What are Rheumatic Diseases? What are Rheumatologic Diseases?

In some cases, rheumatism can be the result of autoimmune diseases that occur when the immune system mistakenly attacks its own tissues. However, there are many types of rheumatism and the cause of the disease may remain unclear. Types of rheumatism of unknown cause include diseases such as fibromyalgia, polymyositis and dermatomyositis.

What are Rheumatic Diseases?

Rheumatic diseases, which affect structures such as bones, joints and muscles that allow movement in the body, are diseases that occur because the immune system mistakenly attacks its own tissues. In addition, the disorders in this group can also be degenerative diseases caused by overuse, injury or other reasons in the said structures.

The most common rheumatic diseases are osteoarthritis (calcification), rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, scleroderma, ankylosing spondylitis, gout, juvenile arthritis, polymyositis, and dermatomyositis. These illnesses can often cause pain, swelling, stiffness, weakness, fatigue, fever, rash, and other symptoms.

What are Rheumatologic Diseases?

Symptoms and treatments of rheumatological disease can vary depending on the type and severity of the disease. These diseases, which can affect many areas, organs or tissues in the body, can be listed as follows:

Osteoarthritis, which is caused by wear and tear on bones and joints, is an inflammation of the joints.

Rheumatoid arthritis and lopus are autoimmune diseases caused by the body’s own immune system attacking joint tissue.

Another autoimmune disease, scleroderma affects various parts of the body, including the skin and internal organs.

Ankylosing spondylitis is a degenerative disease that affects the joints in the back and lumbar region.

Gout, which is caused by accumulation of uric acid in the body, is also a rheumatic disease.

Polymyositis, an autoimmune disease, causes weakness and pain in the muscles, while dermatomyositis causes rashes and muscle weakness.

However, with Behçet’s disease, which affects various parts of the body and whose cause is unknown,

Juvenile arthritis, which is used for various joint inflammations that appear before the age of 16, is also a rheumatic disease.

How is rheumatological disease treated?

In the treatment of rheumatic diseases, although there are a number of alternative methods, methods such as some medicines, exercise, diet and physiotherapy can be used. Medications are used to reduce pain, inflammation, swelling, and other symptoms.

Physical therapy or exercises are physiotherapy methods used to increase joint mobility, strengthen muscles, and reduce pain. In some rheumatic diseases, especially gout, the consumption of certain foods may need to be reduced or completely stopped.

Surgical intervention can be used in cases where joints or tissues need to be replaced or repaired. In addition, alternative treatment methods such as acupuncture, massage, yoga and aromatherapy can relieve the symptoms of rheumatic diseases. However, scientific evidence on the effectiveness of these treatments is limited and may not always be favorable.