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If youre living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), your primary care physician can monitor many of your day-to-day healthcare needs. For more comprehensive assessment and treatment, however, you may need to see a rheumatologist.

Rheumatologists are doctors internists or pediatricians who receive special training in diagnosing and treating musculoskeletal disease and systemic autoimmune conditions like RA.

Known collectively as rheumatic diseases, these conditions can cause pain, swelling, stiffness, and deformities in your:

Becoming a rheumatologist requires completing 4 years of medical school, where they receive training as a medical doctor or osteopath. Thats followed by 3 years as a medical resident specializing in internal medicine, pediatrics, or both.

To complete their formal education, a rheumatologist spends 2 to 3 years in a rheumatology fellowship, learning about chronic musculoskeletal and autoimmune conditions and how to treat them.

Once theyve completed the fellowship, the rheumatologist must pass a certification exam administered by the American Board of Internal Medicine.

Rheumatologists must take a recertification exam every 10 years. Theyre also required to take continuing medical education classes to retain their board certification.

A rheumatologist can treat any of the more than 100 known rheumatic diseases and musculoskeletal conditions and injuries, including:

A rheumatologist will gather your complete medical and family history, perform a physical examination, and run certain types of testing.

Rheumatologists commonly test people for the presence of excessive antibody production for suspected autoimmune disorders. To assess musculoskeletal problems, they may order:

All of this information helps them work with you to develop the right treatment plan for you.

Treatment may include:

Rheumatologists also can talk with you about:

Muscle and joint pain are not uncommon, but if you have pain that lasts for more than a few days, visit your primary care physician.

Your doctor can evaluate whether youre experiencing temporary pain from an injury or other inflammatory causes, or if an underlying rheumatic condition may be involved that requires a referral to a rheumatologist.

If the pain youre experiencing gets worse over a short period of time, thats a good indicator that you should see a rheumatologist.

Likewise, if your symptoms decrease with initial treatment, like pain medication, but return once the treatment stops, it may be time to seek out a specialist.

You may want to schedule an appointment with a rheumatologist if you:

Many rheumatic conditions are hereditary, so you should also let your doctor and rheumatologist know if you have any family history of autoimmune or rheumatic disease.

If you have persistent joint, bone, or muscle pain, dont delay seeking treatment. Joint stiffness that lasts more than 30 minutes, especially if its worse in the morning after long periods of inactivity, or any joint swelling should also be promptly evaluated by a doctor.

Rheumatic diseases can lead to permanent damage over time if not addressed in a timely manner. Outcomes improve when these conditions are treated earlier, even for chronic and progressive diseases.

Rheumatologists and orthopedists both treat rheumatic diseases, but in different ways.

Generally speaking, rheumatologists treat rheumatic diseases with nonsurgical interventions, whereas orthopedists perform surgeries to improve function and quality of life.

You may want to see an orthopedist if you:

A good rule of thumb: Unless you have suffered a traumatic injury that requires surgery, see a rheumatologist before you consult an orthopedist.

Rheumatologists specialize in treating RA and other rheumatic conditions. They receive extensive training and education to assess and treat people with these conditions. They can also offer counseling for how to cope with diseases like RA.

You should see a rheumatologist if you have chronic joint or musculoskeletal pain that does not go away on its own or reoccurs after short-term treatment.

Your primary care physician may refer you to a rheumatologist. People with rheumatic diseases typically see rheumatologists for treatment rather than orthopedists, unless they have an acute injury requiring surgery or a chronic condition that does not respond to nonsurgical treatment.

See original here:
What Is a Rhuematologist and When Should You See One? - Healthline

This entry was posted on February 3, 2021 at 8:48 pm and is filed under Arthritis. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed. |