About 30 % of the people suffer of a locomotory illness. But saying that you suffer of rheumatism or you have had a rheumatism attack due to the rain is erroneous.
In fact, those that say they have rheumatism suffer from one of the 200 ailments or pathologies of the locomotory apparatus named rheumatic diseases.
They can appear at any age, and 60 % of the patients experience some impairment in their activities. The causes are various: infection, trauma, hormonal disturbance, immune alteration, and others. 57 % of the UE citizens over 20 suffer of one type of rheumatic disease.
It's important to explain that:
_The rheumatism does not exist. There are rheumatic diseases, of which the most known are: arthrosis, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus erythematosus, fibromyalgia, mechanic lumbago, hyperuricemia, and gout.
_ The most characteristic symptom is pain, usually located on the articulation or its surroundings.
It can be still and persistent or temporary (it is triggered by certain movements) and generates anxiety and stress. The swelling or tumefaction of the articulations due to the accumulation of synovial liquid can be a symptom, but also appetite loss, weakness or tiresome. There is no analysis for a diagnostic, but there are lab evidences which confirm or not the pathology and image techniques (radiographies) which can help.
_ Arthritis is not the same with arthrosis. Arthritis is an inflammation of the articulations while the arthrosis is a degenerative disease due to the articular cartilage deterioration.
_ The rheumatic diseases are not synonym of the old age. For example, the juvenile chronic arthritis starts before 16 years old, and can last many years, but not necessarily the whole life. Moreover, they are not always invalidating conditions, even if they inflict some limitations. However, the current treatments (a new generation of anti-inflammatory non-steroid drugs) improve the symptoms.
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