Rheumatism or rheumatic disorders are conditions causing chronic, often intermittent pain affecting the joints or connective tissue. Rheumatism does not designate any specific disorder, but covers at least 200 different conditions, including arthritis and  "non-articular rheumatism", also known as "regional pain syndrome" or "soft tissue rheumatism". There is a close overlap between the term soft tissue disorder and rheumatism. Sometimes the term "soft tissue rheumatic disorders" is used to describe these conditions.The term "Rheumatic Diseases" is used in MeSH to refer to connective tissue disorders. The branch of medicine devoted to the diagnosis and therapy of rheumatism is called rheumatology. Types
Many rheumatic disorders of chronic, intermittent pain (including joint pain, neck pain or back pain) have historically been caused by infectious diseases. Their etiology was unknown until the 20th century and not treatable. Postinfectious arthritis, also known as reactive arthritis, and rheumatic fever are other examples. In the United States, major rheumatic disorders are divided into 10 major categories based on the nomenclature and classification proposed by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) in 1983. Diffuse connective tissue diseases
Rheumatoid arthritis
Juvenile arthritis
Systemic lupus erythematosus
Sjögren syndrome
Scleroderma
Polymyositis
Dermatomyositis
Behçets disease
Relapsing polychondritis
Arthritis associated with spondylitis (i.e. spondarthritis)
Ankylosing spondylitis
Reactive arthritis
Psoriatic arthritis
Osteoarthritis (i.e. osteoarthrosis, degenerative joint disease)
Rheumatic syndromes associated with infectious agents (direct and indirect or reactive)
Metabolic and endocrine diseases associated with rheumatic states
Gout, pseudogout
Neoplasms
Neurovascular disorders
Bone and cartilage disorders
Extraarticular disorders
Bursitis/Tendinitis of the shoulder, wrist, biceps, leg, knee cap (patella), ankle, hip, and Achilles tendon
Capsulitis
Miscellaneous disorders associated with articular manifestations
Palindromic rheumatism is thought to be a form of rheumatoid arthritis.
The mouth and lips may tend to get dry with the Möbius patient. Lack of a good oral seal (lips together) allows the gingiva (gums) to get dry and may get inflamed and irritated. Permanent dentition
After the last primary tooth is lost, usually around the age of twelve, final orthodontic treatment can be initiated. A patient that has not been able to close or swallow well probably will have an open bite, deficient lower-jaw growth, a narrow archform with crowded teeth, and upper anterior flaring of teeth. Orthognathic (jaw) surgery may be indicated. This should be completed in most situations before the smile surgery where the gracilis muscle is grafted to the face.Genetic links to 13q12.2 and 1p22 have been suggested. Diagnosis
Diagnosis is typically made by the physical characteristics and symptoms, patient history and a thorough clinical evaluation. There is no specific diagnostic test that confirms Möbius syndrome. Some specialised tests may be carried out to rule out other causes of facial palsy. Treatment
There is no single course of medical treatment or cure for Möbius syndrome. Treatment is supportive and in accordance with symptoms. If they have difficulty nursing, infants may require feeding tubes or special bottles to maintain sufficient nutrition. Physical, occupational, and speech therapy can improve motor skills and coordination and can lead to better control of speaking and eating abilities. Often, frequent lubrication with eye drops is sufficient to combat dry eye that results from impaired blinking. Surgery can correct crossed eyes, protect the cornea via tarsorraphy, and improve limb and jaw deformities.