With an aim to improve both the diagnosis and management of common inflammatory rheumatological disorders in a primary care setting, our research has a particular focus on gout, polymyalgia rheumatica, giant cell arteritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
What is an inflammatory condition?
Inflammatory rheumatological disorders is a generic term used to cover a range of disorders. They're usually referred to as rheumatic disorders and are conditions that relate to inflamed joints, muscles, and tissues that connect or support your organs and other internal body parts.
Whilst after injury or in certain conditions, inflammation is a normal and healthy response. An inflammatory disorder is where the immune system attacks the body's own cells (known as an autoimmune disorder) or tissues and may cause abnormal inflammation, which results in chronic pain, redness, swelling, stiffness, and damage to normal tissues. Other rheumatic disorders are caused by crystals, such as the uric acid crystals found in gout.
The field of medicine that deals with these disorders is called 'rheumatology' and multidisciplinary team are working hard to ensure that healthcare professionals are properly diagnosing and managing these conditions to improve the patient's quality of life.