[OT medical Question] what specialist should I see, an Orthopedist? Rheumatologist?

[space-time]

my shoulder hurts a little bit and pain didn't go away for a while now, so I think I need to see a doctor; I am looking for a new Primary Care Physician anyway since the former practice moved too far away. But until I settle on a PCP, I think I would like to see a specialist first (no referral needed with my insurance). So I think I need to see an Orthopedist, is that the best choice? I see them listed under surgeons, I hope I don't end up having surgery or perhaps I should look for a rheumatologist?

which one of these is my best choice? This is the list from my insurance's website.
Thanks


----Primary Care Physician--------
Family Practice
General Practice
Internal Medicine
Obstetrics (no Gyn)
Obstetrics/gynecology
Pediatrics
----Specialist Care Physician--------
Acupuncture
Adolescent Medicine
Allergy
Allergy/immunology
Andrology
Anesthesia, Certified Rn
Anesthesiology
Audiology
Cardiac Electrophysiology
Cardiology, Interventional
Cardiovascular Disease
Child Abuse Pediatrics
Chiropractic
Chiropractic (california Self-refer Network)
Clinical Biochemical Genetics
Congenital Cardiac Surgery
Counseling
Critical Care Medicine
Cytopathology
Dentistry
Dermatology
Dermatopathology
Diabetic Medicine
Emergency Medicine
Emergency Nurse Practitioner
Endocrinology And Metabolism
Family Nurse Practitioner
Family Practice
Gastroenterology
General Practice
Genetics
Geriatric Medicine
Gynecologic Oncology
Gynecology (no Ob)
Hematology
Hospice And Palliative Care
Hyperbaric And Undersea Medicine
Immunology
Infectious Disease
Internal Medicine
Licensed Practical Nurse
Massage Therapy
Maternal And Fetal Medicine
Medical Biochemical Genetics
Medical Toxicology
Midwifery
Multispecialty Group
Naturopathic Medicine
Neonatal-perinatal Medicine
Nephrology
Neurology
Neuromuscular Medicine
Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine
Neuropathology
Nuclear Medicine
Nurse Practitioner
Nutrition
Obstetrics (no Gyn)
Obstetrics/gynecology
Occupational Medicine
Occupational Therapy
Oncology
Ophthalmology
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Orthodontics
Orthotics And Prosthetics
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Otolaryngology (Ear, Nose And Throat)
Pain Management
Pathology
Pathology, Anatomic
Pathology, Anatomic And Clinical
Pathology, Clinical
Pathology, Radioisotopic
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Pediatric Dentistry
Pediatric Dermatology
Pediatric Emergency Medicine
Pediatric Endocrinology
Pediatric Gastroenterology
Pediatric Hematology/oncology
Pediatric Infectious Disease
Pediatric Nephrology
Pediatric Neurology
Pediatric Pathology
Pediatric Radiology
Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine
Pediatric Rheumatology
Pediatric Surgery
Pediatric Transplant Hepatology
Pediatrics
Pediatrics, Developmental-behavioral
Pharmacology, Clinical
Physical Medicine
Physical Therapy
Podiatry
Preventive Medicine/public Health
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Psychiatry
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Pulmonary Disease
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Radiology, Diagnostic
Radiology, Nuclear
Registered Nurse
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Rheumatology
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Sports Medicine
Surgery, Cardiovascular
Surgery, Colon And Rectal
Surgery, General
Surgery, Hand
Surgery, Head And Neck
Surgery, Neurological
Surgery, Oral And Maxillofacial
Surgery, Orthopedic
Surgery, Plastic
Surgery, Thoracic
Surgery, Vascular
Surgical Critical Care
Urology
Women's Health Nurse Practitioner

[rgG]

Orthopedist first.

While orthopedists can operate on you, that doesn't mean that they will. Many times you will need physical therapy or some other non-invasive treatment.

[lafinfil]

"I think I would like to see a specialist first"

Problem is that you are not trained to evaluate which one, so you will most likely need to see a primary first. Unless there is a history or symptoms/tests that point you towards rheumatology you will likely get bumped to an orthopedic practice which may or may not mean surgery. Many times physical therapy can fix the issue but many docs are not tuned into PT as a solution. A good ortho practice usually has PT referral on speed dial.

[space-time]

thanks folks

[cbelt3]

Shoulder injury or pain... the possible causes are myriad in nature. I'd agree that a good General Practitioner would be a good start. Unless it's an injury, there are other things that happen that lead to a diagnosis. Except on TV, of course.

If it's an injury, I'd start with a sports medicine specialist. They're awesome with shoulders and knees.

[Jimmypoo]

a rheumo-ornathologist.

[Jimmypoo]

while you're at it... go ahead and see the Plastic Surgeon and get that nose fixed!

[Black]

rgG wrote:
Orthopedist first.

While orthopedists can operate on you, that doesn't mean that they will. Many times you will need physical therapy or some other non-invasive treatment.

^^agree. The web has become a very useful tool for evaluating docs before you see them.

If your insurance doesn't require a referral there's absolutely no point in going to a generalist.
I get a number of folks referred directly to therapy from PCPs with no diagnosis and no imaging. While I'm more confident in my own diagnosis than that of some referring physicians, it's still not an appropriate role for a therapist to be in.

[RgrF]

rgG wrote:
Orthopedist first.

While orthopedists can operate on you, that doesn't mean that they will. Many times you will need physical therapy or some other non-invasive treatment.

I recently had a similar problem with my left shoulder, My primary referred me to an ortho, who, although he does joint replacements sid up front, he'd never recommend a shoulder replacement.

A cortisone shot and therapy were prescribed.

First get a primary who will have more of a sense of who's who than will the yellow pages or Google.

[Grateful11]

You said, "my shoulder hurts a little bit and pain didn't go away for a while now", is it gone now, in other
words is there all the time, intermittent or just when you do certain things? I'm not Dr. but I've had very
similar pain in my shoulder.