WHAT IS RHEUMATOLOGY?

Rheumatology is a sub-specialty in internal medicine that is devoted to diagnosing and treating rheumatic diseases. It is often considered the “black box” of medicine because of its complexity.

The word “rheum” in Greek means “that which flows” and was first used centuries ago to refer to arthritis conditions which flow throughout the body.

Many rheumatic diseases are now known to be due to a disorder of the immune system. Rheumatic conditions are very common. Approximately 1 in 3 people in the population will suffer from some form of arthritis.

Rheumatologists see over 100 types of diseases. More commonly are rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, but other rare conditions include systemic lupus erythematosus, gout, scleroderma, vasculitis, and tendinitis. Many of these are autoimmune diseases which cause inflammation in the body.

Rheumatology has been one of the fastest changing specialties in medicine in the past 15-20 years given the development of many phenomenal medications. It is an exciting time in the field of rheumatology!

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