Rheumatology is the medical speciality that diagnosis and treats musculoskeletal system diseases; including bone, joint, muscles, tendons and ligaments diseases.

The rheumatologist also treats some neurology nervous diseases like sciatica, inflammatory rheumatism, autoimmune diseases that can manifest itself in various ways (skin, eyes, kidney, lungs, etc.).

These pathologies can be classified in different categories:

• Inflammatory disorder: Rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, systemic lupus erythematous…in general pathologies from an autoimmune origin.

•  Infectious disorder: Septic arthritis, spondylodiscite

• Old age disorder: Arthritis, osteoporosis

• Metabolic disorder: Gout, chondrocalcinosis joint

•  Dysplastic disorder: Genetic bone disease

These disorder groups can be determined by common bone and joint signs, there isn’t one and only rheumatism but well several types of rheumatisms or osteoarticular pathologies from different causes and therefore also different prognosis.

Helpful links:

• Société française de rhumatologie : www.rhumatologie.asso.fr
• Société belge de rhumatologie : www.srbr.be
• Société européenne de rhumatologie : www.eular.org
• Association belge de patients rhumatisants : www.clair.be