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Your Rheumatologist What Is A Rheumatologist? What will happen when I see a rheumatologist? How will my condition be treated? How long will I have to wait to see a Rheumatologist?

'What is a Rheumatologist' Brochure
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Your Rheumatologist

Each year a large number of people visit their general practitioner (GP) with symptoms such as back pain, neck pain, muscle pain or swollen and painful joints. Often, these symptoms are not severe and may last just a few days, in which case the GP will provide advice or treatment and allow the problem to resolve. But, if the pain persists or is severe, your GP may decide to refer you to a rheumatologist.

A rheumatologist is a specialist physician who has expertise in diagnosing and treating diseases of the joints, muscles and bones.

Sometimes the term rheumatic disease is used to describe this group of diseases.

The more common rheumatic diseases include:

Joint Arthritis Disease

• Gout
• Spinal problems
• Osteoarthritis

Muscles & Tendons

• Fibromyalgia
• Polymyalgia rheumatica
• Tendonitis

Bone Disease

• Osteoporosis
• Paget’s disease

There are also a number of rarer rheumatic conditions that can affect other parts of the body including the skin, hair and internal organs. These include “lupus”, myositis, vasculitis and scleroderma

30/11/10