A rheumatologist is a specialist physician who has expertise in diagnosing and treating diseases of the joints, muscles and bones.

The more common rheumatic diseases include:

• Spinal problems
• Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid arthritis
• Polymyalgia rheumatica
• Tendonitis
• Osteoporosis.

Rheumatologists also treat a number of rarer rheumatic conditions that can affect other parts of the body including the skin, hair and internal organs. These include "lupus", myositis, vasculitis and scleroderma.