David F. Liew is a Rheumatologist working at Austin Health in Heidelberg West, VIC 3081.
Rheumatology is about conditions that affect the joints, muscles, and sometimes the blood vessels. In many cases, people come in with ongoing pain, swelling, stiffness, or fatigue. At times, the issue can be more urgent, like when inflammation affects the eyes or head area.
David looks after patients with problems such as polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) and giant cell arteritis (GCA), including temporal arteritis. These can cause headaches, scalp tenderness, jaw pain, and changes to vision. Because some symptoms need quick action, care is often planned in a way that keeps things moving fast.
He also helps people manage different kinds of arthritis. This can include rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and other axial spondyloarthritis. There are times when symptoms come and go, and the goal is to find a treatment plan that is steady and realistic for day-to-day life.
Vasculitis is another area he sees. That can involve inflammation of blood vessels and may show up in different ways across the body. Autoimmune conditions like autoimmune haemolytic anaemia can also come into the picture, where the body’s immune system affects red blood cells.
Some patients are referred with gout or infectious arthritis, and others need help after joint or tissue issues that need testing. In some situations, tissue biopsy may be part of the process, especially when doctors need to confirm what’s going on.
He works with a range of ages too. Juvenile arthritis and juvenile temporal arteritis can be part of the picture for younger patients. At times, there are also rare or unusual issues, including relapsing polychondritis and gluteal or muscle twitching symptoms like cramp-fasciculation syndrome.
Because infections can overlap with inflammation, patients may also be assessed after illnesses such as flu or COVID-19. The aim is to sort out what is inflammation, what is infection, and what needs treatment right away.
Over time, David’s work at a busy hospital like Austin Health means he sees a mix of straightforward and complicated cases. He also keeps up with new research and updates to treatment approaches, so the care stays current without getting too complex. Clinical trials aren’t listed here, but the focus is still on careful assessment, safe treatment choices, and clear follow-up.
