Rheumatology

Rheumatology

Rheumatic diseases affect your joints tendons, ligaments, bones, and muscles. Among them are many types of arthritis, a term used for conditions that affect your joints.

Sometimes they're called musculoskeletal diseases. Common symptoms include:

• Joint pain
• Loss of motion in a joint or joints
• Inflammation -- swelling, redness, and warmth in a joint or affected area

The medical field that studies these types of conditions is called rheumatology. If your regular doctor thinks you have a rheumatic disease, he'll probably send you to a rheumatologist -- a doctor who's specially trained to treat them.

Your rheumatologist will examine you to diagnose your condition, then oversee a treatment plan for you that will likely include medications, regular exercise, a healthy diet, stress management, and rest.