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Rheumatology, a subspecialty of internal medicine, is devoted to the diagnosis and therapy of rheumatic diseases. Rheumatologists mainly deal with problems involving the joints and the allied conditions of connective tissue. It involves the non-surgical evaluation and treatment of rheumatic diseases and conditions. Rheumatologists diagnose and treat the diseases and disorders of the joints and associated structures such as arthritis and degenerative joint disease. Rheumatologists treat arthritis, certain autoimmune diseases, musculoskeletal pain disorders and osteoporosis. There are more than 100 types of these diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, gout, lupus, back pain, osteoporosis, fibromyalgia, and tendonitis. Some of these are very serious diseases that can be difficult to diagnose and treat.
They treat soft tissue problems related to musculoskeletal system sports related soft tissue disorders and the specialty is also interrelated with physiotherapy, physical medicine and rehabilitation of disabled patients. Patient education programs and occupational therapy is also goes hand in hand with this specialty. Physiotherapy is vital in the treatment of many rheumatological disorders. Occupational therapy can help patients finding alternative ways for common movements which would otherwise be restricted by their disease.
Many rheumatologists conduct research to determine the cause and better treatments for these disabling and sometimes fatal diseases. Rheumatic diseases and conditions are characterized by symptoms involving the musculoskeletal system. Many of the rheumatic diseases and conditions feature immune system abnormalities. Therefore, rheumatology also involves the study of the immune system. Classical rheumatology training includes 4 years of medical school, 1 year of internship in internal medicine, 2 years of internal medicine residency, and 2 years of rheumatology fellowship. There is a subspecialty board for rheumatology certification. The American College of Rheumatology is the official organization acting on behalf of the field of rheumatology in the United States.
Rheumatology is a rapidly evolving specialty in internal medicine; new scientific discoveries related to this specialty are largely related to better understanding of immunology of these disorders. Pathogenesis of major rheumatological disorders is now described as auto immune disorders. Immunology explains pathogenesis and the characteristics of rheumatological disorders, and the new treatment modalities are also based on immunology, better understanding of genetic basis of rheumatological disorders makes rheumatology a specialty rapidly developing as a specialty based on new scientific discoveries. New treatment modalities are based on scientific research on immunology, cytokines, T lymphocytes, B lymphocytes and the future therapies may be directed more towards gene therapy as well. Currently, practice of rheumatology is largely based on clinical research, evidence based medical treatment of rheumatological disorders has helped patients with rheumatism lead a near normal life without any disabilities.
Rheumatology is now emerging as an important clinical specialty all over the world, along with well organized post graduate training programmes organized for the postgraduate trainees in this field. Rheumatologists all over the world are now capable of treating most of the chronic rheumatological disorders with a very much better outcome for the patients that is with the discovery of new disease modifying agents called biologics which is now a well established form of treatment for the patients suffering with chronic and disabling joint disorders. Large proportion of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, up to seventy percent according to some studies can now be cured with the introduction and wide spread use of biologic treatment for the treatment of arthritic disorders since the beginning of twenty first century.
Medical Opinions Associates has medical experts in Rheumatology who review medical records, draft opinion letters, and provide on-going litigation support, including trial testimony. This particular specialty, which is a sub-speialty of Internal Medicine, is sometimes coupled with the medical practice of Immunology., For example, one of our medical experts is a Clinical Immunologist who is Board-certified in Internal Medicine, Rheumatology, and Medical Laboratory Immunology. The latter involves interpretation of laboratory tests for autoimmune diseases. Another medical expert limits his practice to arthritis-type problems. Another medical expert in Rheumatology focuses his practice on personal injury of the musculoskeletal system, arthritis, disability, chronic pain, fibromyalgia, spinal injuries, and reflex sympathetic dystrophy. He is Board-certified in Internal Medicine, Rheumatology, and pain management through the American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Academy of Pain Management. He is also a Clinical Instructor at an Ivy League university school of medicine.
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