rheumatism
/ˈruːmətɪz(ə)m
/noun [mass noun]
Any disease marked by inflammation and pain in the joints, muscles, or fibrous tissue, especially rheumatoid arthritis.Previously, the condition was known by other names such as fibrositis, chronic muscle pain syndrome, psychogenic rheumatism and tension myalgias....
- Whether it is rejuvenation, stress relief or treatment of any ailment like arthritis, rheumatism, frozen shoulders, back pain or skin disease, Ayurveda is claimed to be most effective.
- The herb's anti-inflammatory aspirin-like chemicals mean it can also reduce fever and relieve the pain of rheumatism in muscles and joints.
Origin
Late 17th century: from French rhumatisme, or via Latin from Greek rheumatismos, from rheumatizein 'to snuffle', from rheuma 'stream': the disease was originally supposed to be caused by the internal flow of ‘watery’ humours.
People have been rheumatic in the sense of suffering from too much rheum, or watery discharge since the Middle Ages but doctors have only been diagnosing rheumatism in their patients since the 17th century. The disease was originally supposed to be caused by watery fluids in the body, and the word comes from Greek rheumatizein ‘to snuffle’, from rheuma ‘stream’.