Your First Visit

You’ve been living with joint pain — maybe for years — and you’re ready to find out what’s causing it and what you can do about it. That’s exactly what your first visit with Dr. Grimsley is for.

What to expect: Dr. Grimsley will examine the joint that’s bothering you — checking its range of motion, swelling, and any tender points — and ask about your overall health, since conditions like diabetes, osteoporosis, or heart disease can affect your treatment options. X-rays are typically taken at this visit; an MRI or bloodwork may follow if the cause of your pain isn’t clear from the images alone.

Come prepared to talk through your pain in detail — even symptoms that don’t seem directly related to the joint that brought you in. It helps to have answers ready for:

• Where and when does it hurt, and how long has it hurt?
• Has there been any swelling?
• What daily tasks — including sleeping — are harder now?
• Has the joint ever been injured, from an accident, sports, or overuse on the job?
• Does joint pain run in your family?

From there, Dr. Grimsley builds a treatment plan aimed at reducing pain and inflammation and improving function — starting with the most conservative approach that makes sense for you. If surgery does turn out to be the right path, he’ll walk you and your family through every option before any decision is made. By the end of this visit, you’ll know what’s causing your pain and what your choices are — the decision about how to move forward is always yours.

Please bring:

• Health insurance card and information
• Referral(s) and pre-authorization(s), if required by your insurance
• Your primary care physician’s contact information (if applicable)
• A friend or family member, if it would help to have support or an extra set of ears
• A list of current medications, with dosage and frequency
• A list of your questions and concerns
• Actual imaging studies (X-ray, CT, MRI) — not just written reports
• Records from any related prior treatment
• A completed Medical Release Form, if you’d like records sent to another physician

We look forward to meeting you — and to helping you take the first real step toward feeling like yourself again.