TREATMENT

Common Rheumatic Disorders What Causes Rheumatic Disease? What to Expect When You Have a Rheumatic Disease Rheumatic diseases affect your joints tendons, ligaments, bones, and muscles. Among them are many types of arthritis, a term used for conditions that affect your joints. Sometimes they’re called musculoskeletal diseases. Common symptoms include: Joint pain Loss of motion in a joint or joints Inflammation -- swelling, redness, and warmth in a joint or affected area The medical field that studies these types of conditions is called rheumatology. If your regular doctor thinks you have a rheumatic disease, he’ll probably send you to a rheumatologist -- a doctor who’s specially trained to treat them. Your rheumatologist will examine you to diagnose your condition, then oversee a treatment plan for you that will likely include medications, regular exercise, a healthy diet, stress management, and rest. Common Rheumatic Disorders Years ago, conditions like this fell under the broad heading of rheumatism. Now there are more than 200 distinct rheumatic diseases. Among the most common ones are: Osteoarthritis Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) Lupus Spondyloarthropathies -- ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) Sjogren’s syndrome Gout Scleroderma Infectious arthritis Juvenile idiopathic arthritis Polymyalgia rheumatica