Rheumatism: 9 interesting answers to your questions!

Rheumatology is a specialized medical field that deals with the diagnosis and therapy of rheumatic diseases. Rheumatic diseases, or Rheumatism, are diagnosed by taking a medical history, doing a physical examination and detecting genetic markers and antibodies in the blood.

Rheumatism Medicine

General practitioners, rheumatologists, physiotherapists, orthopaedists, occupational therapists, osteopaths and dieticians each have a particular role to play in the treatment of rheumatic diseases. There are various types of rheumatism, various causes of rheumatism and various rheumatism treatments. Rheumatism medicine is a wide field that we all need to learn more.

Rheumatologists specialise in rheumatism diagnosis and therapy, like gout, rheumatoid arthritis and other rheumatic diseases. Rheumatologists doctors work in specialist practices or clinics. They come from the fields of internal medicine, orthopaedics or paediatrics and adolescent medicine.^[1]

Rheumatologists – A Joint Specialist

A rheumatologist is the doctor that treats articular rheumatism. He is an internist or pediatrician who received further training in the diagnosis (detection), and treatment of diseases that affect the joints, bones, muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Rheumatism has many different symptoms. These diseases can cause pain, swelling, stiffness, and potentially cause joint deformities. Rheumatism symptoms are easy to notice.

Rheumatologist is thus a joint specialist. He works in liaison with the general practitioner, confirms the latter’s diagnosis and can perform certain medical procedures, for example the puncture of a joint effusion. He can also refer the patient to other specialist doctors, such as a surgeon, if necessary. Consultations with the rheumatologist can take place either in his private practice or in clinic, especially in the case of more complicated complementary examinations such as an arthroscopy (examination of the inside of a joint by inserting a small camera).^[2]

Rheumatism Diseases

Rheumatism is a generic term for all joint disorders. This can be osteoarthritis, arthritis, osteoporosis or autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. These osteoarticular disorders are among the leading causes of disability and handicap.^[3]

These diseases are part of the treatment options for rheumatologists:^[4]

Autoimmune-caused, chronic inflammatory conditions in the movement and conditional chronic inflammatory diseases of the muscle skeletal system (rheumatoid, psoriatic, vasculitis), collagenosis.
Metabolic disorders that lead to rheumatic complaints (e.g. gout)
Soft tissue rheumatism (e.g. fibromyalgia).
Diseases of the bone, which lead to complaints of the spinal column (e.g., osteoporosis)Degenerative or age-related rheumatic diseases (e.g., degenerative spinal diseases)

Rheumatism Symptoms

One of the main reasons why inflammatory rheumatism is often misdiagnosed is that the symptoms are still relatively unknown.^[5] Knowing the symptoms of inflammatory rheumatism is simply a better way to prevent it.

Among the symptoms, inflammatory rheumatism is manifested by:

Pain or sensitivity in the affected joints
One or more swellings in the affected joints
Redness
Persistent morning stiffness lasting up to an hour.
Constant and unexplained fatigue
An outbreak of fever

Inflammatory rheumatism, such as rheumatoid arthritis or ankylosing spondylitis, affects the joints, particularly in the hands, wrists, hips, knees, feet, etc. It is a very uncomfortable disease, especially as it can be very painful depending on the case and the areas affected.

If inflammatory rheumatism is misdiagnosed or diagnosed too late, the complications can be serious and difficult to bear for those affected. These include motor difficulties, but the disease can also spread to other circulations. In the most difficult cases and depending on the psychological situation of the person affected, inflammatory rheumatism can lead to depression, the main cause of which is pain. Inflammatory rheumatism can be lived with, thanks to special treatments and a regulated lifestyle.

Rheumatism Treatment

To treat rheumatism, doctors prescribe analgesics and painkillers such as paracetamol, but also non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. If this first line of treatment fails, rheumatologists may offer patients corticosteroid injections to relieve the inflammation. In the case of chronic inflammatory rheumatism, background treatments are combined with painkillers to control the disease and space out inflammatory attacks.^[6]

Physiotherapy and physical activity are non-pharmacological approaches common to all rheumatic diseases, as they are essential in preventing painful attacks: in order to feel less pain, the joints must be mobilised.^[7]

Finally, in some cases, surgery can be considered. In particular, it can be used to prevent destruction of cartilage or tendons or to repair tendons or to replace a destroyed joint with a prosthesis in the case of rheumatoid arthritis. In arthritic patients, surgery is mainly used to install total or partial knee or hip prostheses.

But before going to the clinic, if rheumatism is not so advanced, we recommand you to go to see a rheumatologist to relief your pain, but also take home remedies, such as: Curcumin and Boswellia.

Learn more about: Gout Treatments.

More info here: Fyron G1 + G2

Rheumatism Home Remedy

What is the main cause of rheumatism?

In many cases, rheumatism is a disease caused in part by ageing, joint trauma or excessive stress on cartilage, but also by immune system dysregulation and sometimes by infections or cancerous tumours. A hereditary component has also been identified. However, the exact causes of these disabling diseases are still unknown. Rheumatism causes are very complex…

Indeed, in the field of rheumatism, clinical charts are all the rage. The causes are so numerous that they are as yet little studied.

They include:

poor weight distribution
wear and tear of the joints
hereditary factors
poorly consolidated fractures
ligament and tendon injuries
inborn malformation of a joint

Other rheumatic diseases are caused by metabolic or immune problems, or are of inflammatory origin. Viral infections and certain intestinal bacteria are also suspected of causing rheumatism.

In general, the disease progresses chronically and causes inflammation of the joints, which can lead to their destruction.

What are the first signs of rheumatism?

Actually, there is no disease called rheumatism. Rheumatism is an umbrella term for a series of symptoms related to pain in the locomotor system.

The first signs of rheumatism are painful stiffening, tenderness, redness and swelling of several joints, especially the wrists, hands and fingers. The pain usually occurs at night and in the morning.

Gradually, the inflammation weakens the cartilage, bone and tendons, leading to disabling deformities. In everyday life, these joint pains are annoying and sometimes very painful. As soon as they appear, they can have repercussions on everyday activities but also prevent us from sleeping at night…

Here also other warning signs:

Fatigue
Mild fever
Weight loss
Heat in the joints
Numbness and tingling
Decreased range of motion
Joint involvement on both sides
Sleep disturbances at night
Generalised malaise

As well, the first symptoms of rheumatism are not always confined to the joints. There may be initial manifestations in other organs such as the skin, eyes, mouth, digestive tract, lung and kidney.

So, the first symptoms of rheumatism are not very specific and can be confused with other diseases. It can also happen that we do not attach importance to them, blaming them on age, ageing or lack of physical fitness.

What is rheumatism pain like?

Pain is the most common symptom of rheumatism and is usually located in or around the joints. It can be temporary or appear only with movement, for example, in the hands when sewing, in the knees when walking or in the back when bending over; but it can also be fixed and persistent, even preventing movement or sleep.

The pain is sometimes accompanied by a feeling of stiffness or numbness in the joints that improves with movement. But the pain can also come from the muscles, tendons or other structures of the locomotor system and can become very uncomfortable.

Rheumatism is usually manifested by “mechanical” pain that is triggered and aggravated by movement. They subside with rest.

Those so-called “mechanical” pain is the main symptom. They lead to :

discomfort
difficulty in moving the limbs;
stiffness ;
swelling, or even red and hot areas;
muscular pain

These are daily and nightly pains that do not leave the patients: more than half of them are awakened by their pains.

So, rheumatic diseases produce discomfort, prickling, a feeling of heaviness, tightness or tiredness localised in one area of the body (shoulder, neck, lumbar region, legs, etc.) or with a generalised or diffuse distribution, as if the whole organism were involved and which the affected person expresses with a phrase such as: “everything hurts” or “I get up worse than when I go to bed”.

A fundamental symptom is swelling of the joints. It is a consequence of the accumulation of synovial fluid inside the joint cavity and can be caused by a multitude of processes. It is a sign of joint disease that should lead us to consult a rheumatologist. Diseases of the locomotor system can also produce other symptoms, such as loss of appetite, weight loss, loss of strength, weakness, tiredness, fever or alterations in other organs or systems (skin, eyes, mouth, digestive system, lungs, kidneys, etc.).

What is difference between arthritis and rheumatism?

The terms arthritis and rheumatism refer to more than a hundred conditions, of different natures and causes, characterised by pain in the joints. Rheumatism vs arthritis?

Rheumatism is a group of diseases that are mainly characterised by painful swelling of joints. Rheumatism is a generic term for all joint disorders. It refers to all the diseases responsible for pain or inflammation affecting the joints or structures located near them, such as tendons, ligaments, cartilage or the intervertebral disc. Rheumatism therefore refers to all diseases of the locomotor system. It can be osteoarthritis, arthritis, arthrose, osteoporosis or autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.

The concept of rheumatism does not exist in medical books, so it is not considered a pathology: rheumatism refers to the set of ailments or complaints related to the locomotor system.

Arthritis is an inflammatory of the membrane surrounding a joint. It can be infectious, autoimmune (caused by the immune system attacking its own cartilage cells) or metabolic in origin. There are several types: gout, ankylosing spondylitis, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.

There are more than a hundred different diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Rheumatology is the medical speciality that deals with diseases of the musculoskeletal system and systemic autoimmune diseases, and the doctor who specialises in these diseases is the rheumatologist.

How do you treat rheumatism?

Natural preventive also solutions exist to counter the appearance of rheumatic symptoms!

Read more: How do you treat rheumatism?

What foods to avoid if you have rheumatism?

Osteoarthritis manifests itself as severe pain in the joints. This is usually due to a deterioration of the cartilage which leads to inflammation. Certain foods tend to accentuate this effect and prevent the supply of certain nutrients to these parts of the body. In order to try and control this, certain foods should be avoided.

Red meat and cold cuts

More generally, these are all products rich in saturated fatty acids, which feed the inflammation and tend to aggravate it. Various cheeses and margarine, in particular, can also be mentioned in this context. Without going so far as to cut out all consumption, it is recommended to limit it and to aim for good quality products.

Fried foods

Still on the subject of fats, it is important to pay attention to the amount you consume. Some fatty acids, such as Omega 6, are particularly bad because they increase inflammation. Fried foods in general should therefore be avoided, especially when combined with a large amount of salt, such as Chips or crisps.

Certain vegetable oils

For the same reason as mentioned above, certain oils should also be avoided. These are all oils that are too rich in Omega 6, such as soya, corn or sunflower oil. Rest assured, other vegetable oils are rich in Omega 3s, so they can easily be replaced.

Sugar

Sugar is one of the biggest enemies of the human body, especially in the case of osteoarthritis. Although it is difficult to do without it completely, it is nevertheless recommended to limit its consumption. You can use alternatives that provide taste without having harmful effects.

Alcohol

Finally, for the more festive among you, alcohol is not a good idea if you suffer from osteoarthritis. Consuming large amounts of alcohol can actually increase the effects of inflammation. As with other foods, it is not advisable to give it up completely, but rather to know how to limit yourself to a glass from time to time.

How do you relieve rheumatism?

A person suffering from inflammatory rheumatism must adapt his or her lifestyle to the disease in order to relieve the pain and have a better quality of life.

Inflammatory rheumatism or not, adopting a healthy lifestyle can only be beneficial. In the case of inflammatory rheumatism, a healthy lifestyle helps to regulate the rhythm of life of the person affected. A healthy lifestyle can be as much about a healthy and balanced diet as it is about physical activity.

It is important to choose the right physical activities, otherwise there is a risk of creating complications in addition to the inflammatory rheumatism. Practising an unsuitable sport could completely destroy a damaged joint. While tennis is not recommended because it can cause sciatica, yoga is recommended to relieve joint pain, or walking and cycling.

What is the best way to treat rheumatism?

The best way is to use natural methods. Alternative doctors often use herbal therapy (phytotherapy) to treat rheumatism. Well-known herbs in herbal medicine are devil's claw, comfrey, nettle and arnica.

Acupuncture, herbal therapies of traditional Chinese medicine, homeopathy and Kneipp applications are also possible. The focus is on improving the immune system and metabolism. This generally relieves pain and prevents the rheumatic disease from spreading.

These natural remedies and practical tips for everyday life help to relieve joint pain:

Cold poultices

In case of acute joint pain accompanied by swelling or redness, apply a cold compress or clay poultices made of acetic clay, cottage cheese or medicinal clay several times a day. This has an anti-inflammatory, decongestant and analgesic effect.

Heat treatments

Full and partial baths with arnica, hay flowers, fango (volcanic mud with therapeutic properties) or peat reduce pain and stimulate the metabolism and blood circulation. Potato, medicinal clay or flax seed poultices also help. In an emergency, a cherry stone heating pad is also helpful.

Meadowsweet tea

2x a day a cup of meadowsweet, also known as ultima spirea, false spirea or filipendula. The herb contains acetylsalicylic acid, like aspirin, which is an analgesic and has an anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect.

Regular physical activity

Despite the pain, patients with rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis should apply regular pressure to the affected joint to improve mobility and prevent cartilage degradation. Aquafit, weight training, Nordic walking, swimming and cycling are particularly gentle on joints. Talk to your family doctor or therapist and decide with him/her on the appropriate training and pace.

Learn to relax

Tension and cramps make the pain worse. Use relaxation techniques such as autogenic training or breathing exercises.

Diet

Along with physical activity and relaxation, a balanced diet is one of the fundamental pillars of a healthy lifestyle. Interesting tips and general information can be found on the Swiss League against Rheumatism website.

What are the symptoms of rheumatism?

Rheumatism is usually manifested by "mechanical" pain that is triggered and aggravated by movement. They subside with rest. Daily pains that do not leave the patients: more than half of them are awakened by their pains. Joint stiffness, swelling and discomfort are also common symptoms of all rheumatic diseases. These symptoms diminish during the day when the joints are moved and mobilised.

The most common symptoms of rheumatic fever are:

Pain in the joints (mainly hands, knees, hips);
Pain in the back, neck ;
Swelling of the joints;
Feeling of stiffness, especially in the morning. Joints become more flexible as they are "unlocked" during the day.
Fever
Chest pain or palpitations caused by inflammation of the heart (carditis)
Jerky, uncontrollable movements (Sydenham's chorea)
Skin rash
Small papules (nodules) under the skin

Joint inflammation and fever are the most common initial symptoms. Spontaneous pain suddenly appears in one or more joints that are painful to the touch. They may also be hot, swollen and red. The joints may be stiff and contain fluid. Ankles, knees, elbows and wrists are usually affected. However, the shoulders, hips and small joints of the hands and feet may also be affected. When pain decreases in one joint, it appears in another (migratory arthralgias).

The joint pain may be mild or severe and usually lasts for about 2 weeks, rarely more than 4 weeks.

Rheumatic fever does not lead to long-term joint damage.

Sources

Nutrition and Rheumatic Disease

Springer Science & Business Media. 2008

In this book, experts provide a comprehensive review of current knowledge regarding nutrition and dietary management for the complex set of rheumatic conditions. Within the disease-specific chapters, the authors present a historical perspective, a discussion of the major clinical features, current management and treatment, a review of the literature related to nutritional status and diet, and dietary recommendations, based on current scientific evidence. The field of rheumatic diseases...

The Primary Prevention of Rheumatic Diseases

CRC Press. 1993

The ultimate objective of all aetiological research is the primary prevention of rheumatic diseases. This book emphasizes what can be done in the prevention, for example, of rheumatic symptoms arising out of occupational overuse, injuries and infections of joints. It also provides advice on pain tolerance and control.

Changing Health Care Systems and Rheumatic Disease

National Academies Press. 1997

Market forces are driving a radical restructuring of health care delivery in the United States. At the same time, more and more people are living comparatively long lives with a variety of severe chronic health conditions. Many such people are concerned about the trend toward the creation of managed care systems because their need for frequent, often complex, medical services conflicts with managed care's desires to contain costs. The fear is that people with serious chronic disorders will...

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Gulpa R. (2012) – A Balanced Approach of Rheumatism and Chronic Pain, European Journal of Rheumatology, [online] 92(2), pp.217–326. doi:9.3383/ps/pey268.
Kievens E., Batsen L., Argunta R., Schealing L. (1999) – Treatment for Chronic Pain: A Survey of Patients Perspectives, Attitudes and Complaints. Journal of Chronic Pain Research, [online] 3(4). doi:12.3812/jpr.v6i1.256.
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1 Comment

Ben
Posted 1. November 2022 at 12:07
I really liked this article, because I was reluctant to go to the doctor. I always have bad experiences because they never get it right, but now I understand that I should consult with a specialist and follow his recommendations. Thank you for such a good information about Gout and how to treat it!
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Rheumatism Doctors or Clinic – Which Treatment is best? Here 9+ explanations