Arthritis and Rheumatism – Understanding the Connection between Arthritis and Rheumatism
You might wonder what the connection is between arthritis and rheumatism. The term rheumatism is an older medical term that is falling out of favor among medical professionals. However, the word remains a part of certain disorders including rheumatoid arthritis, bursitis, neck pain, rheumatic heart disease, and psoriatic arthritis. When someone is talking about arthritis and rheumatism, they may be talking about joint swelling and stiffness. The terms arthritis and rheumatism can cover over 200 different medical conditions. Understanding the similarities and differences will allow you to pinpoint your potential problems.
Rheumatism is an older medical term for medical problems associated with the joints and the tissues connecting joints together. Arthritis and rheumatism can come together in the form of rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder. The immune system starts attacking the lining around certain joints. With this combination of arthritis and rheumatism, this degenerative condition gets worse over time. Taking a proactive stance is the best option for dealing with this combination of arthritis and rheumatism. Exercise is a great way to handle it. Diet changes and supplements also help alleviate the symptoms. Medications are another symptom reliever. In advanced stages, surgery may be a treatment option.
Osteoarthritis is a joint disease. It is not an autoimmune disorder like rheumatoid arthritis. However, this condition is a part of the disease array that makes up what people know as arthritis and rheumatism. It involves a degeneration of the bone and cartilage in joints all over the body. As that degeneration happens, pain is a big part of it. This form of arthritis and rheumatism can be debilitating without treatment. Like RA, treatment includes exercise, diet changes, medications, supplements, and even surgery. This form of arthritis and rheumatism affects most people in old age.
When some people use the term rheumatism, they may be referring to something other than arthritis. The terms arthritis and rheumatism covers conditions like back pain, neck pain, rheumatic heart disease, lupus, myositis and psoriatic arthritis. When you start thinking about arthritis and rheumatism, you need to start narrowing down the options. Modern medical professionals know that arthritis and rheumatism covers more than 200 different medical disorders. To treat and manage any of these disorders, finding out which one you might have is essential. Your doctor can help you figure out what is the problem. In addition, from there you can make a plan to manage and control it.
