The rheumatologist - who is this? When is a rheumatologist needed?

Rheumatologist - who is it and what does it do? This is a doctor specializing in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases of the joints and connective tissue. The main ailments he deals with are arthritis, osteoarthritis, rheumatism and gout. Our article is devoted to the question: "The rheumatologist - who is this and what does he treat?"

Who can become such a doctor?

Such a specialist can become a highly qualified therapist who underwent a separate training in rheumatology. The physician should know the nature of rheumatic diseases perfectly, master the methods of their treatment and diagnostics, be aware of innovations in the areas of immunology, orthopedics, neurology, and regularly improve their qualifications.

When should I contact him?

Many are interested in the question of what kind of symptoms should you visit such a specialist. The reason to make an appointment for a rheumatologist is pain in various joints and a feeling of discomfort in their area. Given that this specialist deals with inflammatory and dystrophic diseases that affect the joints and connective tissue, several other reasons can be added to the above indications for addressing him.

If a person is predisposed to various infectious diseases or to the frequent occurrence of angina, this is a good reason to turn to a rheumatologist. It is equally important to pay attention to the crunch in the joints or the swelling in them and the spine - it's also an excuse to consult this specialist.

At what age do rheumatic diseases occur?

A similar pathology can appear in a person of any age. However, most often such ailments occur in people after 45 years. Some types of rheumatic diseases are practically not found in young people. In addition, there are diseases that in 95% of cases only women or men suffer.

Rheumatology and Orthopedics

These two areas are closely intertwined. As you know, orthopedics is an area in surgery that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of the musculoskeletal system. Many of the symptoms with which people turn to a rheumatologist are associated with congenital malformations, as well as the consequences of injuries or previous illnesses. In such cases, the rheumatologist also involves other specialists, such as a surgeon and an orthopedist, in the treatment.

Rheumatologist closely cooperates with the above-mentioned doctors, as some of his patients need complex treatment. In large medical institutions, there are a wide range of doctors, for example, an orthopedic rheumatologist, whose qualifications and experience allow him to perform the functions of several specialists at once.

Features of the profession and the main rheumatic diseases

Rheumatologist - who is this? It may seem that this specialty is narrow, but in fact it is complex. Rheumatologist is a doctor who treats diseases of joints and connective tissue. As already mentioned above, this specialist closely cooperates with many others for complex therapy. In addition to orthopedics, arthrology also plays an important role here. This is a narrow specialty, the representatives of which are engaged in surgical treatment of joints. In today's medicine, doctors are very much in demand, who can simultaneously apply therapeutic and surgical methods. They are called rheumatologists arthrologists.

We will analyze several main diseases, which the rheumatologist deals with:

• Rheumatism is a systemic disease of connective tissue, which also affects the shell of the heart. It can affect the skin, kidneys, lungs, liver and nervous system. Often rheumatism is caused by a complication of scarlet fever or infectious angina: a streptococcus that attacks the throat, infects other organs.
• Arthritis is an inflammation of the joints. There are several dozens of its species. The cause is sometimes allergies, psoriasis, gout.
• Osteoarthritis is a very common disease. It affects 15% of the world's population. It is a non-inflammatory lesion of joints, cartilage and surrounding tissue. As the disease develops, the joints gradually lose their mobility.

To find out the causes of these diseases, the doctor studies the pathological processes taking place in the body and identifies infectious foci. In some cases, pain in joints can be caused by diseases of internal organs, flat feet, obesity and even venereal infections.

Where does a rheumatologist go? Where can I go?

This doctor works in regular clinics and hospitals, as well as in specialized clinics. In this profession, the important qualities are methodicity, responsibility, propensity to self-education and good intellect. Self-confidence and actions and sympathy for the patients are also useful.

What is a rheumatologist treating?

Rheumatologist - who is this? As we have already explained, this is a specialist dealing with diseases of the joints and connective tissue. His profile is wide enough. The diseases mentioned above are only the most common. And there are more than two hundred of them, and they are found by every fifth inhabitant of our planet. Rheumatic diseases are combined with many others, in which concomitant symptoms are manifested in the form of damage to muscle tissue, joints, bones and spine. And if the disease affects the connective tissue, then it is considered systemic.

Rheumatic diseases seriously reduce the comfort of human life. Sometimes, due to the limited mobility of the joints, the patient may lose his job, as he can not perform his immediate duties. In some cases, rheumatic diseases lead to disability. Quite often the sick person hardly gets out of bed and sits down on a chair. All this affects the psychological state of the patient and is reflected in his family life. In 70% of cases, rheumatic diseases are chronic, as often they are exacerbated.

A rheumatologist is a doctor who treats diseases that are conditionally divided into two categories: articular and diffuse (connective tissue). Now consider them in more detail.

Variety of ailments

Consider first the diseases of the joints:

• Osteoarthritis.
• Rheumatoid arthritis.
• Idiopathic juvenile arthritis.
• Infectious arthritis.
• Reactive arthritis (Reiter's syndrome).
• Illness of Still.
• Bechterew's disease.
• Gout and pseudogout.
• Arthritis, which develop against a background of intestinal diseases.

Diffuse diseases:

• Scleroderma.
• Systemic lupus erythematosus.

There are other diseases in which joints, muscles, bones, vessels and internal organs are affected. They are also treated by a rheumatologist. These include:

• Rheumatic fever (acute form).
• Behcet's disease.
• Fibromyalgia.
• Recurrent polychondritis.
• Rheumatic polymyalgia.
• Osteoporosis and some others.

A separate group includes vasculopathies and the following disorders:

• Arteritis of Horton.
• Kawasaki disease.
• Nonspecific aortoarteriitis.
• Nodular polyarteritis.
• Cryofibrinogenemia vasculopathy.
• Microscopic vasculitis.
• Cryoglobulinematic vasculitis.
• Purple Shenlaine-Genocha.
• Hypereosinophilic angiitis.
• Antiphospholipid syndrome and others.

Doctor visit

The rheumatologist - who is this? This is a specialist who treats joint diseases. At the reception of a rheumatologist, people often fall not immediately, but in the direction of other doctors: for example, from a surgeon or a therapist. When the patient comes to the reception, the doctor listens to all his complaints, and is interested in previous illnesses, allergies and injuries. He also questions about the lifestyle of the patient and the ailments of his relatives, who can be inherited.

Given that rheumatology is closely related to other medical fields, it is not surprising that the diseases on which this doctor specializes are similar to various infectious, cardiological, hematological and other ailments.

Suffice it often joint diseases require direct surgical intervention. Such manipulations are performed by an arthrologist. He conducts operations, injects into the joint bag, etc. When the patient needs to change the joint (put an endoprosthesis), the trauma orthopedist is already engaged in this.

Diagnostics

The basis for establishing the primary diagnosis is the procedure of radiography. In other words, the usual X-ray image is made. Based on the results, the physician conducts a substantive consultation. In some cases, a rheumatologist can use other diagnostic methods, but radiography is the simplest and most informative way.

Of the analogs, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) can be distinguished. MRI helps to know the current state of the patient's soft tissues, its intervertebral discs, neurovascular fibers and vascular bundles. For detailed examination of bones, CT is used.

New method

Recently, a relatively new method of diagnosis - densitometry - is gaining popularity. This study consists in the study of tissue density. Such diagnostics are especially useful in osteoporosis.

Also, a rheumatologist appoints a general blood test (KLA). It allows you to detect inflammation in the body and other specific signs that can help more accurately deliver the final diagnosis.

Children's doctor

Quite often the age factor is decisive. If we are talking about diseases that are relevant to babies, then they should be treated with the appropriate doctor. In this case, it is a children's rheumatologist. This can be explained by the age specific features of the course of rheumatic diseases, a significant difference in some features, as well as tactics of therapy.

Angina, both child and adult, is a predisposing factor for the development of rheumatic diseases in the future. If a child has suffered a rheumatic fever, then it can contribute to the development of heart defects in the future. For this reason, the treatment of this disease is done without the use of antibiotics.

Therapy, which is conducted by a children's rheumatologist, is necessarily based on a variety of factors and takes into account that children should not take certain drugs that are treated by adults. And the dosage of permitted medicines is carefully selected, based on the total body area of the child and its weight.

Now the reader knows the answer to the question: "Rheumatologist - who is this?" This is a doctor who treats diseases of joints and connective tissue. Rheumatologist services are in great demand at the present time. This is not surprising, because deteriorating ecology, living conditions and malnutrition contribute to a decrease in immunity. Rheumatic diseases can now be found in every fifth person.

As already mentioned above, today qualified professionals are in demand. In every major medical institution you can find a rheumatologist-orthopedist, popular and arthrologist-rheumatologist. Feedback from patients such highly qualified doctors receive the most positive.

Unfortunately, in rheumatology there are no cases with instant or relatively rapid recovery. Often such diseases turn into chronic ailments and torture a person throughout his life, periodically fading and exacerbating. This means that people are forced to visit a rheumatologist for several tens of years.

Does this mean that the work of this doctor is hopeless? No, it's not. It is the rheumatologist that makes sick people feel better, relieves suffering and brings back the joy of life. When a patient becomes better, the doctor helps him avoid subsequent exacerbations. This is the main task of this specialty.