Mišićno-koštana bol najčešći je simptom prisutan u gotovo svim reumatskim bolestima. Reumatske
bolesti obuhvaćaju više od 150 kliničkih entiteta. Nema jedinstvene klasifi kacije reumatskih bolesti. Općenito ih dijelimo
na upalne reumatske bolesti, neupalne bolesti zglobova degenerativnog karaktera, sustavne bolesti vezivnog tkiva,
metaboličke poremećaje s manifestacijom na zglobovima, regionalne i proširene bolne sindrome. Bol je prema Međunarodnom
udruženju za proučavanje boli (IASP) defi nirana kao neugodan osjećaj povezan s oštećenjem tkiva ili opisan
u vrijeme takvog oštećenja. Ona ima svoju tjelesnu, duševnu i socijalnu komponentu. Najčešće se u reumatskim
bolestima radi o kroničnoj boli koja može narušiti opće stanje organizma, traje duže od 3 ili 6 mjeseci, a prema nekim
defi nicijama, već i ako postoji duže od 6 tjedana. Uglavnom je nociceptivna, a rjeđe neuropatska. Mišićno-koštana bol,
osobito kronična, globalni je javnozdravstveni problem zbog svoje učestalosti, nerijetko oštećenja funkcije i razvoja
kroničnoga bolnog sindroma koji se može smatrati zasebnim kliničkim entitetom i zahtijeva biopsihosocijalni pristup
u liječenju bolesnika.Musculoskeletal pain is the most common symptom present in almost all rheumatic diseases. Rheumatic
diseases include more than 150 clinical entities. Th ere is no uniform classifi cation of rheumatic diseases. In general, we
distinguish infl ammatory rheumatic diseases, non-infl ammatory degenerative articular diseases, systemic connective tissue
diseases, metabolic disorders with articular manifestations, and regional and extended pain syndromes. According to
the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP), pain is defi ned as an unpleasant sensation associated with tissue
damage or reported simultaneously with such damage. Pain has a physical, mental, and social component. In rheumatic
diseases the pain is mostly chronic and may severely impair the patient’s general condition. Th e defi ning criteria involve a
period of more than 3 or 6 months, and according to some defi nitions more than 6 weeks. In most cases the pain is nociceptive
rather than neuropathic. Musculoskeletal pain, especially chronic pain, is a global public health problem because of its
prevalence, as well as the frequently associated muslculoskeletal function impairment and development of chronic pain
syndrome, which can be considered as a separate clinical entity and requires a biopsychosocial treatment approach
