Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review

Rheumatic Pain

Joe G. Hardin
H Kenneth Walker  1 , W Dallas Hall  1 , J Willis Hurst  1
, editors.
In: Clinical Methods: The History, Physical, and Laboratory Examinations. 3rd edition. Boston: Butterworths; 1990. Chapter 159.
Affiliations
Free Books & Documents
Review

Rheumatic Pain

Joe G. Hardin.
Free Books & Documents

Excerpt

Rheumatic symptoms (or rheumatism) are distinguished by the following seven characteristics: (1) pain or discomfort, usually perceived in the vicinity of one or more joints (including the spine); (2) pain on motion of the affected area(s); (3) soreness (to the touch) of the affected region(s); (4) stiffness of the affected part(s), especially after a period of immobility; (5) symptomatic improvement after mild exercise, but worsening after vigorous exercise; (6) symptomatic worsening in response to climatic factors, especially falling barometric pressure and rising humidity; and (7) symptomatic improvement in response to warming the affected area(s). Not all rheumatic pain syndromes have all seven characteristics, but most will at least have the first four.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. American Rheumatism Association. Dictionary of the rheumatic diseases, vol. 1. New York: Contact Associates International, 1982.
    1. Kelley WN, Harris ED Jr, Ruddy S, et al., eds. Textbook of rheumatology, 3rd ed. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders, 1989;Chaps. 24. 25.
    1. McCarty DJ, ed. Arthritis and allied conditions. A textbook of rheumatology, 11th ed. Philadelphia: Lea & Febiger, 1989;55–68.
    1. Morgan WL Jr., Engel GL. The clinical approach to the patient. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders, 1969.
    1. Polley HF, Hunder GG. Rheumatologic interviewing and physical examination of the joints. 2d ed. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders, 1978.

LinkOut - more resources