Patient focused
Personalised treatment plans built around your symptoms, lifestyle and goals.
Consultant Rheumatologist
Dr. Ashish BawejaExpert care for arthritis, lupus and autoimmune disease
Dr. Ashish Baweja leads advanced diagnostics and evidence-based treatment for complex autoimmune and inflammatory conditions at the Institute of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Medanta – The Medicity, Gurugram.
- DM, Clinical Immunology and RheumatologyAIIMS Rishikesh
- MD, Internal MedicineUniversity College of Medical Sciences & Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, University of Delhi
- MBBSUniversity College of Medical Sciences & Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, University of Delhi
Registered specialistClinical Immunology & Rheumatology
Modern diagnostics
Advanced tools including nail fold capillaroscopy and targeted immunology testing.
Clinical excellence
DM in Clinical Immunology & Rheumatology from AIIMS Rishikesh.
Global standards
Treatment follows international EULAR and ACR guidelines.
Start here
Which symptoms are you experiencing?
Rheumatic and autoimmune conditions can affect the joints, spine, skin, eyes, mouth, muscles, lungs and bones. Choose the group that most closely reflects what you are experiencing — symptoms often overlap, so you do not need to fit perfectly into one.
Where is the main problem?
How long has it been going on?
Which of these fits best?
Or go straight to a group:
Joint pain, swelling or morning stiffness
For ongoing or recurring pain, swelling, warmth or stiffness in the hands, wrists, knees, ankles, feet or other joints — especially when stiffness is worse after rest.
- Joint swelling
- Morning stiffness
- Recurrent flare-ups
- Gout-like attacks
Symptoms that may lead to evaluation
- Painful, swollen, warm or tender joints.
- Morning stiffness or stiffness after sitting or resting.
- Pain affecting the small joints of the hands, wrists or feet.
- Several joints becoming painful or swollen at the same time.
- Reduced movement or difficulty walking, gripping or completing daily tasks.
- Repeated episodes of sudden, severe redness and swelling, especially in the big toe, foot, ankle or knee.
- Joint symptoms occurring alongside psoriasis, a recent infection or inflammatory bowel disease.
Back or hip pain that eases with movement
For persistent lower-back or hip pain with morning stiffness, night pain or stiffness after rest that becomes easier as you move.
- Morning back stiffness
- Night pain
- Eases with movement
- Reduced flexibility
Symptoms that may lead to evaluation
- Long-standing lower-back or deep hip pain.
- Morning stiffness in the back, hips or pelvis.
- Pain or stiffness that improves with movement and feels worse after rest.
- Night or early-morning pain that interrupts sleep.
- Alternating pain from one side of the hips to the other.
- Reduced spinal flexibility or difficulty bending and turning.
- Back symptoms occurring with heel pain, eye inflammation, psoriasis or bowel inflammation.
Dryness, rashes, finger colour changes or breathlessness
For persistent dry eyes or mouth, sun-sensitive rashes, mouth ulcers, fingers changing colour in the cold, skin tightening, unexplained dry cough or breathlessness, or symptoms affecting several parts of the body.
- Dry eyes or mouth
- Rashes or ulcers
- Finger colour changes
- Dry cough or breathlessness
Symptoms that may lead to evaluation
- Dry, gritty or burning eyes, persistent mouth dryness or difficulty eating dry foods.
- Sun-sensitive rash, facial rash, other recurring skin changes or mouth and nose ulcers.
- Unexplained fatigue, feverish episodes, hair loss or joint pain occurring with systemic symptoms.
- Fingers or toes turning white, blue or red with cold exposure or emotional stress.
- Puffy fingers, skin tightening or thickening, reduced hand movement or fingertip sores.
- Persistent dry cough, unexplained breathlessness or reduced exercise tolerance, particularly when other autoimmune symptoms are present.
- Reflux, swallowing difficulty or a sensation of food sticking.
- Foamy urine, blood or protein in urine, swelling around the eyes or legs, or new blood-pressure concerns.
Unexplained fever, skin spots, numbness or new headaches
For unexplained fever or weight loss, red-purple skin spots, painful ulcers, numbness or weakness, new headaches, sinus or lung symptoms, urine changes, or limb pain that may need specialist evaluation.
- Fever or weight loss
- Skin spots or ulcers
- Numbness or weakness
- New headache or urine changes
Symptoms that may lead to evaluation
- Unexplained fever, fatigue, weight loss or body aches with raised inflammatory markers.
- Red or purple skin spots, recurrent rashes, painful ulcers or non-healing skin lesions.
- Numbness, tingling, burning pain, focal weakness, foot drop or wrist drop.
- A new persistent headache, scalp tenderness, jaw pain while chewing or new visual symptoms.
- Repeated sinus symptoms, nose bleeding, ear symptoms, cough, breathlessness or coughing blood.
- Blood or protein in urine, swelling, reduced kidney function or new blood-pressure concerns.
- Arm or leg fatigue or pain with activity, weak pulses or unequal blood pressure between limbs.
- Repeated mouth or genital ulcers, eye inflammation or symptoms affecting several organs.
Muscle weakness or difficulty with everyday movements
For progressive weakness when climbing stairs, getting up from a chair, lifting the arms, carrying objects or swallowing — especially with muscle pain, rash, raised muscle enzymes, dry cough or breathlessness.
- Difficulty climbing stairs
- Difficulty lifting arms
- Rash with weakness
- Raised muscle enzymes
Symptoms that may lead to evaluation
- Difficulty climbing stairs, walking uphill or getting up from a chair or the floor.
- Difficulty lifting the arms, combing hair, reaching overhead or carrying objects.
- Progressive, often symmetrical weakness affecting everyday activities.
- Muscle pain, tenderness, cramps or marked fatigue occurring with weakness.
- A new or unusual rash occurring with muscle weakness.
- Swallowing difficulty, choking, voice change or neck weakness when clinically relevant.
- Abnormal muscle enzyme reports or muscle test results.
- Dry cough, breathlessness or reduced exercise tolerance occurring alongside inflammatory muscle symptoms.
Bone fragility or joint pain that worsens with activity
For low bone density, fractures after minor injuries, loss of height, or knee, hip, hand or spine pain that is worse with activity and limits movement.
- Low bone density
- Fragility fracture
- Knee or hip pain
- Reduced mobility
Symptoms that may lead to evaluation
- Low bone density or an abnormal bone-density scan.
- A fracture after a minor fall or injury, loss of height or new back pain after minimal strain.
- Bone-health concerns related to age, menopause, long-term steroid use or other risk factors.
- Knee, hip, hand, neck or back pain that becomes worse with activity or prolonged use.
- Joint crepitus, reduced range of movement or brief stiffness after rest.
- Difficulty walking, using stairs, gripping or completing daily activities because of joint pain.
- Pain and functional limitation related to degenerative joint changes.
This section is intended to guide a consultation. It is not a diagnosis.
About
Meet Dr. Ashish Baweja
- 15+
- Years of experience
- 25k+
- Patients treated
- 100+
- Rheumatic conditions managed
Consultant at the Institute of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Medanta – The Medicity, Gurugram — with over 15 years of experience managing autoimmune and inflammatory disease.
- DM Clinical Immunology & Rheumatology, AIIMS Rishikesh
- SCE Rheumatology — RCP (UK) and British Society of Rheumatology
- Special interest in lupus, vasculitis and systemic sclerosis
Procedures
Treatments & diagnostic procedures
From joint injections to nail fold capillaroscopy — modern diagnostics and evidence-based therapy for autoimmune disease.
Joint Aspiration & Injection
Diagnostic fluid analysis and targeted anti-inflammatory relief for a painful, swollen joint.
Read moreNail Fold Capillaroscopy
A painless microvascular examination — key to the early diagnosis of scleroderma and Raynaud's phenomenon.
Read moreMinor Salivary Gland Biopsy
A small lip biopsy that helps confirm Sjögren's syndrome when dryness symptoms and blood tests need clarification.
Read moreNerve & Muscle Biopsy
Essential for accurately identifying vasculitis and the different forms of myositis, so treatment can be targeted correctly.
Read morePatient experiences
What patients say
Real stories from people who found answers and long-term relief.
Dr. Ashish is very professional and patient. He explained my lupus diagnosis clearly and started a treatment that has changed my life. I finally feel in control of my health.
I was struggling with joint pain for years. Dr. Baweja's approach was different; he used advanced testing and found exactly what was wrong. His expertise is unmatched.
Excellent doctor. He takes the time to listen and provides honest advice. Medanta's rheumatology department is lucky to have him.
Questions
Common questions
What does a rheumatologist treat?
Rheumatologists diagnose and treat autoimmune and inflammatory conditions affecting the joints, muscles, bones and connective tissues — including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, spondyloarthritis, gout, vasculitis, myositis, osteoporosis and more than a hundred related disorders.
When should I see a rheumatologist?
Consider a consultation if you have joint pain or swelling lasting more than a few weeks, morning stiffness, back pain that improves with movement, unexplained fevers or fatigue, recurring rashes or mouth ulcers, fingers changing colour in the cold, or abnormal autoimmune blood tests.
What should I bring to my first appointment?
Bring your previous medical records, any X-rays or scans, recent blood test reports, and a list of the medicines you currently take. A brief note of when your symptoms started and how they have changed is very helpful.
What happens during the first consultation?
Dr. Baweja will take a detailed history, examine your joints and other relevant systems, and review any existing reports. He may order targeted blood tests or imaging, and will discuss the likely explanations and a clear plan for diagnosis and treatment.
Are autoimmune diseases curable?
Most rheumatic diseases are managed rather than cured — but with modern treatment the majority of patients achieve remission or low disease activity, meaning minimal symptoms and a normal, active life. Early diagnosis significantly improves outcomes.
Articles
Understanding your condition
A positive ANA test: what it does and does not mean
A positive ANA is common in healthy people and is not a diagnosis on its own. What matters is the pattern, the titre, and the sym…
Read articleStarting methotrexate: what the first three months are like
Methotrexate is the backbone of treatment for several types of inflammatory arthritis. What it does, how long it takes, and the p…
Read articleSteroids in rheumatology: why the dose comes down
Steroids work quickly and reliably, which is exactly why they are used carefully. What they are for, why the dose is reduced, and…
Read articleBook your consultation
Consult Dr. Ashish Baweja at the Institute of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Medanta – The Medicity, Gurugram.