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• If musculoskeletal pain in the joints, muscles or bones is severe or persists for more than a few days.
• If you have any of the conditions discussed on this website.
• If your primary care physician recommends rheumatologic consultation. This often occurs when lab work drawn at your primary care physician's office returns abnormal, including an Anti-Nuclear Antibody (ANA), Rheumatoid Factor (RF), or an Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR).
• If you have questions or concerns about having or preventing osteoporosis.

Many types of rheumatic diseases are not easily identified in the early stages. Rheumatologists are specially trained to do the detective work necessary to discover the cause of swelling and pain. It’s important to determine a correct diagnosis early so that appropriate treatment can begin early. Some musculoskeletal disorders respond best to treatment in the early stages of the disease.

Because some rheumatic diseases are complex, one visit to a rheumatologist may not be enough to determine a diagnosis and course of treatment. These diseases often change or evolve over time. Rheumatologists work closely with patients to identify the problem and design an individualized treatment program.