NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Rheumatology

Rheumatology, a subspecialty of internal medicine, is devoted to the diagnosis and therapy of rheumatic diseases. The term originates from the Greek rheuma, meaning "that which flows as a river or stream" and the suffix -ology, meaning "the study of". Rheumatologists mainly deal with problems involving the joints and the allied conditions of connective tissue. Doctors of internal medicine (internists) are medical specialists who focus on adult medicine and have had special study and training focusing on the prevention and treatment of adult diseases. ... In general, a diagnosis (plural diagnoses) covers a broad spectrum, or spectra, of testing in some form of analysis; such tests based on some collective reasoning is called the method of diagnostics, leading then to the results of those tests by ideal (ethics) would then be considered a diagnosis, but...

Diseases

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is traditionally considered a chronic, inflammatory autoimmune disorder that causes the immune system to attack the joints. ... SjÃ¶grens syndrome is an autoimmune disorder in which immune cells attack and destroy the glands that produce tears and saliva. ... Scleroderma is a rare, chronic disease characterized by excessive deposits of collagen. ... X-Ray of the knee in a patient with dermatomyositis. ... This article needs to be wikified. ... {{ }} Polymyositis is a type of inflammatory myopathy, related to dermatomyositis and inclusion body myositis. ... Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) - is a disorder associated with pain in the shoulder and hip. ... Osteoarthritis (OA, also known as degenerative arthritis or degenerative joint disease, and sometimes referred to as arthrosis or osteoarthrosis or in more colloquial terms wear and tear), is a condition in which low-grade inflammation results in pain in the joints, caused by wearing of the cartilage that covers and... Septic arthritis is the proliferation of bacteria in joints and resultant inflammation. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease. ... Spondyloarthropathies are a group of related inflammatory joint disease associated with the MHC class I molecule HLA-B27. ... Reactive arthritis is a condition with symptoms similar to arthritis or rheumatism. ... Photograph of an arm covered with plaque psoriasis Psoriasis is a disease whose main symptom is gray or silvery flaky patches on the skin which are red and inflamed underneath when scratched. ... In medicine, vasculitis (plural: vasculitides) is a group of diseases featuring inflammation of the wall of blood vessels. ... Polyarteritis nodosa (or periarteritis nodosa) is a serious blood vessel disease. ... In medicine (rheumatology and pediatrics) Henoch-SchÃ¶nlein purpura (HSP, also known as allergic purpura) is a systemic vasculitis characterized by prominent tissue deposition of IgA-containing immune complexes, especially in the skin and kidney. ... Serum sickness is a reaction to an antiserum derived from an animal source. ... In medicine (rheumatology), Wegeners granulomatosis is a form of vasculitis that affects the lungs, kidneys and other organs. ... Temporal arteritis, also called giant cell arteritis (GCA) is an inflammatory disease of blood vessels (most commonly large and medium arteries of the head). ... Temporal arteritis, also called giant cell arteritis (GCA) is an inflammatory disease of blood vessels (most commonly large and medium arteries of the head). ... Takayasus arteritis is an inflammatory disease of unknown etiology that affects the aorta and its branches. ... BehÃ§ets disease (also known as Adamantiades-BehÃ§ets disease), is a chronic condition due to disturbances in the bodyâ€™s immune system. ... Kawasaki disease, also known as mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome, mucocutaneous lymph node disease, infantile polyarteritis and Kawasaki syndrome, is a poorly-understood illness that affects the mucous membranes, lymph nodes, blood vessel walls, and the heart. ... Buergers disease (also known as thromboangiitis obliterans) is an acute inflammation and thrombosis (clotting) of arteries and veins of the hands and feet. ... Buergers disease (also known as thromboangiitis obliterans) was first reported by physician Leo Buerger in 1908, who described a disease which had the characteristic pathologic findings of acute inflammation and thrombosis (clotting) of arteries and veins of the hands and feet (the lower limbs being more common). ...

Diagnosis

Apart from an extensive medical history and physical examination, a rheumatologist may apply the following diagnostic methods: In medicine, the physical examination or clinical examination is the process by which the physician investigates the body of a patient for signs of disease. ...

A medical laboratory or clinical laboratory is a laboratory where tests are done on biological specimens in order to get information about the health of a patient. ... Blood tests are laboratory tests done on blood to gain an appreciation of disease states and the function of organs. ... The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), also called a sedimentation rate, sed rate or Biernacki Reaction, is a non-specific measure of inflammation that is commonly used as a medical screening test. ... Rheumatoid factor (RF) is a blood test performed in patients with suspected rheumatoid arthritis (RA). ... In the NATO phonetic alphabet, X-ray represents the letter X. An X-ray picture (radiograph) taken by Röntgen An X-ray is a form of electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength approximately in the range of 5 pm to 10 nanometers (corresponding to frequencies in the range 30 PHz... Cytology (also known as Cell biology) is the scientific study of cells. ... Chemical pathology (also known as clinical biochemistry or clinical chemistry) is the area of pathology that is generally concerned with analysis of bodily fluids. ... Septic arthritis is the proliferation of bacteria in joints and resultant inflammation. ...

Treatment

Most rheumatic diseases are treated with analgesics, NSAIDs (Non-Steroid Anti-Inflammatory Drugs), steroids (in serious cases), DMARDs (Disease-Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs), monoclonal antibodies, such as infliximab and adalimumab, and the soluble TNF receptor etanercept. An analgesic (colloquially known as a painkiller) is any member of the diverse group of drugs used to relieve pain (achieve analgesia). ... Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, usually abbreviated to NSAIDs, are drugs with analgesic, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory effects - they reduce pain, fever and inflammation. ... Steroid skeleton of lanosterol. ... Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs is a category of drugs used in many autoimmune diseases to slow down disease progression. ... Monoclonal antibodies (mAb) are antibodies that are identical because they were produced by one type of immune cell, all clones of a single parent cell. ... It has been suggested that Infliximab (Remicade) be merged into this article or section. ... Adalimumab (HumiraÂ®) is the third TNF antagonist (after infliximab and etanercept) to be approved in the US. Like infliximab and etanercept, adalimumab binds to TNFÎ±, preventing it from activating TNF receptors; adalimumab was constructed from a fully human monoclonal antibody, while infliximab is a mouse-human chimeric antibody and etanercept... Etanercept (EnbrelÂ®, co-marketed by Amgen and Wyeth) is a human recombinant, soluble tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFÎ±) receptor. ...

Physiotherapy is vital in the treatment of many rheumatological disorders. Occupational therapy can help patients finding alternative ways for common movements which would otherwise be restricted by their disease. Physical therapy can help restore lost functionality in many people. ... It has been suggested that Occupational therapist be merged into this article or section. ...

Scientific research

A large body of recent scientific research treats the background of autoimmune disease, the cause of many rheumatic disorders. Epidemiological studies and medication trials are also conducted. Autoimmune diseases arise from an overactive immune response of the body against substances and tissues normally present in the body. ...

External links

Category: Rheumatology Health science is the discipline of applied science which deals with human and animal health. ... This article is about the field and science of medical practice and health care. ... Advanced practice nurses (APNs) are Registered Nurses with advanced education, knowledge, skills, and scope of practice. ... Audiology is the branch of science that studies hearing, balance, and their disorders. ... A Dentist and Dental Assistant perform surgery on a patient. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... Epidemiology is the scientific study of factors affecting the health and illness of populations, and serves as the foundation and logic of interventions made in the interest of public health and preventive medicine. ... Category: Possible copyright violations ... Midwifery is the term traditionally used to describe the art of assisting a woman through childbirth. ... Nursing is a profession focused on assisting individuals, families and communities in attaining, re-attaining and maintaining optimal health and functioning. ... It has been suggested that Occupational therapist be merged into this article or section. ... Optometry (Greek: optos meaning seen or visible and metria meaning measurement) is the health care profession concerned with examination, diagnosis, and treatment of the eyes and related structures and with determination and correction of vision problems using lenses and other optical aids [1]. An optical refractor (also called a phoropter... Osteopathic medicine (formerly known as osteopathy) is [1] Outside the United States, osteopathic medicine is often used interchangeably with osteopathy. Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine, or D.O.s, apply the philosophy of treating the whole person (a holistic approach) to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of illness, disease and injury... Bowl of Hygeia Pharmacy (from the Greek Ï†Î¬ÏÎ¼Î±ÎºÎ¿Î½ = drug) is a transitional field between health sciences and chemical sciences and a profession charged with ensuring the safe use of medication. ... This article concerns the health profession. ... The Doctor by Samuel Luke Fildes This article is about the term physician, one type of doctor; for other uses of the word doctor see Doctor. ... In the United States, Physician Assistants (PAs) are non-physician clinicians licensed to practice medicine with a physicians supervision. ... Podiatry or Podiatric Medicine is a field of healthcare devoted to the study and treatment of disorders of the foot, ankle, and sometimes knee, leg and hip (collectively known as the lower extremity). ... Psychology is an academic and applied field involving the scientific study of mental processes and behavior. ... Public health is concerned with threats to the overall health of a community based on population health analysis. ... Respiratory therapy is categorized as an allied health profession in the United States and Canada. ... It has been suggested that Speech-Language Pathology, Speech pathology, Phoniatrics be merged into this article or section. ... Anesthesia (AE), also anaesthesia (BE), is the process of blocking the perception of pain and other sensations. ... Dermatology (from Greek derma, skin) is a branch of medicine dealing with the skin and its appendages (hair, nails, sweat glands etc). ... Emergency medicine is a branch of medicine that is practiced in a hospital emergency department, in the field (in a modified form; see EMS), and other locations where initial medical treatment of illness takes place. ... A general practitioner (GP) or family physician (FP) is a physician who provides primary care. ... Doctors of internal medicine (internists) are medical specialists who focus on adult medicine and have had special study and training focusing on the prevention and treatment of adult diseases. ... Neurology is a branch of medicine dealing with disorders of the nervous system. ... Bone scintigraphy of a young woman. ... // What is occupational medicine Occupational medicine is the branch of clinical medicine most active in the field of occupational health. ... Pathology (from Greek pathos, feeling, pain, suffering; and logos, study of; see also -ology) is the study of the processes underlying disease and other forms of illness, harmful abnormality, or dysfunction. ... Pediatrics (also spelled paediatrics) is the branch of medicine that deals with the medical care of infants, children, and adolescents (from newborn to age 16-21, depending on the country). ... Physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) or physiatry is a branch of medicine dealing with functional restoration of a person affected by physical disability. ... A 1930 Soviet poster propagating breast care. ... Psychiatrist redirects here, for the party game, see Psychiatrist (game) Psychiatry is a medical specialty dealing with the prevention, assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of mental illness. ... Radiation therapy (or radiotherapy) is the medical use of ionizing radiation as part of cancer treatment to control malignant cells (not to be confused with radiology, the use of radiation in medical imaging and diagnosis). ... Image A: A normal chest X-ray. ... A cardiothoracic surgeon performs a mitral valve replacement at the Fitzsimons Army Medical Center. ... An allergy can refer to several kinds of immune reactions including Type I hypersensitivity in which a persons body is hypersensitised and develops IgE type antibodies to typical proteins. ... Immunology is a broad branch of biomedical science that covers the study of all aspects of the immune system in all organisms. ... Cardiology is the branch of medicine dealing with disorders of the heart and blood vessels. ... Endocrinology is a branch of medicine dealing with disorders of the endocrine system and its specific secretions called hormones. ... Gastroenterology or gastrology is the medical specialty concerned with the field of digestive diseases. ... Hematology is the branch of medicine that is concerned with blood and its disorders. ... In medicine, infectious disease or communicable disease is disease caused by a biological agent (e. ... Intensive Care Medicine or critical care medicine is a branch of medicine concerned with the provision of life support or organ support systems in patients who are critically ill who usually also require intensive monitoring. ... Medical Genetics is the application of genetics to medicine. ... Nephrology is the branch of internal medicine dealing with the study of the function and diseases of the kidney. ... Oncology is the medical subspecialty dealing with the study and treatment of cancer. ... In medicine, pulmonology (aka pneumology) is the specialty that deals with diseases of the lungs and the respiratory tract. ... Andrology (from the Greek andros, man) is the medical specialty that deals with male health, particularly relating to the problems of the male reproductive system and urological problems that are unique to men. ... Cardiac surgery is surgery on the heart, typically to treat complications of ischemic heart disease (e. ... A surgeon operating General surgery, despite its name, is a surgical specialty that focuses on surgical treatment of abdominal organs, e. ... The field of hand surgery deals with both surgical and non-surgical treatment of conditions and problems that may take place in the hand or upper extremity (commonly from the tip of the hand to the shoulder). ... Interventional Neuroradiology (INR) / Endovascular Surgical Neuroradiology (ESN) is an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) accredited medical subspecialty centered on minimally invasive image-based technologies/procedures used to diagnosis and treat diseases of the head, neck, and spine. ... Old German engraving depicting a trepanation, an ancient and still performed neurosurgical procedure Neurosurgery is the surgical discipline focused on treating those central and peripheral nervous system diseases amenable to mechanical intervention. ... Obstetrics and gynaecology (often abbreviated Ob-Gyn in the US and O&G elsewhere) form a single medical specialty and have a combined postgraduate training program. ... A phoropter in use. ... Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery is a recognized international training course in specialised Medicine, which requires a minimum length of formation of 5 years for a basic medical training and 4 years for a basic medical and dental training, in the European Union. ... Orthopedic surgery or orthopedics (BE: orthopaedics) is the branch of surgery concerned with acute, chronic, traumatic and recurrent injuries and other disorders of the locomotor system, its musclular and bone parts. ... Otolaryngology is the branch of medicine that specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of ear, nose, throat, and head & neck disorders. ... Pediatric surgery (sometimes spelled paediatric surgery) is a subspecialty of surgery involving the surgery of fetuses, infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. ... Plastic surgery is a specialty that uses surgical techniques to improve the appearance and function of patients bodies. ... Surgical Oncology is the branch of surgery which focuses on the surgical managment of malignant neoplasms (cancer). ... In medicine, the field of (cardio)thoracic surgery is involved in the surgical treatment of diseases affecting the heart (cardiovascular disease) and lungs (lung disease). ... An organ transplant is the transplantation of an organ (or part of one) from one body to another, for the purpose of replacing the recipients damaged or failing organ with a working one from the donor. ... It has been suggested that Traumatology be merged into this article or section. ... Urology is the field of medicine that focuses on the urinary tracts of males and females, and on the reproductive system of males. ... Vascular surgery is the branch of surgery that occupies itself with surgical interventions of arteries and veins, as well as conservative therapies for disease of the peripheral vascular system. ...

Contents

Diagnosis

Treatment

Scientific research

External links