For this new year, we begin with the theme of rheumatology. Rheumatology is a medical specialty dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the joints, bones, muscles, and tendons. Let’s start with a bit of history and then discover interesting women in this field!
A bit of context
When did it start?
Rheumatology is a relatively recent medical specialty, although the diseases it treats have been known since antiquity. In fact, the term “rheumatology” is derived from the Greek “rheumatismos”, which means “flow of humors”. Hippocrates had already described diseases like gout, but it wasn’t until the 20th century that rheumatology was recognized as a distinct discipline from others.
It was in the 1920s that rheumatology developed in France, thanks to pioneers like Jacques Forestier, a rather extraordinary character very interested in thermal medicine, who discovered the beneficial effects of gold salts for treating rheumatoid arthritis (a warning to those who fear complex words: don’t become a rheumatologist!).
This specialty took time to develop, partly due to its very specific vocabulary that was impenetrable to the uninitiated, which long caused this discipline to not be considered at its true value, hence the fact that this specialty is very young.
It was in Paris, at Cochin Hospital, in 1948, that the first rheumatology clinic was opened.
What is its objective?
Rheumatology is dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the musculoskeletal system, including bones, joints, muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
Rheumatologists also treat certain peripheral neurological conditions such as sciatica and inflammatory and autoimmune rheumatism.
What diseases are we talking about?
The diseases treated in rheumatology can be classified into several categories:
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- Inflammatory diseases: rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, systemic lupus erythematosus.
- Infectious diseases: septic arthritis, spondylodiscitis.
- Skeletal diseases: osteoarthritis, osteoporosis.
- Neoplastic diseases: benign and malignant tumors.
- Metabolic diseases: gout, articular chondrocalcinosis.
- Dysplastic diseases: genetic bone disorders.
What are the treatments?
Treatments in rheumatology aim to reduce pain and slow the progression of diseases. They include: First, painkillers to relieve pain. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can be prescribed to reduce inflammation. Then, disease-modifying treatments are used when NSAIDs are no longer sufficient. For the most severe cases, biotherapies can also be implemented, as well as opioids which are rarely used due to their addictive effects.
Rheumatology continues to evolve with constant advances in treatments and understanding of diseases. This specialty plays a crucial role in improving the quality of life for patients suffering from chronic and often disabling diseases.
And women in all this
Since rheumatology is a young discipline, it is difficult to measure the impact that the few women rheumatologists may have or have had.
However, one of them stands out from the others! Dr. Estelle: a doctor in rheumatology for several years, she decided to sign up on social networks like YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram to clearly answer the most frequent questions, and thus “understand our body, the origin of our pains, and for us to be actors in our health”! Followed by almost 100,000 subscribers on her various networks, she shares “medicine explained simply”, and contributes to popularizing rheumatology knowledge.
In addition to sharing medical knowledge, specific notions of rheumatology, and doing it with a smile and humor, she is also co-founder of Notaview, an educational website dedicated to both healthcare professionals by gathering numerous medical summary sheets, and to the general public by detailing concepts clearly and as simply as possible.
Dr. Estelle is therefore one of those passionate individuals who wish to put their knowledge at the service of as many people as possible, helping a maximum number of patients, preventing and understanding diseases. More generally, she informs people about a discipline that is rarely discussed. Yet, according to recent estimates, about 18% of the world’s population would be affected by rheumatism, which is almost one-fifth!
Link to the Dr. Estelle’s YouTube Channel .
Written by Inès and edited by Mazzarine
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