What is a rheumatology in medical terms?
Elijah King
Updated on March 15, 2026
What is a rheumatology in medical terms?
A rheumatologist is a doctor of internal medicine who specializes in arthritis and other musculoskeletal conditions and systemic autoimmune diseases. These diseases can cause pain, swelling, and stiffness in joints, muscles, and bones.
How did rheumatology get its name?
The word rheumatology has its origin in the word “rheuma,” which means flowing, and is mentioned in Hippocratic corpus. Hippocrates made several observations about gout, popularly known as “aphorisms of gout.” Many famous paintings in the medieval era depict joint diseases.
Who is called rheumatologist?
Rheumatology represents a subspecialty in internal medicine and pediatrics that is devoted to the adequate diagnosis and therapy of rheumatic diseases.
What is the role of the rheumatologist?
Rheumatologists are doctors who investigate, diagnose, manage and rehabilitate patients with disorders of the musculoskeletal system such as the locomotor apparatus, bone and soft connective tissues.
What is the difference between hematology and rheumatology?
Comparing Rheumatologists to Hematologists They treat different systems in the body and focus on diagnosing and treating patients with different medical problems. While a person with arthritis may see a rheumatologist, a hematologist may see a patient with a blood disorder.
Is rheumatology the same as immunology?
Immunologists and rheumatologists may treat patients of all ages. More specifically, immunologists commonly treat patients with immunologic conditions and allergies. Rheumatologists, however, typically treat patients with autoimmune diseases and musculoskeletal conditions related to bones, joints and muscles.
What is the root of the word rheumatology?
The Latin root word is rheumaticus, “troubled with rheum,” and rheum itself is a Greek word that means “flow.” The word was first ascribed to the disease of rheumatism because of the way it seemed to spread — or flow — within a patient’s body. Definitions of rheumatic. adjective.
What is the rheumatoid factor?
Rheumatoid factors are proteins produced by your immune system that can attack healthy tissue in your body. High levels of rheumatoid factor in the blood are most often associated with autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and Sjogren’s syndrome.
What’s the difference between a rheumatologist and a neurologist?
A rheumatologist must first complete an internal medicine residency before a fellowship in rheumatology. A neurologist is an expert in the nervous system of the body, both the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) as well as the peripheral nervous system.
What are the worst autoimmune diseases?
Some autoimmune conditions that may affect life expectancy:
- Autoimmune myocarditis.
- Multiple sclerosis.
- Lupus.
- Type 1 diabetes.
- Vasculitis.
- Myasthenia gravis.
- Rheumatoid arthritis.
- Psoriasis.
What does a rheumatology nurse do?
Extended roles in rheumatology include nurse- led caseloads, monitoring of a patient’s condition, joint injections, musculoskeletal (MSK) ultrasound, providing patient education, giving psychosocial support and referring appropriately.
What diseases does a rheumatologist treat?
What do rheumatologists treat?
- osteoarthritis.
- rheumatoid arthritis.
- musculoskeletal pain disorders.
- osteoporosis.
- gout.
- back pain.