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Rheumatoid Arthritis: Signs, Symptoms, And Common Coping Mechanisms
Rheumatoid arthritis is a slowly progressive disease that there is no cure for. The disease attacks your joints causing pain and swelling. Even though there is no cure at this time there are several medications that are offering increased effectiveness at fighting the progression of the disease process. Although none of them can reverse the effects, they do reduce the symptoms and force the disease to slow down.
The normal signs and symptoms of RA are:
Stiffness :: Especially in the morning. People with RA may take several hours to feel as if their joints are loose enough to function properly.
Swelling :: Fluid fills your joints causing the stiffness to be worse.
Pain :: The swelling in the joints makes them tender and sensitive to touch and movement.
Redness and Warmth :: The joints become red and warm to the touch when they are swollen.
These are the symptoms that are in your joints. RA can affect your whole body by causing fatigue, a general malaise (feeling ill), loss of appetite, and muscle aches. It is hard to live with many of these symptoms. Occasionally, in the early stages, RA is misdiagnosed as fibromyalgia or vice versa. The swelling and pain will begin to interfere with your daily life in your Capitola home, and the work that you do. There are some common coping mechanisms people use to deal with all of this.
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This post was written by TKB_Editor on January 29, 2012
Rheumatoid Arthritis :- Ayurvedic & Yogic Treatment
Rheumatoid Arthritis
In Rheumatoid Arthritis the lining of joints or lining of internal organs are inflamed . This disease may be chronic ( lasts for a long time ) or may flare up intermittently. The inflammation of lining of joints causes swelling, pain, redness, stiffness and warmth in the affected region . The cells of inflamed lining release enzymes which may harm the related bone and cartilage. This process may cause deformity of joint, pain and may restrict joint movements. In ayurveda there is very detailed description about Rheumatoid arthritis or “Ama vata”.
Causes
The exact cause of Rheumatoid arthritis is not known. But immunologists have discovered that Rheumatoid Arthritis is an auto immune disease. Some may have a tendency to inherit this disease. The cause of rheumatoid arthritis is very well explained in Ayurveda. The rheumatoid arthritis is caused by formation of “ama ” ( a toxin that is produced by imbalanced body fire ). The toxin ama is carried by imbalanced vata ( one of the three energetic forces ) and reaches the kapha ( one of the three energetic forces ) dominated places like joints, stomach , chest , brain etc. This toxin becomes sticky due to imbalanced doshas and blocks the vital channels which nourish the body.
The sticky toxin ama not only affects the joints but also spreads all over the body . The channels ( channels like arteries, intercellular spaces , pores in cells etc are called srotas ) which allow nutrients to flow through and nourish body tissues , cells get partially blocked. This leads to a decreased supply of nutrients to body tissues and cells . Thus the immunity of the body gets lowered , the appetite reduces , the body becomes weak due to insufficient nourishment of body tissues.
The ama which gets harbored in joints acts like a foreign substance and triggers the immune system. This leads to inflammation of linings of joints .
Formation of Ama
Opposite foods, opposite lifestyles, lowered body fire, sedentary work, over physical exertion which involves lot of joint movements cause indigestion , imbalance of doshas and formation of ama
Symptoms
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Posted under Rheumatoid Arthritis Diagnosis, Rheumatoid Arthritis Natural Remedies, Rheumatoid Arthritis Natural Treatment, Rheumatoid Arthritis Pain Relief, Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment Guidelines, Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment Options
This post was written by TKB_Editor on August 20, 2011
Rheumatoid Symptoms Explained
Arthritis, more specifically rheumatoid arthritis is brought on by the body targeting the cartilage between your important joints causing the bone fragments from the combined in order to rub each other. Rheumatoid symptoms can be distinguished using their company types of arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis could be disabling and incredibly unpleasant because of the entire body eating aside in the combined framework. Rheumatoid Symptoms are also typical within other areas from the entire body and not just the joints. It can also effect the main internal organs like the heart or even lungs.
You will observe gentle or mushy swelling within the important joints as well as each side of the body will be impacted at first. For instance, either fingers or both feet simultaneously. The joints is going to be rigid especially in the day so that as you progress about the discomfort as well as stiffness may subside a few.
I am sure you have often seen people whose knuckles are extremely big because of arthritis and this is a result of the inflammation of the joints which is causing the surface to become ruined. This is typical in the hands and it is among the rheumatoid symptoms.
Rheumatoid arthritis can begin as early as the actual teenagers however usually impacts the actual twenty to forty in addition age bracket. Your genealogy of this disease could be a very good indicator because it is generally inherited and more often than not women would be the most stricken group. The illness is much more common in people who smoke than in non-smokers and particularly women who smoke cigarettes.
Doctors nevertheless do not understand the reason for rheumatoid arthritis or even why your body episodes itself as well as enables the actual degeneration of the joint cartilage material. Many research has been completed with not yet proven outcomes.
Typically patients are prescribes anti-inflammatory medicines to help reduce the actual inflammation as well as discomfort. As with all forms of arthritis treatment and exercise can be a benefit. As well, weight loss is also shown to reduce the stress upon important joints. Injections can be provided but this is limited and also the side effects can be burdensome.
If a particular joint is extremely poor, the actual joint might have to get replaced which is an extremely unpleasant process.
Rheumatoid Symptoms Conclusion
Should you suffer rheumatoid arthritis you should talk to your physician to check out options that help decrease these types of rheumatoid symptoms.
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This post was written by assistant on June 18, 2011
Water Coolers for optimum health!
Pure Water helps prevent arthritis and bladder infection!
Pure-Eau supports the need to drink pure water for optimum health, but understands the importance of drinking water to prevent urinary tract infections which can be uncomfortable, painful and debilitating. Pure-Eau provides pure water within our water coolers and water filters to help the body with its own filtration system.
The bladder is a hollow organ which has the capacity to hold up to 750 ml of fluid. It almost seems like a paradox – The bladder helps to pass fluid from our body but to remain healthy it needs water. When bacteria gets into the urine,
Pure-Eau recommends that to prevent bladder infections, drinking at least 6-8 glasses of pure water a day will keep the bladder active and free from bacteria. It is advisable to try and avoid drinking coffee, tea, carbonated beverages and alcohol as they may irritate the bladder especially if the patient is prone to urine infections. If left untreated, bladder infections can also turn into kidney infections, which also bring a whole host of health problems. It is, therefore, essential to get into the habit of drinking water regularly which for many people can be an issue. Remember to hydrate using the water cooler at work or home, and try very hard to use a water filter to ensure the water you are drinking is not placing any further strain on your bladder and kidneys by not filtering out contaminants.
Pure-Eau offers water coolers and water filters has a water solution we can offer you and your family or work colleagues. Our water is processed through a filtering system known as reverse osmosis. This is when water is forced through a semi-permeable membrane that traps particulates. The membrane is made of a dense polymer layer of microscopic thickness which allows only pure water to pass through, effectively filtering it of almost 100% of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS).
www.womenshealth.gov
Posted under Arthritis Pain Treatment, Rheumatoid Arthritis Diagnosis
This post was written by APM_Assistant on March 31, 2011
See How To Recognize Arthritis Symptoms
Arthritis is an extremely complicated condition. There are just about 100 different kinds of arthritis, though most people only suffer from three. These three are rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and gout. Apart from the differences in type and cause, arthritis of all types is marked by similar symptoms. It is important that people in pain know how to recognize the symptoms of arthritis.
The initial and most frequent symptom of arthritis is discomfort in a specific joint or a group of joints. Common areas of the body that are affected include the hips, knees and ankles, neck, hands, wrists and shoulders. In fact, any joint which is subject to heavy stress and repeated movement, is a possible candidate for arthritis.
To come to a correct diagnosis of arthritis, this joint pain must be acute or recurring in nature. A single episode of joint pain does no necessarily indicate arthritis, though it could be a symptom of other diseases. Correct diagnosis of the the symptoms of arthritis is needed for any form of Arthritis Treatment.
Swelling in the painful area is another common symptom. Depending on the sort of arthritis you may have, there are various triggers that cause the body to build up an area of lymph around the joints to help cushion them. This actually aggravates the pain in most cases.
Crepitus is a major symptom of arthritis . This is a sound or sensation of bones grinding together. It occurs in the case of broken bones and arthritic joints. If your body snaps and pops when you rise in the morning, the chances are that you have or are developing arthritis. This sensation is felt most often in the neck, where the cervical vertebrae are worn. This condition is called spondylosis. I have it and it causes me more problems than anything else but I get a lot or relief from my good diet for arthritis
A decrease in the range of movement of particular affected joints is another indicator of arthritis. Range of motion is defined as the percentage of movement someone is capable of, compared to what medical science says is the utmost possible range of movement in a joint. For example, the shoulders should be able to rotate through just about 360 degrees with the arm held near the body. Sideways motion should be from across the body in front to about 45 degrees behind. Up and down should be a full 180 degrees.
If someone is unable to move the shoulder through the full range of motion as outlined, this could mean that arthritis is developing or already present in that joint. There are other problems that can limit range of motion, so it is important to have a doctor perform a physical examination, to decide if arthritis is the cause.
Joint deformity frequently occurs with rheumatoid arthritis and gout. In the case of gout, the joints affected are usually those that connect the great toe to the rest of the foot. In severe cases, this joint can become so misshapen that it is unrecognizable and the toe may point almost completely sideways.
RA often causes the joints of the hands and fingers to swell and deform until the fingers are almost useless during an attack. They may curl back toward the hand or distend out to the sides until they do not look like they are properly attached anymore. Other joints may be affected in a similar fashion.
Fever at the joints that are distended or an unexplained general fever can also indicate arthritis symptoms.
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Posted under Rheumatoid Arthritis Diagnosis
This post was written by assistant on December 31, 2010
Juvenille Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis could be a disease that attacks the joints in the body, inflicting inflammation and pain. It will affect anyone at any age. Children aren’t any exception to rheumatoid arthritis. In children, this chronic disease is called as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, and it additionally causes inflamed and stiff joints.
Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis mostly affects youngsters below the age of 16. Not like the rheumatoid arthritis of adults, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is a group of many diseases. The sole common characteristic of the adult and child rheumatoid arthritis is that the “inflammation of joints and pain”.
Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis may be a collective disease. The 3 identified forms are pauciarticular, polyarticular and systemic. In pouciarticular juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, a kid may suffer from inflammation in few joints like the knee and shoulder. If it’s polyarticular, then many joints get inflamed simultaneously, for example knees, wrists, elbows, and therefore on. Polyarticular rheumatoid arthritis attacks symmetrically; as an example, the joints of the left and right hand become inflammation at the same time.
In contrast to pauciarticular and polyarticular, in systemic cases, elements of the body become affected together with the inflammation of some organs. Skin rashes, fever, inflammation of the joints and internal organs like the spleen and liver could accompany systemic disease.
The cause of the disease is unknown, even in the case of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. The kid complaining of joint pain is usually examined to verify for rheumatoid arthritis. The symptoms include problem to induce up once sitting down, pain in the mornings whereas waking up—everything that’s caused by the stiffness and swelling of the joints. They’re additionally asked for a family history of rheumatoid arthritis. Once the disease is suspected, preliminary tests are conducted to perceive the intensity of the disease. On the premise of the check results, the child is given treatment and medication. Whereas some have an straightforward recovery, others suffer from additional complicated symptoms. Generally, in some kids, the symptoms of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis stay dormant for a period of time. It might suddenly emerge or “flare up” when the kid least expects it.
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This post was written by admin on February 22, 2010
Understanding Osteo, Rheumatoid and inflammatory Arthritis
The term “Arthritis” refers to more than 100 different types of diseases which all cause pain, stiffness, and inflammation in the joints of affected people. Joint pain is Prevalent in all forms of arthritis. However, the seriousness of the joint pain, the duration of the joint pain and degree of the joint pain vary from one type of arthritis to another.
Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid arthritis are the two most common forms of arthritis. Osteoarthritis destroys joint cartilage and is the most common form for this type of joint cartilage arthritis. In other cases of Osteoarthritis, the patient experiences bony outgrowth, also known as bone spurs and also loss of cartilage particles.
Osteoarthritis affects mostly aged people, from 55 years and older. An aged disease of the joints is how it is usually described. Hands, feet, spine, hips and knees of the afflicted are the most common places to find Osteoarthritis.
In rheumatoid arthritis, the patient experiences white blood cells in the synovial membrane dividing, growing and multiplying. They produce inflammation of the joint capsule and synovial membrane, a decrease in space in the synovial cavity, stiffness and joint pain. Arthritis treatments are imperative, otherwise cartilage destruction is an inevitable outcome.
Inflammatory Arthritis is another form of arthritis that inflicts it’s pain on people. This type of arthritis causes very severe inflammation in the joints and the tendons of the victims.
This is mostly characterized by the swelling and inflammation of the synovial membrane – thereby causing severe pain and stiffness in the joints of the victims. Inflammatory arthritis makes the joint look red and warm when touched. Sufferers need relief from the constant pain of arthritis.
In most countries arthritis treatments are very important, especially so in the USA as arthritis is the #1 physical disability. There are an estimated total number of 43 million Americans – 16 percent of the population, suffering from one form of arthritis or the other.
It is not only adults who need relief through arthritis treatments, but also children. Somewhere in the region of 290,000 children suffer from arthritis in the United States alone. Relief from arthritis pain and effective treatment is more important for children as their tolerance to pain is a lot lower than adults. Unlike adults who can endure joint pains to a great degree, children cannot and therefore need arthritis relief as soon as the problem starts.
Posted under Rheumatoid Arthritis Diagnosis
This post was written by admin on June 21, 2009
How To Diagnose And Treat Rheumatoid Arthritis
Arthritis pain management should be commenced once the patient presents recognizable symptoms. Proper arthritis pain treatment would be to address the arthritic inflammation. There are available natural supplements and systemic enzymes that control and reduce inflammation which is the actual cause of the pain.
Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms – How To Recognize The Signs And …
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease which typically attacks the small joints of the body. These include the fingers, wrists, elbows, ankles, and feet. In some more serious cases, it can attack internal organs such as the heart and lungs. It is a serious, chronic, and debilitating disease which, if left untreated, can cause significant deformity to the joints and severe disability.
Rheumatoid arthritis affects mostly woman, and usually begins between the ages of 30 and 50. Children and men can be affected as well, although women make up 70% of the cases. However, in men, its attacks are often more severe and less responsive to treatment.
The symptoms of Rheumatoid arthritis are often confused for other diseases, and it can take several years for a diagnosis to be made. No single blood test gives the diagnosis. Rather, diagnosis is made after an overall assessment of indicators is completed by the doctor, usually a rheumatologist.
Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms include flu-like symptoms, including low grade fever, muscle aches, loss of appetite, and in some cases, sweating in the hands and feet. At this stage most sufferers dismiss these as symptoms of a flu virus. However, within a short time, in some cases overnight, one or more joints will become swollen, red, painful and hot to the touch. Usually, RA attacks the joints symmetrically. That means that if your right hand is affected, your left hand is also affected simultaneously.
Other symptoms of Rheumatoid arthritis include stiffness in some of the joints upon awakening, and lasting for an hour or more. Prolonged sitting often aggravate the stiffness. Weight loss, depression and extreme fatigue are also reported.
Diagnosis of Rheumatoid arthritis usually requires blood tests for inflammatory markers, x-rays or bone scans of the affected joints and a thorough clinical exam including specific assessments of all of the joints, whether they are sore or not at the time of the exam.
Once Rheumatoid arthritis is diagnosed, there are several treatment options. Most of the rheumatologists today tend to treat the disease at its onset with aggressive treatments, regardless of the severity of the disease. In the past, doctors would begin with more of a ‘wait and see’ approach. They would give aspirin or acetaminophen to help with the pain. However, it has recently been shown that joint destruction can continue even without pain or swelling.
While every treatment plan is unique, most doctors prescribe a NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) such as ibuprofen, mobicox, or celebrex, along with methotrexate to begin. If the swelling and pain is especially severe, prednisone, a corticosteroid with strong anti-inflammatory properties may be prescribed for a short period. Long term treatment with prednisone is often avoided due to its significant side effects. Cases which remain unresponsive to conventional treatment sometimes require the newest arsenal in treatment: ‘biologics.’ Biologics inside cells in an attempt to interrupt the inflammation process where it begins.
"Flares" or exacerbations of symptoms still occur for most RA sufferers from time to time. While rheumatoid arthritis cannot be cured, the pain, swelling and associated symptoms can often be successfully managed. Lifestyle changes and medications are often enough to keep the symptoms under control.
Arthritis research is ongoing, finding newer and better ways to treat the disease, and patients have reason to be optimistic for the possibility of a pain free future.
Author: Tim Gorman
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This post was written by admin on March 26, 2009
Do Other Diseases “Masquerade” as Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Proper arthritis pain management starts with the correct diagnosis. Once diagnosed, treat should proceed on the lines of reducing the arthritic inflammation. Treating the patient with Natural supplements and Systemic Enzymes reduces the inflammation and kills the pain.
What Other Diseases "Masquerade" as Rheumatoid Arthritis? Part 1 …
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common form of inflammatory arthritis and affects more than 2 million Americans. The diagnosis is not easy to make in many instances. There are more than 100 different kinds of arthritis. Most of them involve inflammation. When a patient goes to a rheumatologist to get a diagnosis, there is a process of elimination in order to arrive at the proper diagnosis. This process of elimination is called ‘differential diagnosis.’
Differential diagnosis can be a difficult undertaking because so many forms of arthritis, particularly inflammatory forms of arthritis look alike. Generally it is helpful to divide the differential diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis into two groups. The first group are the non-infectious diseases to consider and the second group are the infection-related conditions.
Since the discussion is rather long I have chosen to divide the article into two parts.
The following is a partial list of forms of inflammatory arthritis that can be seen and must be considered when evaluating a patient with inflammatory symptoms of arthritis and are not infection related.
RA is an autoimmune chronic inflammatory disease, primarily involving the peripheral joints (hands, wrists, elbows, shoulders, hips, knees, ankles, and feet). It can also affect non joint structures such as the lung, eye, skin, and cardiovascular system.
RA may start slowly with nonspecific symptoms, including fatigue, malaise (feeling ‘blah’), appetite loss, low-grade fever, weight loss, and vague joint pains, or it may have an explosive onset with inflammation involving multiple joints. The joint symptoms usually occur bilaterally- both sides of the body equally involved- and symmetric. Erosions- damage to the joint- can be seen with x-ray. In about 80% of cases, elevated levels of rheumatoid factor (RF) or anti-cyclic citrullinated antibodies (anti-CCP) are present in the blood. There appears to be a correlation between the presence of anti-CCP antibodies and erosions.
Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) occurs in children under the age of 16. Three forms of JRA exist, including oligoarticular (1-4 joints), polyarticular (more than 4 joints), and systemic-onset or Still’s disease. The latter condition is associated with systemic symptoms — including fever and rash in addition to joint disease.
Polyarticular JRA has similar characteristics to adult RA. It causes about 30% of cases of JRA. Most children with polyarticular JRA are negative for RF and their prognosis is usually good.
Approximately 20% of polyarticular JRA patients have elevated RF, and these patients are at risk for chronic, progressive joint damage.
Eye involvement in the form of inflammation- called uveitis- is a common finding in oligoarticular JRA, especially in patients who are positive for anti-nuclear antibody (ANA), a blood test that is often used to screen for autoimmune disease. Uveitis may not cause symptoms so careful screening should be performed in these patients.
SLE is an inflammatory, chronic, autoimmune disorder that can involve the skin, joints, kidneys, central nervous system, and blood vessel walls. Patients may present with 1 or more of the following: butterfly-shaped rash on the face, affecting the cheeks; rash on other parts of the body; sensitivity to sunlight; mouth sores; joint inflammation; fluid around the lungs, heart, or other organs; kidney abnormalities; low white blood cell count, low red blood cell count, or low platelet count; nerve or brain inflammation; positive results of a blood test for ANA; positive results of a blood test for antibodies to double-stranded DNA or other antibodies.
Patients with lupus can have significant inflammatory arthritis. As a result, lupus can be difficult to distinguish from RA, especially if other features of lupus are not present. Clues that favor a diagnosis of RA over lupus in a patient presenting with arthritis affecting multiple joints include lack of lupus features, erosions (joint damage) seen on x-rays, and elevations of RF and anti-CCP antibodies.
Polymyositis (PM) and dermatomyositis (DM) are types of inflammatory muscle disease. These conditions typically present with bilateral (both sides involved) large muscle weakness. In the case of DM, rash is present. Diagnosis consists of finding the following: elevation of muscle enzyme levels in the blood [the two enzymes that are measured are creatine kinase (CPK) and aldolase], signs and symptoms, electromyograph (EMG)- an electrical test- alteration, and a positive muscle biopsy.
In addition, in many cases abnormal antibodies specific for inflammatory muscle disease can be elevated.
In both PM and DM, inflammatory arthritis can be present and can look like RA. Both inflammatory muscle disease and RA can affect the lungs. In RA, muscle function will usually be normal. Also, in PM and DM, erosive joint disease is unlikely. RF and anti-CCP antibodies are typically elevated in RA but not PM or DM.
SAs — psoriatic arthritis, reactive arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and enteropathic arthritis — are a category of diseases that cause systemic inflammation, and preferentially attack parts of the spine and other joints where tendons attach to bones. They also can cause pain and stiffness in the neck, upper and lower back, tendonitis, bursitis, heel pain, and fatigue. They are termed ‘seronegative’ types of arthritis. The term ‘seronegative’ means that testing for rheumatoid factor is negative. Symptoms of adult SAs include:
Back and/or joint pain;
Morning stiffness;
Tenderness near bones;
Sores on the skin;
Inflammation of the joints on both sides of the body;
Skin or mouth ulcers;
Rash on the bottom of the feet; and
Eye inflammation.
Occasionally, arthritis similar to that seen in RA can be present. Careful history and physical examination can often distinguish between these conditions, especially if an obvious disease that is promoting inflammation is present (psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease, etc.). In addition, RA rarely affects the DIP joints- the last row of finger joints. If these joints are involved with inflammatory arthritis, the di 1ff8 agnosis of an SA is possible. (Note of caution: a condition known as inflammatory erosive nodal osteoarthritis can also affect the DIP joints). RF and anti-CCP antibodies are negative in SAs, although, rarely, in cases of psoriatic arthritis there may be elevations of RF and anti-CCP antibodies.
Gout is caused by deposits of monosodium urate (uric acid) crystals into a joint. Gouty arthritis is acute in onset, very painful, with signs of significant inflammation on exam (red, warm, swollen joints). Gout can affect almost any joint in the body, but typically affects cooler areas including the toes, feet, ankles, knees, and hands. Diagnosis is made by drawing fluid from an inflamed joint and analyzing the fluid. Demonstrating monosodium urate crystals in the joint fluid is diagnostic, although finding elevated serum levels of uric acid can also be helpful.
In most cases, gout is an acute single joint disease that is easy to distinguish from RA. However, in some cases, chronic erosive joint inflammation where multiple joints are involved can develop. And, in cases where tophi (deposits of uric acid) are present, it can be difficult to distinguish from erosive RA. However, crystal analysis of joints or tophi and blood tests should be helpful in distinguishing gout from RA.
Calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease (CPPD), also known as pseudogout, is a disease is caused by deposits of calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate crystals in a joint. The presence of these crystals in the joints leads to significant inflammation. Establishing the diagnosis includes using:
Detailed medical history;
Withdrawing fluid from a joint to check for crystals;
Joint x-rays to show crystals deposition in the cartilage (chondrocalcinosis); and
Blood tests to rule out other diseases (e.g., RA or osteoarthritis).
In most cases, CPPD arthritis presents with single joint inflammation. In some cases, CPPD disease can present with chronic symmetric multiple joint erosive arthritis similar to RA. RA and CPPD disease can usually be told apart by joint aspiration demonstrating calcium pyrophosphate crystals, and by blood tests, including RF and anti-CCP antibodies, which are usually negative in CCPD arthritis. A complicating feature is that RA and CPPD can coexist!
Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory joint disorder. The majority of patients with this disease have lung disease, with eye and skin disease being the next most frequent signs of disease. Although the diagnosis of sarcoidosis can be made on clinical and x-ray presentation alone, sometimes the use of tissue biopsy with the demonstration of ‘noncaseating granulomas’ is necessary for diagnosis.
Arthritis is present in 15% of patients with sarcoidosis, and in rare cases can be the only sign of disease. In acute sarcoid arthritis, joint disease is usually of rapid onset. It is symmetric involving the ankles, although knees, wrists, and hands can be involved. In most cases of acute disease, lung and skin disease are also present. Chronic sarcoid arthritis can be difficult to distinguish from RA. Although RA-specific blood tests, such as RF and anti-CCP antibodies, can be helpful in distinguishing RA from sarcoidosis, in some cases a biopsy of joint tissue may be required for diagnosis.
Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) is a disease that leads to inflammation of tendons, muscles, ligaments, and tissues around the joints. It presents with large muscle pain, aching, morning stiffness, fatigue, and in some cases, fever. It can be associated with temporal arteritis (TA), also known as giant-cell arteritis, which is a related but more serious condition in which inflammation of large blood vessels can lead to blindness and aneurysms. Also, a peculiar syndrome where use of the arms and legs leads to cramping because of insufficient blood flow (limb claudication) can occur. PMR is diagnosed when the clinical picture is present along with elevated markers of inflammation (ESR and/or CRP). If temporal arteritis is suspected (headache, vision changes, limb claudication), biopsy of a temporal artery may be necessary to demonstrate inflammation of blood vessels.
PMR and TA can present with symmetric inflammatory arthritis similar to RA. These diseases can usually be distinguished by blood testing. In addition, headaches, vision changes, and large muscle pain are uncommon in RA, and if these are present, PMR and/or TA should be considered.
In part 2 of this article, I will discuss infectious diseases that need to be considered in the differential diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis. When RA is suspected, it is critical to consult with an expert rheumatologist.
Author: Nathan Wei
Nathan Wei, MD, FACP, FACR is a rheumatologist and Director of the Arthritis and Osteoporosis Center of Maryland (http://www.aocm.org). He is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and consultant to the National Institutes of Health. For more info: http://www.arthritis-treatment-and-relief.com/arthritis-treatment.html
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nathan_Wei
Posted under Rheumatoid Arthritis Diagnosis
This post was written by admin on March 26, 2009
