Featured practices are clearly labeled. Featured placement never changes directory order, verification status, or the facts on any profile — see our standards.
★ Statewide featuredStock photo · not the practice's
Arizona is home to 37 verified rheumatologists across 13 cities, with plans like Aetna, Cigna, and Blue Cross Blue Shield widely accepted. Every listing is checked against the federal NPI registry — no ads, no pay-to-rank.
Rheumatology practices diagnose and manage autoimmune and inflammatory conditions affecting the joints, muscles, and connective tissue — rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, gout, psoriatic arthritis, osteoarthritis, and related disorders. Care often involves long-term medication management (including biologics and infusion therapy) and coordination with primary care, with patients typically referred for persistent joint pain, swelling, or abnormal labs.
Rheumatology in Arizona — frequently asked questions
Real questions Arizona patients ask — from finding the right practice and understanding insurance to costs, visits, and when to seek care.
City Select lists 37 verified rheumatologists across 13 Arizona cities. Every listing is matched against the federal National Provider Identifier (NPI) registry, so you're seeing real, registered practices — not paid placements.
22 rheumatologists in the directory list Medicare. Use the insurance filter to narrow by Medicare, AHCCCS (Arizona Medicaid), Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and more — counts update for the city you choose.
Pick your city from the search bar or filter rail to see rheumatologists in that area — the directory covers Scottsdale (9), Gilbert (7), Phoenix (6), Chandler (4), Peoria (2). You can also search by practice name, doctor name, insurance, or service to build a shortlist in seconds.
Yes. Every profile is sourced from the federal NPI registry maintained by CMS, and we never sell ranking. Listing order is determined by how complete a practice's verified profile is (services, providers, insurance, hours) — never by payment. Featured and sponsored placements are always clearly labelled as such and never change the directory order, a practice's verification status, or any fact on its profile. A practice can improve its position by claiming its listing and adding information — for free.
A rheumatologist is a specialist in conditions affecting the joints, muscles, and bones — and especially autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. They diagnose and manage rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, gout, vasculitis, scleroderma, psoriatic arthritis, and many of the 100-plus rheumatic conditions.
Consider a rheumatologist for joint pain or swelling that lasts, morning stiffness lasting more than about 30 minutes, or joint symptoms alongside fatigue, fever, rash, or unexplained weight loss — which can point to an autoimmune or inflammatory condition. Often your primary care doctor refers you.
It varies by practice and insurance. Some rheumatologists require a referral from your primary care doctor and some plans (often HMOs) do too, while others allow direct booking. Check your plan, and note that initial lab work from your PCP can help your first visit be more productive.
Orthopedists handle mechanical and structural joint and bone problems — injuries, fractures, and joint replacement (including surgery). Rheumatologists focus on inflammatory and autoimmune causes of joint and muscle disease, which are treated with medication, not surgery. They sometimes co-manage patients.
Osteoarthritis is 'wear-and-tear' damage to joint cartilage over time, while rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks the joints, causing inflammation, often symmetrically and with prolonged morning stiffness. RA usually needs a rheumatologist and specific medications to prevent joint damage.
Yes — autoimmune diseases like lupus are central to rheumatology. A rheumatologist diagnoses these complex conditions, monitors them with labs, and manages them with medications that calm the immune system to control symptoms and prevent organ and joint damage.
Expect an in-depth history and physical exam focused on your joints and symptoms, plus blood tests and imaging (X-ray, ultrasound, or MRI) to pin down the diagnosis. Bring prior labs and imaging, a medication list, and your family history of autoimmune disease.
Common tests include blood work for inflammation and autoimmune markers (like ANA, rheumatoid factor, and CRP) and imaging such as X-rays, ultrasound, or MRI to assess joints. These help distinguish among the many rheumatic conditions and guide treatment.
Medically necessary rheumatology visits, labs, and imaging are generally covered by most plans and Medicare, subject to your deductible and coinsurance, though some advanced medications need prior authorization. Confirm coverage and any referral requirement with your plan.
Pay attention to joint swelling and stiffness that lasts more than a few weeks, morning stiffness over 30 minutes, symmetrical joint involvement (same joints on both sides), or joint symptoms with fever, rash, or fatigue. These patterns suggest an inflammatory cause worth evaluating.
Yes — gout, a form of inflammatory arthritis caused by uric-acid crystals, is commonly managed by rheumatologists (and often by primary care). They treat acute flares and use medication and lifestyle changes to lower uric acid and prevent future attacks and joint damage.
Yes — rheumatologists often diagnose and help manage fibromyalgia, a condition causing widespread pain, fatigue, and sleep problems, after ruling out other causes. Management typically combines medication, exercise, sleep strategies, and stress management.
Bring any previous lab and imaging results, an up-to-date medication list with doses, a list of allergies, and your family history of autoimmune or rheumatic disease. A symptom timeline — what hurts, when, and what helps — makes the visit more efficient.
It depends on your condition and how active it is. Newly diagnosed or flaring conditions may need frequent visits to adjust treatment and monitor labs, settling into periodic check-ins once stable. Your rheumatologist sets the schedule.
Primary care doctors manage many cases of osteoarthritis and gout. A rheumatologist is the specialist for suspected autoimmune or inflammatory arthritis (like rheumatoid arthritis or lupus), unclear diagnoses, or disease that needs specialized medications and monitoring.
An autoimmune disease is one where the immune system mistakenly attacks the body's own tissues, causing inflammation and damage — for example rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, or psoriatic arthritis. Rheumatologists specialize in diagnosing and managing these conditions to control symptoms and limit long-term harm.
Rheumatology by city in Arizona
Jump straight to the verified rheumatologists in each city.
★ Statewide featuredStock photo · not the practice's
Spotlight · ScottsdaleStock photo
Spotlight · GilbertStock photo
Spotlight · PhoenixStock photo