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Housecall, our weekly general-interest e-newsletter, keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics with timely, reliable, practical information, recipes, blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts and more. Our biweekly topic-specific e-newsletters also include blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts, and other useful information that will help you manage your health.
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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffWhile you might first discuss your symptoms with your family doctor, he or she may refer you to a rheumatologist — a doctor who specializes in the treatment of arthritis and other inflammatory conditions — for further evaluation.
What you can do
Because appointments can be brief, plan ahead and write a list that includes:
- Detailed descriptions of your symptoms, including when they started and if anything makes them better or worse
- Information about medical problems you've had in the past
- Information about the medical problems of your parents or siblings
- All the medications and dietary supplements you take
- Questions you want to ask the doctor
What to expect from your doctor
During the physical exam, your doctor will check your joints for swelling, redness and warmth. He or she will also want to see how well you can move your joints.
- Arthritis. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Arthritis/tengo_artritis.asp. Accessed Nov. 24, 2008.
- Pinals RS. Patient information: Arthritis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 24, 2008.
- Questions and answers about arthritis and rheumatic diseases. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Arthritis/arthritis_rheumatic_qa.asp. Accessed Dec. 4, 2008.
- Handout on health: Osteoarthritis. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Osteoarthritis/default.asp. Accessed Nov. 24, 2008.
- Handout on health: Rheumatoid arthritis. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Rheumatic_Disease/default.asp. Accessed Nov. 25, 2008.
- Kalunian KC. Patient information: Features and diagnosis of osteoarthritis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 25, 2008.
- Becker MA. Patient information: Gout. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 26, 2008.
- Surgical therapy. In: Goldman L, et al. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/112757110-6/780150341/1492/1060.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2805-5..50304-9--cesec7_13377. Accessed Dec. 5, 2008.
- Natural medicines in the clinical management of osteoarthritis. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. http://www.naturaldatabase.com. Accessed Nov. 28, 2008.
- Acupuncture for osteoarthritis of the knee. National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. http://nccam.nih.gov/research/results/acu-osteo.htm. Accessed Nov. 28, 2008.
