Laboratory tests The analysis of different types of body fluids can help pinpoint the type of arthritis you may have. Fluids commonly analyzed include blood, urine and joint fluid. To obtain a sample of joint fluid, doctors cleanse and numb the area before inserting a needle in the joint space to withdraw some fluid.
Doctors usually diagnose arthritis using the patient's medical history, physical examination, X-rays, and blood tests. It is possible to have more than one form of arthritis at the same time. There are many forms of arthritis, and diagnosing the specific type you have can help your doctor determine the best treatment.
RA is symmetrical, where a patient feels symptoms in the same spot on both sides of the body, often in the joints in the feet and hands. Osteoarthritis, in contrast, begins in an isolated joint, often in the knee, fingers, hands, spine and hips. While both sides may hurt, one side is more painful.
Blood, Fluid and Tissue Tests
Blood tests are not needed to diagnose all types of arthritis, but they help to confirm or exclude some forms of inflammatory arthritis. Your doctor may also draw joint fluid or do a skin or muscle biopsy to help diagnose certain forms of arthritis.
Gout is an extremely painful type of arthritis caused by a buildup, overflow and/or inability to process uric acid.
NSAIDs are the most effective oral medicines for OA. They include ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) naproxen (Aleve) and diclofenac (Voltaren, others). All work by blocking enzymes that cause pain and swelling. The problem is that some of those enzymes also help blood to clot and protect the lining of your stomach.
RA and OA can cause some of the same symptoms, including: joint pain. stiffness in joints. swelling, which is more severe in RA.
The SSA has a list of disabling conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, gout and pseudogout. Evaluation is based largely on how your condition impairs your ability to function, so you may be eligible even if your specific condition isn't listed.
No blood test can definitively prove or rule out a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis, but several tests can show indications of the condition. Some of the main blood tests used include: erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) – which can help assess levels of inflammation in the body.
MRI scans are a powerful tool for diagnosing arthritis, as they are more sensitive than traditional X-rays and ultrasound imaging. MRI is more expensive than some other imaging tests, so some clinics may only use it in clinical trials or for evaluating particular conditions, such as spondyloarthritis.
The most common symptoms of inflammatory arthritis are: Joint pain and stiffness after periods of rest or inactivity, particularly in the morning. Swelling, redness and/or a feeling of warmth in the affected joints.
Many people who have arthritis or a related disease may be living with chronic pain. Pain is chronic when it lasts three to six months or longer, but arthritis pain can last a lifetime. It may be constant, or it may come and go.
Joint wear-and-tear occurs in all of us. This type of arthritis is called osteoarthritis and is a natural consequence of aging. In fact, if you were to examine the X-ray results of 100 random people over the age of 40, 90% would show signs of osteoarthritis.
Try heat and/or ice therapy
Heat can help relieve muscle and joint stiffness, warm up joints before activity, and/or ease a muscle spasm. Cold can help reduce joint inflammation, swelling, and pain.
Blood Tests
Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) – Looks for the presence of an autoantibody present in about 60-80 percent of people with RA. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) – Measures how fast red blood cells cling together, fall and settle to help determine the presence of inflammation.
Conventional radiographs – Routine X-ray examinations
Regardless of the joint that is affected, osteoarthritis is revealed on conventional radiographs (X-rays) by characteristics that are distinct from other joint disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis.
Qualifying for Disability with Arthritis
In order to qualify for disability benefits, your arthritis condition must be so severe that it prevents you from working, and it is expected to last for at least a year.
It can keep you from performing regular daily activities and affect your ability to work and earn a living. In that case, you may be approved for Social Security Disability benefits for your arthritis if you can provide hard medical evidence that indicates the severity of your condition and how it affects you.
People with osteoarthritis usually have joint pain and, after rest or inactivity, stiffness for a short period of time. The most commonly affected joints include the: Hands (ends of the fingers and at the base and ends of the thumbs). Knees.
Rheumatoid arthritis causes visible damage to joints. Fibromyalgia does not. Rheumatoid arthritis also gets progressively worse, causing swelling and sometimes deformities. The pain from fibromyalgia is more widespread, while rheumatoid arthritis is concentrated initially to hands, wrists, knees and balls of the feet.
One theory is that the body's circadian rhythm may play a role. In people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the body releases less of the anti-inflammatory chemical cortisol at night, increasing inflammation-related pain.