Department of Rheumatology

Contact

The Addenbrooke's Rheumatology Department offers its patients specialist diagnosis and treatment of all types of musculoskeletal problems and, when appropriate, long-term management.

We work as a multidisciplinary team.If patients receive optimal conservative treatment of their musculoskeletal disorders it can improve their quality of life and reduce the need for orthopaedic surgery. Often, they will be offered physiotherapy and occupational therapy as part of their treatment.

We have expertise in all rheumatic disorders including:

• all kinds of arthritis, such as osteoarthritis, gout, and inflammatory arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis

• ankylosing spondylitis

• spinal pain
  connective tissue diseases (autoimmune diseases) such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), polymyositis, Sjögren's syndrome and systemic sclerosis
  polymyalgia rheumatica, giant cell arteritis and other forms of vasculitis

• metabolic bone disorders such as osteoporosis and Paget's disease

• soft tissue rheumatism, such as tendon and ligament problems, "frozen shoulder", carpal tunnel syndrome

• chronic regional pain syndromes and fibromyalgia

• sports' and exercise medicine

The majority of our patients are seen as outpatients. Members of our department hold outpatients clinics at Addenbrooke’s, Newmarket Hospital, Saffron Walden Hospital and the Princess of Wales Hospital, Ely.

We also have facilities for day-case services and inpatients at Addenbrooke's Hospital.

Our rheumatology practitioners run a telephone advice line for existing patients and for health professionals.

Research in the department

Members of the unit are engaged in research into rheumatoid arthritis, biologic drugs for autoimmune diseases, soft tissue rheumatism, polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis, metabolic bone disease, spondyloarthropathies, vasculitis, sports and exercise medicine and medical education.

Key contacts:

Service Delivery Unit Director: Dr Adrian Crisp (PA Mrs Carol Phillips Tel: 01223 216254)

Rheumatology Practitioners Tel: 01223 217 398