Rheumatology : Specialists

What is rheumatology?

This branch of medicine deals with diseases of the soft tissues, joints and connective tissues. Many of the diseases attributed to this specialty are linked to the immune system and can be described as an autoimmune disease.

What is a rheumatologist?

This is a medical professional who diagnoses and treats a range of rheumatic disorders. These include rheumatoid arthritis and osteomyelitis.

What does a rheumatologist do?

They investigate and devise treatment plans for a whole range of rheumatic diseases and are interested in the following symptoms/diseases:

• Rashes
• Joint pain
• Muscle pain
• Weight loss
• Fever
• Unexplained tiredness

Their particular area of interest is that of arthritis. There are more than 100 different forms of arthritis which include rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.

Other rheumatic illnesses include:

• Raynaud’s disease
• Osteoporosis
• Lyme disease
• Scleroderma
• Gout
• Back pain
• Fibromyalgia

Some rheumatologists specialise in rheumatic diseases in children, which requires a further 3 years of training.