Examination

Do you think that you may have Arthritis?

There are more than 100 different types of arthritis, and each has its own treatment. And, there are other conditions that can cause similar symptoms.

To help evaluate the condition, the GP will want to know about the type of pain or discomfort you've been experiencing. How often and when does it occur? How intense is it? What parts of your body does it affect the most? What seems to cause it to worsen? Are there symptoms that accompany it, such as fever? And, what seems to help it get better?

It would be a great help if you kept an arthritis diary for a couple of weeks to document your pain or discomfort, as well as other factors that may be related. Write down information about what you eat, activities, medications including over-the-counter drugs and vitamins, how much sleep you get and even what the weather is like each day. Take your diary with you to your GP, as it will assist your doctor to determine the best course of treatment for your situation.

Further Tests for Rheumatoid Arthritis

No one-lab test can diagnose rheumatoid arthritis. Instead, rheumatoid arthritis is diagnosed by symptoms and physical signs and by eliminating other diseases that can cause similar symptoms. Physical signs include joint swelling or tenderness. Symptoms that help in diagnosis are stiffness and pain in the same joints on both sides of the body (symmetrical), morning stiffness, and development of rheumatoid nodules.

Diagnosis is based on a set of classification criteria for rheumatoid arthritis.

The following tests may be done to evaluate your symptoms, to rule out other problems, or to monitor treatment:

 Complete blood count (CBC)
 Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (may help to assess disease activity)
 C-reactive protein (may help to assess disease activity)
 Rheumatoid factor (RF)
 Antinuclear antibody assay (ANA)
 Anti-CCP (cyclic citrullinated peptide) antibody test (helps confirm diagnosis and may show your risk of having severe symptoms)
 Joint fluid analysis
 Tissue type (human leukocyte antigen) test
 X-rays

Other tests may be done to check for side effects of treatment.

These tests may include:
 Kidney function tests.
 Liver and muscle enzyme tests.
 Bone density test, to check for bone loss (osteoporosis).
 Eye examination.

Because rheumatoid arthritis can lead to severe joint destruction and disability over time, regular evaluation by a health professional is important to determine whether current treatment is working or needs to be adjusted.

Arthritic Points