Is rheumatism the same as rheumatoid disease?

Rheumatology and rheumatoid arthritis are two different but related diseases.

Rheumatology is a general term for a large class of diseases, including a variety of different disease types. It is mainly due to autoimmune, infection, genetic, environmental and other factors caused by the interaction. Common rheumatism are rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, ankylosing spondylitis, etc. Rheumatoid arthritis is characterized by invasion of joints, muscles, bones and soft tissues around joints, resulting in pain, swelling, stiffness, limited mobility and other symptoms, but also may involve internal organs, causing a variety of systemic pathologies.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a more common type of rheumatism. It mainly invades small joints, especially fingers, wrists and other parts of the joint, with symmetry, multi-joint involvement characteristics. Rheumatoid arthritis is a complex disease that involves abnormal activation of the immune system, leading to the production of autoantibodies that attack joint tissues. Patients may experience joint swelling, pain, deformity, and, in severe cases, loss of joint function. In addition, rheumatoid arthritis may be accompanied by systemic symptoms such as fever, fatigue, and anemia.