About Rheumatic Diseases, Arthritis, Rheumatism, Rheumatology, Rheumatologist
Rheumatic disease is a broad term used to describe any connective or supportive structure loss of function. There are numerous rheumatic disorders, some classified as connective tissue diseases and others autoimmune diseases.
Diseases that fall into the rheumatic category primarily bother your joints, tendons, ligaments, bones and muscles. However, your internal organs can be affected as well.
Rheumatism, no longer used, was a general term to describe any painful condition of muscles, tendons, joints and bones. Today, rheumatism and rheumatic disease are used interchangeably.
Arthritis is just one category of rheumatic diseases. Although arthritis means joint inflammation, it is popularly used in reference to disorders involving loss of joint function.
Arthritis is the most disabling chronic disorder around. It is brought on by nerve impairment, increased or decreased endocrine gland function, age degeneration or infection.
Having a rheumatic disease diagnosed can be challenging because many symptoms are common for different forms of rheumatism. Rheumatology is the specialty devoted to diagnosing and treating this broad spectrum disease.
A rheumatologist specializes in early stage identification and treatment of arthritis, as well as other rheumatic diseases that may affect joints, muscles, bones, skin and other tissues. The practice of rheumatology helps with your rheumatism so that you may lead as close to healthy life as possible.
Below are a few of the diseases or conditions to which a rheumatology health care professional may be involved in the treatment of:
- gout
- lupus
- bursitis
- vasculitis
- tendonitis
- myopathies
- fibromyalgia
- scleroderma
- polymyositis
- osteoporosis
- osteoarthritis
- Lyme disease
- Still’s disease
- spinal stenosis
- reactive arthritis
- psoriatic arthritis
- giant cell arteritis
- infectious arthritis
- Kawasaki disease
- rheumatoid arthritis
- Sjögren’s syndrome
- cervical spondylosis
- spondyloarthropathies
- carpal tunnel syndrome
- polymyalgia rheumatica
- Wegener’s granulomatosis
- juvenile rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatic diseases are believed to be caused by a susceptible genetic component triggered by environmental factors. Some associations are seen between:
- Epstein Barr virus ~ lupus
- female hormones ~ lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, fibromyalgia
- hepatitis C virus ~ arthritis, muscle pain & weakness, vasculitis, Raynaud’s phenomenon
Your key to a healthy future while suffering a rheumatic disease is working closely with a rheumatologist to determine which treatments work best for you.
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