What kind of disease is rheumatic immune disease?
Rheumatologic diseases, or rheumatologic diseases for short. They are autoimmune diseases and bone metabolic diseases with multi-system and multi-organ involvement caused by autoimmune disorders, and there are more than 100 types of diseases in two major groups.
Common autoimmune diseases include.
Rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, ankylosing spondylitis, dry syndrome, systemic vasculitis, inflammatory myopathy, scleroderma, and leukoaraiosis.
Common bone metabolic diseases include.
Osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, gout and hyperuricemia, etc.
What are the common clinical manifestations of rheumatic immune diseases?
Rheumatic immune diseases often share certain common features, such as chronic irregular fever, arthralgia, myalgia, skin rash and symptoms associated with multi-organ damage. Unlike diseases of other medical systems such as cardiovascular, digestive and respiratory, the clinical manifestations of rheumatic immune diseases are often not limited to a single organ or system.
What is the difference between “rheumatism” and “rheumatoid”?
”Rheumatism” is generally short for rheumatism, or refers specifically to rheumatic fever or osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is often compared to “weather legs” because it often strikes during cold and rainy days.
”Rheumatoid” is short for rheumatoid arthritis, which is a type of rheumatic disease.
Should I see an orthopedic surgeon or a rheumatologist for joint symptoms?
Generally speaking, orthopedics should be consulted for bone and joint diseases that are clearly diagnosed and require surgery. For those bone and joint diseases whose diagnosis is not clear, or whose diagnosis is clear but is mainly treated with medication, you should go to rheumatology. In addition, rheumatology also sees autoimmune diseases other than arthritis.
Patients with the following signs should be seen in the Rheumatology Department.
Various acute and chronic arthritis with red, swollen and painful joints and limited movement
Recurrent low back pain, lumbosacral pain, hip pain or pain in the hip area
Erythema of the face, erythema nodosum of the extremities, recurrent rash and subcutaneous nodules all over the body
Recurrent oral or external genital ulcers
Chronic unexplained dry mouth and eyes, decreased saliva, tears and even sweat
Recurrent episodes of conjunctivitis, iridocyclitis, uveitis, especially with joint swelling and pain
Tightening and hardening of the skin of the face, limbs or even the whole body, or even atrophy and thinning
Myalgia and muscle weakness of the limbs and muscle pain of the whole body
Long-term fever of unknown origin, especially when antibiotic treatment is ineffective
Chronic lymph node enlargement of unknown etiology
Abnormal laboratory tests: increased blood sedimentation, elevated immunoglobulin, positive antinuclear antibody, etc.