Rheumatology
Rheumatology deals with rheumatic diseases, which are numerous and include conditions that primarily affect the joints. However, these disorders can also involve connective tissue, bones, muscles, and internal organs such as the kidneys, lungs, blood vessels, and brain, making them highly disabling diseases.
The most common rheumatic diseases are osteoarthritis, chronic arthritis, fibromyalgia, and osteoporosis. In some cases, these conditions have a systemic and autoimmune origin (such as systemic lupus erythematosus, undifferentiated connective tissue disease, scleroderma, vasculitis, and inflammatory myopathies), making them more complex to treat.
Rheumatology consultation and depth test
The rheumatologist needs to conduct a comprehensive medical examination (patient history and development, assessment of lifestyle, family history, remote and recent medical history, complete physical examination), evaluate hematological and instrumental investigations, and often follow up with the patient over time, as the diagnosis may not be immediate but develops over months or years.
The rheumatologist then develops a treatment plan that may include prescribing specific medications and treatments as well as recommending further specialist visits.
The consultation concludes with the prescription of any necessary general diagnostic tests (blood tests, radiological exams, cardiac exams) or specific ones (capillaroscopy, joint ultrasound, arthrocentesis).
Referral specialists
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