Rheumatism - Definition
rheumatism
n 1: any painful disorder of the joints or muscles or connective
tissues
2: a chronic autoimmune disease with inflammation of the joints
and marked deformities; something (possibly a virus) triggers
an attack on the synovium by the immune system, which
releases cytokines that stimulate an inflammatory reaction
that can lead to the destruction of all components of the
joint [syn: rheumatoid arthritis, atrophic arthritis,
rheumatism]