Definition

1. Noun:
   • Rheumatism: A general term for various painful medical conditions affecting the joints, muscles, and connective tissues, often characterized by pain, stiffness, and swelling.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Ông ấy bị đau khớp do bệnh phong thấp. (He has joint pain due to rheumatism.)
  • Thời tiết lạnh và ẩm ướt có thể làm cho các triệu chứng phong thấp trở nên tồi tệ hơn. (Cold and damp weather can make rheumatism symptoms worse.)

Advanced Usage

• "phong thấp khớp": Often used specifically for "rheumatic arthritis" or joint rheumatism.
  • Bà tôi điều trị chứng phong thấp khớp đã nhiều năm. (My grandmother has been treated for rheumatic arthritis for many years.)

Variants and Related Words

• Thấp khớp (n): A common synonym, also meaning rheumatism or arthritis.
• Viêm khớp dạng thấp (n): Rheumatoid arthritis (a specific, autoimmune form).
• Đau nhức xương khớp (n): Aching bones and joints (a descriptive phrase for similar symptoms).

Synonyms

• Thấp khớp: Rheumatism, arthritis.
• Tê thấp: An older or more colloquial term for rheumatism, emphasizing numbness.

Related Phrases

• Trúng phong, trúng thấp: To be affected by wind or dampness (concepts in traditional medicine sometimes associated with rheumatism).
  • Ông cụ bảo bị đau lưng là do trúng thấp. (The old man said his back pain was due to being affected by dampness.)

Notes on Meaning

• In modern medical contexts, "phong thấp" is a broad, traditional term. For precise diagnoses, specific terms like "viêm khớp" (arthritis) or "viêm khớp dạng thấp" (rheumatoid arthritis) are used.
• The word reflects traditional East Asian medicine concepts where "phong" (wind) and "thấp" (dampness) are considered pathogenic factors causing such ailments.

1. Rheumatism