What to Expect During Your Rheumatology Visit

Mayo Clinic Health System providers will gather a complete medical history and perform a physical exam to look for signs and symptoms of inflammation throughout your entire body and musculoskeletal system. Your family history can be very important to diagnosis of rheumatic disease and will also be assessed.

Treatment recommendations may include medications, referral to physical therapy and/or other specialists, or diagnostic or therapeutic joint/tendon injections. Some rheumatic diseases can be difficult to diagnose and may require several visits and additional diagnostic methods to fully understand the underlying condition.

During follow-up appointments, your rheumatologist may treat reoccurring conditions or talk with you about medications, coping mechanisms, techniques for preventing disability or regaining function, as well as ways to improve your quality of life.