Who treats arthritis and other rheumatic diseases?
Arthritis and other rheumatic diseases may be treated by your physician and/or other medical specialists and healthcare providers. Several physicians from different medical specialties may be involved in the treatment at the same time. This multidisciplinary team approach is particularly important in managing the symptoms of a rheumatic disease, especially as many symptoms are chronic and change in severity over time. Some of the more common medical professionals involved in the treatment of arthritis and other rheumatic diseases may include the following: • Primary Care Physician A primary care physician is one who has specialized education and training in general internal medicine, family practice, or another first-level-of-care area. Primary care physicians are those who provide patients with any/all of the following: • routine health care (including annual physical examinations and immunizations) • treatment for acute medical conditions • initial care for conditions that may become
