Clinical & Experimental Rheumatology

Rheumatology is the study of conditions and diseases in the joints, bones and muscles of the human body. Clinical rheumatology attempts to diagnose and treat these disorders, which include rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, osteoarthritis, and spondylitis. Experimental rheumatology concentrates upon finding causes and cures for these diseases.

Cllinical Rheumatology

• Clinical Rheumatology is interested in clinical examination of patients suffering from rheumatic problems. The clinical aspect involves observing the symptoms of a particular person's illness, such as pain or difficulty in moving the muscles. This often involves writing reports on the nature and treatment outcome of the disease, which can help researchers looking for particular varieties of a disorder. They also perform clinical trials and evaluation on diagnosis and treatment of these diseases, as suggested by experimental Rheumatology.

Experimental Rheumatology

• Experimental Rheumatology looks at the causes behind the symptoms of rheumatoid disorders. This includes searching for genetic markers. Particular emphasis is placed upon the autoimmune system, such as studying T cells, and then working out new forms of treatment based upon chemicals known to work with certain autoimmune cells.

Working Together

• Clinical and Experimental rheumatology work together in order to provide answers and treatments for certain diseases. Without the observation of symptoms, the experimental side could not work out what cells to research, while without the new knowledge gained by experimental research, clinical rheumatology could not offer effective treatments.