Rheumatology includes more than 100 different diseases, often called rheumatic diseases or connective tissue diseases, such as:

•Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)

•Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)

•Ankylosing spondylitis

•Psoriatic arthritis

•Vasculitis (inflammation of blood vessels)

•Sjögren’s syndrome

•Systemic sclerosis (scleroderma)

•Gout and crystal arthropathies

•Osteoarthritis

•Myositis

•Behçet’s disease

 

What Makes It Unique

Rheumatology deals with chronic, often complex diseases that can affect many organs — not only joints.

Many of these conditions are autoimmune, meaning the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks its own tissues.

 

How Rheumatologists Work

Rheumatologists use:

•Clinical examination and detailed history

•Laboratory tests (autoantibodies, inflammatory markers)

•Imaging (ultrasound, MRI)

•Targeted treatments, including:

•Anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs, corticosteroids)

•Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) like methotrexate

•Biologic and targeted therapies (anti-TNF, IL-6 inhibitors, JAK inhibitors)

 

The Goal of Rheumatology

To control inflammation, relieve pain, prevent joint damage, and improve quality of life for patients with chronic systemic diseases.