What does rheumatologist mean?
A rheumatologist is a physician who specializes in rheumatology, a branch of medicine concerned with rheumatic, inflammatory, and autoimmune diseases. These conditions commonly affect the joints, but rheumatologists may also treat problems involving muscles, bones, skin, blood vessels, and connective tissue. Common examples include rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, gout, and several forms of vasculitis. A person may be referred to a rheumatologist after symptoms persist, laboratory tests suggest an autoimmune disease, or another clinician suspects an inflammatory condition. The word is primarily clinical and formal, while “rheumatologist” is more precise than the informal phrase “joint specialist.” Knowing it is especially useful when navigating medical appointments or reading information about autoimmune disease, because rheumatology covers a wider range of conditions than arthritis alone.
nounA physician who specializes in rheumatology, the diagnosis and treatment of rheumatic, inflammatory, and autoimmune diseases affecting joints, muscles, bones, and connective tissues.
- A medical physician specializing in rheumatic, inflammatory, and autoimmune diseases, particularly those affecting the joints and connective tissues.
"Her rheumatologist recommended a course of treatment for her inflammatory arthritis."
"The rheumatologist ordered blood tests to determine whether the joint pain was rheumatoid arthritis."
"After several specialist appointments, she was referred to a rheumatologist in another city."
Rheumatologists treat more than joints: much of rheumatology is the study of autoimmune and inflammatory disease.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does rheumatologist come from?
The word combines the root found in rheumatism with the specialist-forming suffix -ologist, meaning “one who studies” or “a specialist in.” Rheumatism entered English through Latin from Greek rheumatos, associated with rheuma, “flow,” historically referring to the movement of bodily fluids or humors. The medical term rheumatologist developed as the name of a physician devoted to the study and treatment of rheumatic diseases.
How rheumatologist is actually used
This is a formal medical term. In informal speech, someone may simply be called a specialist, but the precise term for a physician in this field is rheumatologist.
Easily confused with rheumatologist
A rheumatologist is a physician who treats rheumatic and autoimmune diseases, whereas rheumatology is the medical specialty concerned with those diseases.
Rheumatoid is an adjective describing inflammation involving the joints, while rheumatologist names the medical specialist who treats such conditions.