Why it is important to have a good rheumatologist
One thing is quite clear: I am not a doctor. And I do not want to be one either. The most important thing is getting a good rheumatologist whom you can trust.
Only he – or she – can tell you exactly what kind of rheumatism you have and what that means for you. Let him explain the specifics of the form of rheumatism you have been diagnosed with. Also ask questions about what is important to know for you in your everyday life. And talk to your rheumatologist about a regular basic medication.
Your rheumatologist will tell you exactly what types of medication are recommended in your case. Especially if you are in acute pain and your body has to fight inflammation, it could be necessary to respond directly. Here the conventional medicine is absolutely essential.
If a basic medication is necessary in your case, discuss it in detail with your rheumatologist. Be critical and question everything that might make you feel uncomfortable. For the better you understand how a drug works and how it can help you, the better you can work with it.
Remember that your rheumatologist is the specialist in this field. If he thinks that a medication is absolutely necessary, then he’s probably right. It is as simple as that. But let nobody not tell you that “otherwise you can not do much”.
That may apply to conventional medicine, because it certainly has its limits. But there are countless other methods in alternative medicine, of which you can you choose the ones that you like most and that can help you in the long run.
Even a rheumatologist could tell you what to look for, in addition to conventional medicine. Ask as many questions as you can think of!
My rheumatologist has already had some good advice for me, for example in regard of what I could do to boost up my nutrition. But alternative treatments are just that: Alternative healing methods. Get yourself informed fully, also or even mainly outside the rheumatism practice.
And use both ways: Conventional medicine AND alternative methods.
If you do not put your health solely into the hands of your rheumatologist, but take responsibility for your health and well-being, you have a good chance to feel better and even to reduce the amount of your medication over time. It’s definitely worth a try.
Again: Listen to your doctor. But do not rest on his opinion. Only you have the power to help your body to improve from within. No doctor and no medicine can even come close to what lies in yourself. It is the combination of everything – of conventional and alternative medicine and of your own daily commitment – that can help you most.
The more you do yourself, the better your chances are to live a largely pain-free life!
