What are Rheumatic Diseases?
When you hear the word “rheumatism,” you may think of the aches and pains associated with arthritis. However, rheumatic diseases are much more than this.
Rheumatic diseases are inflammatory and often autoimmune conditions that affects all systems and organs of the body. That means that your immune system, which is your inborn defense system erroneously attacks healthy tissues and organs.
Rheumatic diseases tend to affect the following parts of the musculoskeletal system: joints, muscles, bones, tendons and ligaments. You may see rheumatic diseases lumped under the general term “arthritis.” Though rheumatic diseases do encompass some forms of arthritis, they also include many other conditions such as lupus.
What are some of the common symptoms?
Some of the most common symptoms of rheumatology diseases include:
- Aches and pains in the joints
- Swelling, which can be in and around your joints, or in other parts of the body
- Stiffness or limited range of motion
- Feelings of tiredness or fatigue
- Malaise or general feelings of being unwell
- Fever
- Weight loss
- Skin rash in sun exposed areas
- Red-spotted rash
Each type of rheumatic disease can affect different parts of your body and have unique symptoms. The autoimmune diseases not only have joint involvement but can affect many systems of the body.
How are these diseases different in children compared to adults?
Many rheumatic diseases are often more aggressive among children compared to adults. Furthermore, children often are not able to explain accurately their symptoms as adults do. This contributes to delayed diagnosis that may result in chronic pain, disability and even death.
Help my daughter has been suffering for past 5years with no diagnosis only this year they discovered it may be Fibromyalgia for 6months she has not been going to school
Good evening from Kenya, am Dr Kubai P.K, a passionate researcher, lecturer and advocate for child health programs and intervention, especially for life limiting and threatening conditions in children.
Let me know how we can promote well among children in Africa
Hello Dr.Kinyua, please write to info@paflar.org and we will get back to you
I worked in world Vision international, in Children’s department for over 13 yrs with children of mamy different disorders, then in a refugee camp for 4 yrs, then in Bushenyi Medical Centre as an Administrator and Human Resource Manager, then in Uganda Network of AIDS Service Organizations(UNASO) in the same post today’s. I was also doing Childrens program on Radio during weekends. My Experience, training, commitment and love of children makes me feel attracted to your organisation as a volunteer. I hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Adult ad Community Education from Makerere University.