Rheumatism[2]/ˈruːmətɪzəm/ orrheumatic disorders are conditions causingchronic, often intermittent pain affecting thejoints orconnective tissue.[3] Rheumatism does not designate any specific disorder, but covers at least 200 different conditions, includingarthritis and "non-articular rheumatism", also known as "regional pain syndrome" or "soft tissue rheumatism".[4][5] There is a close overlap between the termsoft tissue disorder and rheumatism.[6] Sometimes the term "soft tissue rheumatic disorders" is used to describe these conditions.[7]
Many rheumatic disorders of chronic, intermittentpain (includingjoint pain,neck pain orback pain) have historically been caused by infectious diseases. Theiretiology was unknown until the 20th century and not treatable. Postinfectious arthritis, also known asreactive arthritis, andrheumatic fever are other examples.
In the United States, major rheumatic disorders are divided into 10 major categories based on the nomenclature and classification proposed by theAmerican College of Rheumatology (ACR) in 1983.[10]
Blood and urine tests will measure levels of creatinine and uric acid to determine kidney function, an elevation of theESR andCRP is possible. After a purine-restricted diet, another urine test will help determine whether the body is producing too much uric acid or the body isn't excreting enough uric acid.Rheumatoid factor may be present, especially in the group that is likely to developrheumatoid arthritis. A fine needle is used to draw fluid from a joint to determine if there is any build-up of fluid. The presence of uric acid crystals in the fluid would indicate gout. In many cases there may be no specific test, and it is often a case of eliminating other conditions before getting a correct diagnosis.
The termrheumatism stems from theLate Latinrheumatismus, ultimately from Greek ῥευματίζομαι "to suffer from a flux", withrheum meaning bodily fluids, i.e., any discharge of blood or bodily fluid.
Before the 17th century, the joint pain which was thought to be caused by viscoushumours seeping into the joints was always referred to asgout, a word adopted inMiddle English fromOld Frenchgote "a drop; the gout, rheumatism".[citation needed]
The English termrheumatism in the current sense has been in use since the late 17th century, as it was believed that chronic joint pain was caused by excessive flow ofrheum which means bodily fluids into a joint.[15]
^Barnhart, Robert K. (1988). Barnhart, Robert K.; Steinmetz, Sol; Wilson, Halsey William (eds.).Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology.H. W. Wilson Company.The meaning of a disease of the joints is first recorded in 1688, because rheumatism was thought to be caused by an excessive flow of rheum into a joint thereby stretching ligaments
