Has your physician actually said you have rheumatism? Perhaps you'd care to provide more detail about your symptoms and physician's report.

The reason I ask is that rheumatism is a rather outdated term. It's also a bit of a "bucket diagnosis" that generally describes an array of painful conditions in muscles, joints, tendons, and bones.

What at one time might have been called rheumatism now might be called rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, lupus, tendonitis, fibromyalgia, and more.

For more information, you can visit the website of the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS).