American College of Rheumatology

The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) is an ethically-driven, professional membership organization committed to improving the care of patients with rheumatic disease and advancing the rheumatology sub-specialty. Its headquarters is in Atlanta, Georgia, US. |date= |date=== Mission == |date=Founded in 1934, they are a not-for-profit, global medical society that serves over 8,400 physicians, health professionals, and scientists worldwide. They are a professional membership organization committed to improving the care of patients with rheumatic disease and advancing the rheumatology sub-specialty. |date= |date=== Types of rheumatic diseases == |date=* Osteoarthritis, the most prevalent type of arthritis, which primarily affects and destroys cartilage, the soft tissue that cushions the ends of bones within joints |date= |date=* Rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disorder in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the synovium, a soft tissue that lines the joints, leading to inflammation |date= |date=* Fibromyalgia, a chronic condition marked by tender points and localized pain throughout the musculoskeletal system |date= |date=* Systemic lupus erythematosus, or simply lupus, an autoimmune disorder that causes inflammation in numerous parts of the body, including the joints, skin, kidneys, blood, lungs, heart, and brain |date= |date=* Gout, a type of arthritis that develops when needle-like crystals of uric acid deposit in the joints, most often those of the big toe |date= |date=* Juvenile idiopathic arthritis, the most common form of arthritis in children, which may be accompanied by fevers and rashes |date= |date=* Infectious arthritis, or arthritis that's caused by an infection, such as Lyme disease or Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the bacteria behind gonorrhea |date= |date=* Psoriatic arthritis, a type of arthritis (and also considered a spondlyoarthropathy) that affects the fingers and toes and is associated with the skin disease psoriasis |date= |date=* Polymyositis, which affects the muscles and can affect the entire body |date= |date=* Bursitis, an inflammation of the bursas small fluid-filled sacs that reduce friction between bones |date= |date=* Ankylosing spondylitis, the most common spondyloarthropathy, which may affect the hips, shoulders, and knees, in addition to the spine |date= |date=* Reactive arthritis, or Reiter's syndrome, a spondlyoarthropathy that develops after an infection of the urinary tract, bowels, or other organs |date= |date=* Scleroderma, or systemic sclerosis, an autoimmune rheumatic disease that leads to a thickening and tightening of the skin and inflammation and scarring in various other parts of the body, including the blood vessels, joints, and certain organs |date= |date=* Polymyalgia rheumatica, which causes pain and stiffness in tendons, muscles, ligaments, and tissues around joints |date= |date=== Online presence == |date=* Facebook |date=* Twitter |date= |date=== See also == |date=== Learn more == |date=*American College of Rheumatology Website |date= |date=== References == |date= |date= |date=