A rheumatologist is an internist or pediatrician who is qualified by additional training and experience in the diagnosis and treatment of arthritis and related disabling and sometimes fatal disorders of the joints, muscles and bones.
Arthritis means joint swelling, pain, and loss of motion.
There are more than 100 diseases that cause arthritis and related disorders of the joints, muscles and bone in both children and adults of all ages. Some of these diseases also affect other parts of the body. The rheumatic diseases are a group of more than 100 disorders that cause arthritis in the joints and similar pain and stiffness in the muscles and bones. They may also cause inflammation in connective tissues of other parts of the body. A few examples of rheumatic diseases include rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, gout, lupus, back pain, osteoporosis and bursitis.