what is rheumatology

Rheumatology is a branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis and management of disorders whose common feature is inflammation in the bones, muscles, joints, and internal organs. Rheumatology covers more than 100 different complex diseases, collectively known as rheumatic diseases, which includes many forms of arthritis as well as lupus and Sjögrens syndrome. Doctors who have undergone formal training in rheumatology are called rheumatologists. Rheumatologists diagnose, treat, and manage a broad range of conditions, including inflammatory (rheumatic) disorders that affect muscles, joints, and bones, connective tissue diseases that affect supporting structures like ligaments and tendons, and autoimmune and inflammatory conditions in people of all ages. They consider every organ system when looking for the cause of a patients symptoms and develop a treatment plan based on the diagnosis. Rheumatologists treat arthritis, autoimmune diseases, pain disorders affecting joints, and osteoporosis. There are more than 200 types of these diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, gout, lupus, back pain, osteoporosis, and tendinitis. Some of these are very serious diseases that can be difficult to diagnose and treat. Rheumatologists are internists or pediatricians who have received further training in the diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal disease and systemic autoimmune conditions commonly referred to as rheumatic diseases. After residency, they must enroll in a rheumatology fellowship for two to three years to specialize in diagnosing and treating musculoskeletal and autoimmune conditions.