Rheumatology is the branch of medicine that deals with diseases of rheumatic nature characterized by the inflammation of joints, muscles, bones, and occasionally, other internal organs such as kidneys, lungs, blood vessels, and brain.
What does a rheumatologist do?
A rheumatologist can diagnose, treat, and manage diseases and disorders of rheumatic nature such as arthritis. The aim of the doctor is to provide the patient with the best possible quality of life, not only by prescribing medications and treatments, but also by showing the person and their family the best way to manage a chronic disorders.
What diseases are treated by a rheumatologist?
The disease most often treated by a rheumatologists are inflammatory rheumatism, such as acute articular rheumatism and rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjšgren's syndrome, polymyositis, dermatomyositis, scleroderma, and rheumatoid vasculitis caused by infectious agents, such as Lyme disease. Others include arthropathy by metabolic disorders such as gout, degenerative diseases such as osteoarthritis, extra-articular rheumatism such as fibromyalgia, bursitis and periarthritis, bone diseases such as osteoporosis, osteomalacia and Paget's disease, spondyloarthropathy, Raynaud's disease, and paraneoplastic syndromes.
What are the procedures used by a rheumatologist?
A rheumatologist can use many different procedures to diagnose and treat rheumatism. Among the most used are blood and urine tests, examinations of synovial fluid, radiograph
ultrasonography, CAT, arthroscopy, and capillaroscopy.
The doctor can prescribe medication, and advice for rest, sufficient exercise, balanced nutrition, ways to reduce stress, proper use of sun screen protection, and if necessary surgery.
When should a patient visit a rheumatologist?
Identifying a rheumatic disease in time can minimize its long-term complications.Therefore it is important to consult a rheumatologist when the patient is experiencing symptoms such as joint swelling, weakness, headache with vision problems, white or blue fingers, especially if associated with ulcers or appearance of swelling and tension to the skin of the hands and feet, rashes associated with joint pain or fever, and morning stiffness or back pain that gets worse in the morning and decreases with physical activity.
