A little preparation makes your first visit to the rheumatologist smoother and helps you get answers fast.
1) Gather your information
- Symptom diary: morning stiffness minutes, pain scores, what activities you can’t do (e.g., lifting arms to put on a coat).
- Medication list: include prescription drugs, over-the-counter pain relievers, and supplements.
- Health history: blood pressure, diabetes, stomach ulcers/GERD, bone density issues, past fractures.
2) What your rheumatologist will likely do
- Focused exam of shoulders, neck, hips, and spine; check range of motion and tender areas.
- Blood tests to check inflammation (ESR, CRP) and to rule out other conditions if needed.
- Imaging when helpful: ultrasound can show bursitis or inflammation around the shoulders/hips; MRI is sometimes used if the story isn’t typical.
3) How doctors think about PMR
Doctors use your history, exam, and tests together. A commonly used tool (for research and to support clinical thinking) is the EULAR/ACR classification criteria for PMR. It highlights features like morning stiffness over 45 minutes and hip pain, and it considers other tests when needed. It’s a guide, not a substitute for clinical judgment—your doctor treats you, not a checklist.
4) Questions you can ask
- “Does my story fit PMR? What else are we considering?”
- “What labs or imaging will help us decide?”
- “If we start treatment, what improvement should I expect and when?”
- “How will we taper medicine safely, and how do we watch for relapse or side effects?”
5) After the visit
- Keep using your symptom diary.
- Report new red-flag symptoms right away (headache, scalp tenderness, jaw pain, any vision change).
- Schedule any lab checks your clinician requests and bring results to follow-ups.
