 years.
- Dr. Chaddha is trained in Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery and is also among the few surgeons in India to hold expertise in Minimally Invasive Cosmetic Spine Surgery.
- Dr. Ram Chaddha spent a considerable number of years training undergraduate and postgraduate students and has also been an examiner for such courses at Mumbai University.
- Orthopedic Surgeon, Mumbai, India
- Over 24 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Shreyash Gajjar is one of the most accomplished Arthroscopic and Sports Orthopedic surgeons in India and has performed more than 3000 surgeries of which more than 2500 included arthroscopic surgeries.
- Dr. Shreyash Gajjar is the first orthopedic surgeon in India to perform several first surgeries with the use of arthroscopic procedures.
- Dr. Shreyash Gajjar received his training in Arthroscopy, Trauma, and Sports Medicine from the best orthopedic institutions and under the guidance of renowned surgeons in India, UK, and Australia.
- Orthopedic Surgeon, Gurugram, India
- Over 20 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Subhash Jangid is a renowned Orthopedic Surgeon in India who performs more than 600 joint replacement surgeries annually and helps in the management of patients after such procedures.
- He played a pioneering role in establishing the first Bone Bank in India at the All India Institute of Medical Science in 2002.
- He has been associated with several other prestigious hospitals both in India and abroad and has also been a Visiting faculty at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital in Nigeria where he trains young surgeons in Arthroplasty.
- Orthopedic Surgeon and Spine Surgeon, Mumbai, India
- Over 20 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Vishal Peshattiwar is a leading Spine Surgeon in Mumbai specializing in Minimally Invasive Spine Surgeries (MISS)
- He has an experience of more than 2 decades in spine surgery and holds the credit of performing over 4000 spinal surgeries to
- He is the first in India to use the MISS technique on a patient with liver failure and Tuberculosis.
- Dr. Vishal Peshattiwar’s most notable case till date was performing a Revision Spine Surgery through MISS on the oldest patient in India.
Best Hospitals in India for Rheumatoid Arthritis treatment
Paras Hospital, Gurugram
- City: Gurugram, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Paras hospital was established in 2006 and is the 250 bedded flagship hospital of Paras Healthcare.
- The is supported by a team of doctors of international and national repute.
- The hospital is NABH accredited and also the first hospital in the region to have a NABL accredited laboratory.
- The hospital provides specialty medical services in around 55 departments including Neurosciences, Joint Replacement, Mother & Child Care, Minimal Invasive Surgery, Gynecology and Obstetrics, Ophthalmology, Dermatology, Endocrinology, Rheumatology, Cosmetic and Plastic surgery.
- The hospital is equipped with state-of-the-art technologies.
S L Raheja Hospital, Mahim, Mumbai
- City: Mumbai, India
Hospital Highlights:
- SL Raheja hospital is a 140-bed multi-specialty tertiary care hospital that is being managed by Fortis Healthcare Ltd.
- The hospital is a benchmark in healthcare and medical facilities in the neighborhood of Mahim & the western suburbs.
- L.Raheja Hospital, Mahim has one of the most effective ICU and Casualty care services.
- The hospital provides specialty medical services in Cardiology, Oncology, Neurology, Orthopedics, Mother & Child Care, and in Diabetes.
Wockhardt Hospitals, Mumbai
- City: Mumbai, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Wockhardt Hospitals were established in the year 1973, originally called First Hospitals and Heart Institute.
- Wockhardt Hospitals are super specialty health care networks in India, nurtured by Wockhardt Ltd, India’s 5th largest Pharmaceutical and Healthcare company.
- Wockhardt Hospitals is associated with Partners Harvard Medical International, an international arm of Harvard Medical School, USA.
- Wockhardt Heart Hospital performed India’s first endoscopic heart surgery.
- The hospital has a state-of-the-art infrastructure equipped with the latest technologies and modern equipment.
- It has special Centers of Excellence dedicated to the major specialties to provide hassle-free and high-quality clinical care.
Pushpawati Singhania Hospital & Research Institute, New Delhi
- City: New Delhi, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Established in 1996, Pushpawati Singhania Research Institute is one of the top hospitals in the NCR region, as well as one of the top facilities in India for gastroenterology. The hospital is one of South Asia’s first institutes in medical and surgical treatment for diseases related to digestion.
- The hospital is equipped with state-of-the art facilities coupled with the latest equipment as well as renowned consultants from various parts of India as well as other parts of the world.
Indian Spinal Injuries Center, New Delhi, India
- City: New Delhi, India
Hospital Highlights:
- The Indian Spinal Injuries Center (ISIC), provides state-of-the-art facilities for the management of all types of spinal ailments.
- Staffed with internationally trained, acclaimed, and dedicated spine surgeons, the hospital provides cutting-edge medical & surgical technology. The hospital provides comprehensive management of spinal injury, back pain, spinal deformities, tumors, osteoporosis, etc.
- The hospital performs motion-preserving spine surgeries including disc replacement and dynamic fixation, and minimally invasive spine surgeries such as endoscopic disc excision.
- The orthopedic service of the hospital covers all orthopedic ailments including trauma, joint diseases & replacements, oncology, pediatric orthopedics & upper limb ailment.
W Pratiksha Hospital, Gurgaon
- City: Gurugram, India
Hospital Highlights:
- W Pratiksha Hospital, Gurugram, is one of the best hospitals in the NCR region. It is also a top hospital in India for IVF. Since its inception, the hospital has performed over 5500 successful IVFs. The hospital also specializes in gynecology.
- With over 20 years of experience in providing quality healthcare, the hospital is known as one of the most trusted and valued health providers in India.
- Equipped with world-class medical facilities and advanced technology, the hospital’s doctors and clinicians also have a track record of delivering excellent results. The hospital is also known for focusing on preventive well-being as much as on curative treatment.
- The hospital has earned the trust of its patients, by providing the best available treatments at affordable costs.
Narayana Superspeciality Hospital, Gurugram
- City: Gurugram, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Situated near DLF Cyber City, Gurugram, Narayana Superspecialty Hospital is one of the top medical facilities in the Delhi NCR region, catering to the needs of the people. Known for its commitment to quality medical care and patient service, the hospital is a state-of-the-art facility with planned and well-equipped sections, which includes a spacious OPD area as well as comfortable patient rooms.
- It is the closest super-specialty hospital from Indira Gandhi International Airport towards Gurugram, and also the nearest super specialty hospital from DLF Cyber City. It is also close to major residential areas in Gurugram.
- It is part of the renowned Narayana Health Group. Established in 2000, by Dr. Devi Shetty, a renowned cardiac surgeon, it has grown to be one fo India’s leading healthcare groups.
Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi
- City: New Delhi, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi is known to provide the latest medical procedures with the latest technology in all of its units.
- The hospital has a team of reputed doctors, nurses, and healthcare professionals that ensure that patients receive quality care at affordable costs.
- Staffed with a team of highly qualified doctors, dedicated nurses, and paramedical and non-medical staff, the hospital aims to lead in healthcare delivery, medical education, training, and research.
- As per the vision of the founder, the hospital also provides free treatment to the economically weaker sections of society.
- Sir Ganga Ram Hospital also provides training to young doctors under the Diplomate in National Board(DNB) program. The DNB program at the hospital was started in 1984 and it is known for currently running the maximum number of DNB specialties in the country. It also has the distinction of having the first bone bank in India.
CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram
- City: Gurugram, India
Hospital Highlights:
- The CK Birla Hospital in Gurugram is a NABH-accredited multi-specialty hospital.
- The hospital strives to increase the quality of healthcare by focusing on UK NHS nurse and midwife training requirements. Policies and practices derived from the National Institute for Health and Treatment Excellence (NICE) recommendations in the United Kingdom ensuring that a strong focus on safety, high-quality clinical care, and sanitation is maintained.
- The hospital’s cutting-edge technology and facilities allow for real-time communication and seamless collaboration among caregivers, ensuring accuracy and the best possible results. Those with foreign experience and accreditations make up part of the hospital’s team of clinicians.
KIMS Hospital, Hyderabad
- City: Hyderabad, India
Hospital Highlights:
- KIMS Hospital (a brand name of Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences) is one of the largest and best multi-speciality hospitals in Hyderabad. The hospital provides various treatments to an enormous number of patients.
- The hospital has a capacity of more than 3000 beds. KIMS Hospitals offers different healthcare services in more than 25 specialities and super specialities.
- The hospital is equipped with modern medical equipment and technology. It has robotic equipment to provide minimal invasive techniques for patients.
- The hospital is aimed at providing world-class healthcare facilities and services at an affordable cost for patients.
- The various specialities and departments of the hospital include neurosciences, gastroenterology & hepatology, robotic science, reproductive sciences, dental science, oncological sciences, organ transplantation, heart and lung transplantation and mother and child care.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
A chronic, inflammatory disorder affecting more than just joints is called rheumatoid arthritis. It can damage a wide variety of body systems in some people, like lungs, skin, heart, eyes and blood vessels. It is an autoimmune disorder that takes place when the immune system attacks its own body tissues mistakenly. The condition affects the lining of the joints. This causes a painful swelling resulting in joint deformity and bone erosion.
Causes of Rheumatoid Arthritis
When your immune system attacks the synovium (the lining of the membranes surrounding the joints), it causes rheumatoid arthritis. The synovium thickens due to the resulting inflammation that destroys the cartilage and bone within the joint. The ligament and the tendons hold the joint together. In rheumatoid arthritis, they weaken and stretch. The joint loses its shape & alignment because of this. Your genes don’t cause the disease but make you susceptible to environmental factors like an infection from bacteria and viruses which trigger the disease.
Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis
The symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis may be:
- Joint stiffness that worsens in the morning or after an inactivity.
- Warm, tender and swollen joints.
- Fever, fatigue and loss of appetite.
In the initial stages, the disease affects the smaller joints, especially the joints attaching your fingers to the hands and the toes to the feet. With the progression of the disease, symptoms start spreading to the ankles, wrists, elbows, knees, shoulders, and hips. The symptoms may also occur on the same joints on both sides of the body in some cases. A significant number of people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis experience other signs and symptoms without the involvement of the joints. The disease may affect other non-joint structures like heart, skin, bone marrow, eyes, salivary glands, blood vessels, lungs, nerve tissue and kidneys.
The symptoms vary in severity and the person may or may not experience the symptoms at times. There might be a period of increased disease activity or a period of relative remissions when the pain and swelling disappear. The disease may cause the joints to reform and ultimately, shift from their place to some other.
Diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis
The disease is difficult to diagnose initially. However, your doctor can check your joints for redness, swelling and warmth during physical examination along with checking the muscle strength and your reflexes.
Blood tests
People who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis experience increased ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate) or CRP (C-reactive protein). This indicates that an inflammatory process is present in the body. Other blood tests may include looking for the anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibodies or rheumatoid factor.
Imaging tests
Your doctor may ask you to take X-rays to aid in tracking the progression of the disease in the joints of your body over time. Ultrasound tests and MRI help your doctor understand the severity of rheumatoid arthritis in your body.
Treatment options for Rheumatoid Arthritis
Medications
The severity of the disease depicted in your symptoms will play a role in deciding the type of medications apt for you. Also, the duration of the disease is important while recommending drugs.
- Steroids- Corticosteroid medications like prednisolone reduce pain, inflammation and slow down the damage to the joints. The side effects of these drugs include weight gain, thinning of bones and diabetes. Your doctor may prescribe corticosteroids to relieve the acute symptoms.
- NSAIDs- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) reduce the inflammation and relieve the pain in your body. Your doctor may prescribe stronger NSAIDs to you. The side effects of these drugs are heart problems, stomach irritation and kidney damage.
- DMARDs- Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs slow down the progression of the disease while saving the joints and tissues from permanent damage due to rheumatoid arthritis. The most common disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs are leflunomide (Arava), methotrexate (otrexup, trexall), sulfasalazine (Azulfidine) and hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil). The side effects of these drugs may be bone marrow suppression, liver damage and severe lung infections.
- Biologic agents- Biologic agents or biologic response modifiers are a new class of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and include adalimumab (Humira), baricitinib (Olumiant), etanercept (Enbrel), infliximab (Remicade), sarilumab (Kevzara), tofacitinib (Xeljanz), abatacept (Orencia), certolizumab (Cimzia), golimumab (Simponi), rituximab (Rituxan), tocilizumab (Actemra), and anakinra (Kineret).
They target some parts of the immune system triggering inflammation and causing joint & tissue damage. These drugs also increase the risk of infection. Biologic DMARDs are the most effective upon pairing with a nonbiologic DMARD like methotrexate.
Therapy
Surgery
If the drugs cannot prevent or slow down joint damage, you may need to undergo surgery for the repair of the damaged joints. It helps to restore the ability to use your joint. It improves function and reduces pain. The surgery may involve one or more surgical procedures from the following:
Synovectomy
Synovectomy is performed on hips, knees, wrists, elbows and fingers; it removes the inflamed lining of the joint called synovium.
Tendon repair
Joint damage and inflammation cause the tendons around your joints to rupture or loosen. Your doctor will repair the tendons around the joints.
Joint fusion
Your doctor may recommend surgically fusing a joint to realign or stabilize a joint. It also relieves pain when joint replacement is not a favorable option.
Total joint replacement
Your doctor or surgeon may remove the damaged parts of the joint during the surgery and replace them by inserting a prosthesis made from plastic and metal.
Risks and complications
There is an equal risk of infection, bleeding and pain during surgeries. Your doctor may recommend the surgery best suited for you according to your condition and severity of the disease. You can also discuss the benefits and possible risks of each surgery before opting for one with your doctor.