Rheumatology

Rheumatology (from Greek ῥεῦμα (rheûma) 'flowing current') is a branch of medicine devoted to the diagnosis and management of disorders whose common feature is inflammation in the bones, muscles, joints, and internal organs.

Rheumatologists are internists who are qualified by additional postgraduate training and experience in the diagnosis and treatment of arthritis and other diseases of the joints, muscles, and bones.

[3] There are more than 200 types of these diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, gout, lupus, back pain, osteoporosis, and tendinitis.

However, recognition of this sub-specialty has been slow, which has resulted in a global shortage of pediatric rheumatologists, and as a consequence, the demand for healthcare support far exceeds current service capacities.

Beginning in the 2000s, the incorporation of biopharmaceuticals (which include inhibitors of TNF-alpha, certain interleukins, and the JAK-STAT signaling pathway) into standards of care is one of the paramount developments in modern rheumatology.

Recently, a large body of scientific research deals with the background of autoimmune disease, the cause of many rheumatic disorders.

[citation needed] Rheum surgery emerged in the cooperation of rheumatologists and orthopedic surgeons in Heinola, Finland, during the 1950s.

[15] In 1970 a Norwegian investigation estimated that at least 50% of patients with rheumatic symptoms needed rheumasurgery as an integrated part of their treatment.