There Are More than 100 Reasons to See a Rheumatologist

While many people believe that arthritis is a stand-alone disease, it is actually a term used to describe over 100 different rheumatic diseases.

Over 88 million Americans, including an estimated 300,000 children, suffer from some form of arthritis or rheumatic and musculoskeletal disease, and the American College of Rheumatology is committed to advancing the treatment of - and research for - those who suffer from these diseases and conditions.

Although there are more than 100 rheumatic diseases, the two diseases most commonly associated with the term arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Osteoarthritis - caused by cartilage breakdown in one or more joints in the fingers, hips, knees, feet, and the spine in the neck and lower back - is the most common form of arthritis and this is typically what people think of when they hear the term. Twenty-seven million Americans age 25 and over are living with osteoarthritis today, and 70 percent of people over the age of 70 have X-ray evidence of the disease.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease that causes pain, stiffness, swelling and limitations in the motion and function of multiple joints. RA is the most common form of inflammatory arthritis, affecting more than 1.3 million Americans. Of these, about 75 percent are women. In fact, one to three percent of women may develop rheumatoid arthritis is their lifetime. The disease most often begins between the fourth and sixth decades of life. However, RA can develop at any age.

Because RA affects many people, yet research funding dedicated to improving treatment and ultimately finding a cure for this disease is significantly low compared to other autoimmune diseases, the ACR Research and Education Foundation launched Within Our Reach: Finding a Cure for Rheumatoid Arthritis – a multi-million dollar fundraising campaign that will accelerate the innovative research necessary to find a cure for the disease.

Other rheumatic diseases that fall under the umbrella term of arthritis include psoriasis, lupus, Lyme disease, gout, osteoporosis, scleroderma, and juvenile arthritis – all of which should be treated by a rheumatologist.

While most of us will experience some aches and pains in our lifetime, pain in the joints, muscles or bones that is severe or persists for more than a few days could be a rheumatic disease and may need the attention of your physician – who may refer you to a rheumatologist.

“When someone has pain in or near a joint, the term ‘arthritis’ can be as elusive as saying ‘rash’ or ‘abdominal trouble’ when talking about other kinds of medical conditions,” explains Dennis Boulware, MD, a practicing rheumatologist in Honolulu, Hawaii and chairperson of the ACR’s Communication and Marketing Committee. “The key to effective treatment and improvement is an accurate and precise diagnosis allowing specific treatment to be prescribed. Rheumatologists are professionally trained to make that specific diagnosis and offer customized treatment for each specific diagnosis,” explains Dr. Boulware.