Pain, swelling, and fatigue are common symptoms across a wide range of conditions. However, they can be the calling card of rheumatic diseases.
Rheumatic diseases tend to be one of the more misunderstood classes of conditions. Which isn’t surprising, given the wide scope that they cover, and how they impact you.
First off, what are rheumatic diseases?
Rheumatic diseases cover a range of different joint, bone, muscle, connective tissue, and autoimmune conditions. Essentially, they’re conditions that affect the connecting tissues of the body: your musculoskeletal system, consisting of joints, muscles, tendons and ligaments.
When rheumatic conditions occur they can cause joint, bone, and muscle pain, aches, and swelling. This can restrict your movement, reduce your mobility, and impact your quality of life.
Seeking a rheumatology consultation can help with early diagnosis. A qualified rheumatologist can then help you to put a plan in place to manage your condition, and your pain.
A rheumatologist is a highly qualified specialist who diagnoses rheumatic diseases and treats conditions that affect your musculoskeletal system. They focus on:
- Autoimmune diseases that cause your immune system to attack your body’s own tissues
- Connective tissue diseases
- Inflammatory disorders or infections that affect your muscles, joints, and bones
Recognising the early symptoms of rheumatic diseases
You may have heard of conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, or gout. Conditions like these are reasonably common. Rheumatoid arthritis, for example, affects over 500,000 Australians.
The symptoms may not immediately indicate that a rheumatic condition is present. They can be shrugged off as just feeling tired, like you’ve pushed yourself too hard, or just as age-related pain. However, if they continue, they can signal that there’s a deeper problem.
Generally, you may need to see a rheumatologist if:
- You have persistent unexplained joint pain, swelling, or stiffness
- You have regular muscle pain
- You experience joint pain in the morning, or regular swelling, redness, or warmth at your joints—these are symptoms of inflammatory arthritis
- You have inflammation, stiffness, and pain along the spine—a strong indicator of a rheumatic condition
- You have sharp, painful attacks that feel like a burning sensation, particularly in your big toe (a sign of gout)
- You have chronic pain and stiffness in your weight-bearing joints like the knees, hip, or spine
While these are indicators of a rheumatic condition, there are also conditions that are harder to identify. Lupus, for example, presents with joint pain and swelling, and can cause tiredness and fatigue. Vasculitis causes inflammation inside your blood vessels, also leading to fatigue.
If you experience any of these symptoms, and they get worse over time, or don’t disappear after a few weeks, you should seek a rheumatologist consultation right away.
Getting a rheumatologist referral
When you speak with your GP about your concerns, they will get all the information they need to help you get the right rheumatologist referral. This can include things like examining your medical history, testing your mobility and pain levels, and getting initial blood tests to check for any risk markers.
If further diagnosis is required, or they suspect an autoimmune or inflammatory condition may be present, they can then organise a rheumatologist consultation for you. Quite recently, WA Health has introduced a mandatory referral access criteria (RAC) for a number of services including public rheumatology (adult), effective 13 May 2024. This streamlined process aims to help maximise the value of your outpatient appointments.
What to expect during your rheumatology consultation
During your rheumatologist consultation, your specialist will go through all the information presented to them by your GP. They’ll have all the test results and symptom notes on hand, discussing your medical history and symptoms in detail. Their aim is to get a clear understanding of when they started, how they’ve progressed, and importantly, how you feel.
Your rheumatologist may then conduct a physical examination to check for any immediate signs of a rheumatic condition.
If they need further information, they might then organise for specific blood tests, or joint or bone x-rays to check for any bone erosion or cartilage damage.
Results of your diagnosis may take some time, so don’t be disheartened. They need to be thorough.
Once your diagnosis is ready, your rheumatologist can begin preparing your personalised treatment plan to help you manage your pain, build mobility, and improve your quality of life.
Depending on the outcome of your rheumatology consultation, you may require regular appointments to help manage your condition, along with specialist medication to manage any symptoms.
Organising a rheumatologist referral in Mandurah
Living with a rheumatic condition can be difficult. But with the right care and management, you can get the support you need to manage your health, prevent long-term damage, and improve how you live your life.
Get in touch with us to book an appointment with your GP. They can perform a thorough check to determine if you need to see a rheumatologist.
And if you want to have a deeper understanding of what rheumatologists do and how they support long-term joint health, check out our previous blog: What Does a Rheumatologist Do? A Guide to Rheumatology.