Rheumatology in Metro Manila

Rheumatology is a branch of medicine that focuses on the diagnosis and therapy of conditions that affect joints, bones, tendons, ligaments, and muscles, including those known as rheumatic diseases, or autoimmune conditions. Physicians who have had special training in rheumatology are called rheumatologists. Some of the conditions that rheumatologists diagnose and treat include:

Chronic back pain, Lupus, Inflammatory arthritis of the hips, knee, or shoulders, Rheumatoid arthritis, Tendinitis, Osteoporosis, Psoriatic arthritis, Osteoarthritis, Giant cell arteritis, Bursitis, Scleroderma, Behcet’s disease, Polymyalgia rheumatic, Paget’s disease, Polymyositis, Dermatomyositis, Ankylosing spondylitis, Gout, Reiter’s syndrome, Sjogren’s syndrome, Reactive arthropathies, Sarcoidosis, Idiopathic juvenile arthritis.

While rheumatologists diagnose and treat rheumatic diseases, they do not perform surgery. They perform examinations and procedures that help them diagnose, manage, and treat rheumatic conditions. These include:

• Complete physical exams.
• Lab tests, which usually involve taking samples of joint fluid, urine, or blood to check for anti-cyclic citrullinated peptides (anti-CCP) antibodies, synovial fluid, rheumatoid factor, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and C-reactive protein.
• Imaging tests, such as X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, bone density scans (DXA), or ultrasounds.
• Lumbar punctures.
• Joint aspiration.
• Synovial biopsy.
• Joint injections.
• Bursal injections.
• Hyaluronic acid injections.

How Long Should I Stay in Metro Manila?

Rheumatology procedures are usually performed on an outpatient basis, meaning you should be able to leave the hospital or clinic on the same day. Depending on your condition and the type of procedure you will have, you may also be allowed to travel home immediately after. However, it is generally recommended that you stay for 2 to 7 days as you may need to attend a follow-up appointment to discuss the test results with your rheumatologist (if you undergo a diagnostic test) or to monitor your condition.

What's the Expected Recovery Time?

The recovery time depends on your specific condition. After the rheumatology procedure itself, you may not need any downtime, although you will need to take it easy for at least two days after some procedures, such as a lumbar puncture. If your condition causes painful symptoms, your rheumatologist will also recommend that you rest until the pain and discomfort subsides. Make sure to discuss your recovery timeline, including when you can return to work and perform strenuous activities.

What Aftercare is Required?

Your rheumatologist will likely prescribe you medications. It is important that you take the medications as directed. You may also be suggested to see undergo physical therapy or occupational therapy. Physical therapists will teach you exercises that can help you move your joints and improve their strength, while occupational therapists can teach you how to ease the strains on your joints when performing your day-to-day activities. Lifestyle changes are important as well, such as maintaining a healthy weight and staying active. Since most rheumatic diseases are long-term diseases, you probably will need regular checkups.

What's the Success Rate?

With cutting-edge technology, continuous research, and a better understanding of the joints, bones, tendons, ligaments, and muscles, rheumatology procedures are now more accurate and safer. The procedures are also highly successful, giving patients higher satisfaction rates and improvement in their quality of life. 

Are there Alternatives?

The alternatives depend on your specific condition. It is best that you talk to your general physician first, who will be able to refer you to the relevant specialist. If you require surgery, for instance, you need joint replacement surgery, your rheumatologist will refer you to an orthopedic surgeon.

Rheumatology in and around Metro Manila

About Manila

Manila is the capital of the Philippines and is divided into 16 districts; it is one of the densest and populated cities of the world. Each district has its own history and cultural legacy. The city was under the rule of Spanish conquerors for almost three centuries. You can see the remains of that era in the ruins of the historical buildings. Today, the City is very modern with tall skyscrapers and modern architecture.

The Philippines is developing into one of the top countries in the world for medical tourism. Approximately 15 million people globally travel to other countries in search of quality medical care at affordable prices. Manila is a favorite destination due to the following reasons:

• It provides state-of-the-art procedures at affordable prices.
• With excellent infrastructure, the City can handle the large numbers of foreigners who visit Manila.
• The Hospital and clinic staff are very competent, friendly, and educated and have a good knowledge of English to communicate with their patients.  
• The doctors are very well-qualified and hold international certifications.
• The city has a reputation in providing excellent post-surgical care by the nurses and physiotherapists.
• The Medical Industry provides many alternative therapies at some of the best spa resorts. You can combine a surgical procedure with alternative healing therapies at the same time.

Popular Areas in Manila

Manila Bay has many tourist spots and you will find many monuments that depict the Spanish occupation of the country. There are many Baroque Colonial Churches that will enable you to appreciate the artistic designs.

The National Museum of the Philippines, Bahay Chinoy, the National Art Gallery, and the Metropolitan Museum of Manila are some of the popular museums that you must visit in Manila. Rizal Park also known as Luneta is a historical urban park that is worth visiting.

There are also many organized tours that can help you get the best out of your sightseeing, for example, the Intramuros Tour, Rizal Park Tour, or the Skyscraper Gazing Tour and more.

Manila is a very modern contemporary city as the historical buildings have been replaced by modern architecture with better planning and layout and the buildings are earthquake resistant.

The city has many cultural and religious festivals throughout the year. There are plenty of shops, both big and small where you can buy branded goods at affordable prices.

Weather and Climate in Manila

The Philippines is a tropical country and in Manila, you will not experience too much temperature variations. January is the coolest month while May is the warmest month. The average temperature remains between 14°C and 38°C. The rainy season is between May and November. The rest of the months are dry. Manila is a humid city and bad weather such as Typhoons may occur during the months of June and September.

Getting around in Manila

People traveling from nearby countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia can use the City’s sea entry points. For all other passengers, the best option is to take the air route.

The Ninoy Aquino International Airport is the City’s major international airport. It has four different terminals that connect via bus transfers. If you are taking a connecting flight, remember to keep some time as a buffer, as transfers may force you to travel through the busy streets of Manila. Terminal 1 caters to International flights and Philippine Airlines uses T2 and domestic carriers and international carriers use T3 with budget carriers largely using T4.

You can take a bus from the airport to the city. Taxis have meters and you can hail a cab outside the airport. Buses and small vans or jeepneys are popular modes of transport within the city.

Manila has three light rail systems and one heavy train line. The light rail systems are the LRT-1, LRT-2, and MRT-3. You can also use the pedicabs and tricycles for shorter distances. In some areas, you can even find horse-driven carriages called calesa.

Tourist Visas in Manila

The visa process is not a very complex system as the Philippines has a visa waiver program for certain countries. All European nations, South American countries, and many others form part of this program. Citizens from these countries can stay in Manila for up to 30 days, whereas nationals from Brazil and Israel may stay in Manila for 59 days. Hong Kong, Macau, and Portugal residents can stay for 14 days without a visa. Tourists belonging to other countries need to apply for a visa to enter the Philippines, in the consulate in their respective countries.

You must also have a valid return ticket. Passport must also be valid for at least six months and beyond to stay in the country. Visa-exempt people may extend their stay by one or two months after which they will have to apply for a visa.

Additional Information

• The currency of the Philippines is Peso (symbol: ₱). It is strong in the world market and the usual exchange rate is 1 Dollar equals 50 Pesos. Dollars are easy to exchange compared to other currencies.
• Credit cards are acceptable in almost every place. The city also has many ATMs from where you can withdraw money without difficulty. However, ATMs will charge you a minimal exchange fee on foreign cards.
• Bargaining and negotiating are acceptable in most places and it can get you better deals.
• Restaurants may add a service charge of up to 10%. You can pay a cash tip of 5 to 10 %. People often round off the taxi fare.
• Manila is a city full of people who speak English proficiently. Filipino and English are the two official languages. Filipino is a variety of Tagalog, Austronesian languages.
• Hindu, Muslim, Buddhism, and Christian religions have left their mark on the Philippines at different periods. Today, a majority of the population is Roman Catholic.
• There are many public holidays in Manila. Some of the important ones are Christmas Eve, Christmas, Eid al-Fitr (Ramadan), Labor Day, New Year, and Good Friday, etc. The Independence Day falls on June 12th and Manila Day on 24th June.