Rheumatoid arthritis
Symmetrical swelling and stiffness, often starting in the hands and feet. Early treatment protects the joints.
Clue: morning stiffness over an hourRheumatology & immunology · Vijayawada, Krishna district
Joint pain has a cause.
Swollen, stiff or aching joints are often the first sign of an immune system pointed the wrong way. We find the reason early and treat that, so you are not managing pain for years.
కీళ్ల నొప్పికి ఒక కారణం ఉంటుంది.
- Fellowship-trained, CHANRE · IRA recognised
- Telugu, English, Hindi, Kannada
- Kanuru, Vijayawada · Krishna district
- Evening clinic 5 to 8:30 PM
Why early matters
Watch ten years of untreated joint inflammation.
In rheumatoid arthritis the immune system attacks the lining of the joint. Press play to see the damage build, then compare with early treatment.
Year0.0
Healthy joint
Smooth cartilage, a thin joint lining and a clear space between the bones.
Illustration of a typical untreated course. Real courses vary from person to person, and early treatment can prevent or greatly slow this damage.
Why the cause matters
Treat the cause, not only the pain.
When the immune system attacks the joint lining, the pain is the alarm, not the fire. Silencing the alarm does not put the fire out.
Painkillers alone
They lower pain. They do not stop the attack.
In inflammatory arthritis the immune system keeps injuring the joint while you feel better. Damage can build quietly for months. Starting the right treatment early gives the best chance of preventing it.
Orthopaedics first?
Orthopaedic care fixes structure. Autoimmune arthritis needs immune treatment.
Fractures, torn ligaments and worn cartilage belong with an orthopaedic surgeon. Warm, swollen, stiff joints with tiredness need an immune work-up first. Injections or surgery on an inflamed joint treat the joint, not the reason it is inflamed. Where damage has already happened, we work alongside your orthopaedic surgeon.
| Clue | Usually mechanical (wear, strain) | Suggests inflammatory (immune) |
|---|---|---|
| Morning stiffness | Settles within about 30 minutes | Lasts an hour or more |
| Movement and rest | Worse with use, better with rest | Better with movement, worse after rest |
| Swelling | Little or none | Puffy, warm joints you can see |
| Pattern | One weight-bearing joint, often a knee or hip | Both sides, small joints of hands and feet, or the lower back in young adults |
| Whole body | Usually well | Fatigue, low fever, rash, mouth ulcers, red eyes, hair loss |
| Night pain | With certain positions | Wakes you in the early hours |
These are patterns, not a diagnosis. Many people have both kinds of pain. A clinical examination and the right tests decide.
Two-minute self-check
Do your joints show these signs?
Tick everything that has been true for you for more than six weeks.
What we treat
Conditions where the immune system is the story.
Many of these begin as "just joint pain". Naming them early changes the outcome.
Lupus (SLE)
Joint pain with rash, hair loss, mouth ulcers, fatigue or kidney involvement. Needs careful long-term care.
Clue: rash after sun exposureSpondyloarthritis
Includes ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis. Back pain in young adults, heel pain, swollen fingers, eye redness.
Clue: back pain that eases with activityGout and crystal arthritis
Sudden, intensely painful joints. We treat the flare and the uric acid behind it.
Clue: big toe red and hot overnightSjögren's, scleroderma, myositis, vasculitis
Dry eyes and mouth, tight skin, muscle weakness or inflamed blood vessels. Often missed for years.
Clue: joint pain with dryness or colour-changing fingersAutoimmunity and pregnancy
Reproductive immunology: antiphospholipid syndrome, lupus in pregnancy, repeated pregnancy loss with an immune cause.
Clue: more than one pregnancy lossOur approach
Immunity, understood.
Four steps, in this order. We do not guess, and we do not stop at pain relief.
Listen and examine
A full history and a joint-by-joint examination. Most diagnoses begin here, not in a lab.
Test with purpose
Only the tests your symptoms point to, read together with the examination, not on their own.
Name the cause
You leave knowing what is happening in your body and why, explained in your own language.
Treat and track
Treatment aimed at the immune cause, reviewed regularly, so you need fewer painkillers over time.
Tests we may use
ANARFAnti-CCPCRP and ESRHLA-B27Uric acidJoint ultrasoundX-ray and MRI
Five habits that help your joints
Habits support treatment. They do not replace it.
Move regularly
Gentle, low-impact movement such as walking, swimming or yoga keeps joints flexible and muscles strong. Move a little every day and pace yourself during a flare.
Eat a balanced plate
Vegetables, fruit, pulses, whole grains, nuts and fish support your health. No food cures an autoimmune condition, so treat diet as support for treatment.
Keep a healthy weight
Extra weight loads the knees, hips and feet and can make inflammatory arthritis harder to control. Even modest weight loss helps.
Rest and sleep well
Poor sleep makes pain and tiredness feel worse. Rest when a joint is flaring, and tell your doctor if pain wakes you at night.
Never stop medicines on your own
Feeling better usually means the treatment is working. Stopping steroids or immune medicines suddenly can bring a flare or cause harm. Talk to your doctor first.
Services
Care in the clinic, in hospital and online.
Clinic consultation
Examination, tests and a written plan at Aarush Rheumatology & Immunology Clinic in Kanuru, Vijayawada.
Video consultation
Speak to the doctor from home through Digital Immunocare. Share your reports before the call and receive a free immune health checklist after booking.
Immunity Card
A simple self-check that helps you and your doctor spot immune problems earlier, available in Telugu and English. The self-check is free.
Hospital care
OPD, admission, infusions and follow-up at Aarush General Hospital, Penamaluru, Krishna district, with an outpatient clinic at Siri Hospital, Eluru on Thursdays.
Your doctor
Dr. Yogitha Chennupati
Rheumatology & Clinical Immunology. She founded Aarush so that people with joint pain in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana can reach an immune-focused diagnosis close to home, and understand it in their own language.
- TrainingFellowship in Rheumatology & Clinical Immunology, CHANRE (IRA recognised)
- FounderAarush Rheumatology & Immunology Clinic, Aarush General Hospital, Digital Immunocare
- Program headThe Immunity Clinic
- RecognitionSignorise 2026, woman entrepreneur in Rheumatology and Immunology
- RegistrationMedical registration no. 97879
Your language
Understand your condition in the language you think in.
Patient education, consultations and written advice in four languages. When you understand the illness, you follow the treatment.
Telugu
కీళ్ల నొప్పికి ఒక కారణం ఉంటుంది.
English
Joint pain has a cause.
Hindi
जोड़ों के दर्द का एक कारण होता है।
Kannada
ಕೀಲು ನೋವಿಗೆ ಒಂದು ಕಾರಣವಿದೆ.
Where and when
Vijayawada, Krishna district and Eluru.
Evening clinic in Kanuru, daytime OPD at Aarush General Hospital, and Thursdays at Siri Hospital, Eluru. All times are Indian Standard Time.
Evening clinic
Aarush Rheumatology & Immunology Clinic
11-162, Gaddam Rathaiah Street, Tulasi Nagar, Kanuru, Vijayawada, Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh 520007
Monday to Saturday, 5:00 PM to 8:30 PM. Closed on Sunday.
Write a Google review · View on Google · Get directionsHospital OPD
Aarush General Hospital
Penamaluru, Vijayawada, Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh 521139
Monday to Saturday, 9:30 AM to 2:30 PM, except Thursday. Sunday, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
See us on Google and write a review · Get directionsThursday OPD
Siri Hospital, Eluru
Outpatient visits for patients in and around Eluru.
Thursday, 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM.
| Day | Clinic, Kanuru | Hospital OPD, Penamaluru | Siri Hospital, Eluru |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri, Sat | 5:00 to 8:30 PM | 9:30 AM to 2:30 PM | No visit |
| Thursday | 5:00 to 8:30 PM | OPD closed | 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM |
| Sunday | Closed | 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM | No visit |
Timings can change on public holidays. Message us on WhatsApp at 85228 66606 to confirm before you travel.
Questions we hear most
Straight answers.
Is this low immunity?
Usually the opposite. In autoimmune conditions the immune system is overactive and aimed at your own joints or organs. That is why "immunity boosters" rarely help and can sometimes mislead.
When should I see a rheumatology doctor instead of an orthopaedic surgeon?
See us first if your joints are swollen, stiff for an hour or more in the morning, painful on both sides, or the pain comes with fatigue, rash, fever or eye problems. If the problem is an injury or clearly mechanical wear, an orthopaedic surgeon is the right start.
Do I need an X-ray or MRI before I come?
No. Bring any reports you already have. Early inflammatory arthritis often looks normal on an X-ray, so we decide what imaging and blood tests are useful after we examine you.
Will I depend on painkillers or steroids for life?
The aim is the opposite. Once the immune cause is treated, most people need far fewer painkillers. Some medicines are used briefly to bring a flare under control while the long-term treatment starts working. Your plan is reviewed at every visit.
Can autoimmune arthritis be cured?
Most are long-term conditions, but they can be controlled well. With early diagnosis and the right treatment, many people reach remission and live and work normally.
Can I consult by video?
Yes. Video consultations run through Digital Immunocare. Message us on WhatsApp to get a slot, and share your reports before the call.
What are your timings?
Clinic in Kanuru: Monday to Saturday, 5:00 PM to 8:30 PM, closed on Sunday. Aarush General Hospital OPD: Monday to Saturday, 9:30 AM to 2:30 PM except Thursday, and Sunday 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Siri Hospital, Eluru: Thursday, 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM.
I have had pregnancy losses. Can you help?
Yes. Reproductive immunology is one of our focus areas. Some losses have an immune or clotting cause that can be tested for and treated.
Book your consultation.
Early diagnosis. Lasting relief. Send us a message and we will help you choose a clinic or video slot.
WhatsApp85228 66606
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Clinic timings5:00 to 8:30 PM, Monday to Saturday
Hospital OPD9:30 AM to 2:30 PM, Sunday 10 AM to 1 PM
Instagram@immunedoc.yogitha
Websiteaarushrheumatology.com