Causal therapy of rheumatic diseases is only possible in the few cases of bacterial infection and some arthroses. In the usually etiologically obscure inflammatory forms, however, the considered use of operative, medicinal and physical measures may achieve improvement or long continued remission, even if healing occurs only rarely. Medicinal treatment and the, in principle, equally justified physiotherapy, especially kinesitherapy, are to be planned from the beginning as longterm therapy which demands close cooperation between the fully informed physician and the completely enlightened patient. The high incidence of side effects of the "basis" drugs and the often necessary combinations of palliatives with corticosteroids enforces a strict indication and constant critical appraisal of the current treatment.