Rheumatoid arthritis is a condition that includes symptoms of joint pain and weakness in the muscles around the joints.
Diagnosing RA can be difficult in the early stages, as its symptoms can mirror that of many other diseases. Today we’re looking into the diagnosis of and treatments for RA.
Rheumatoid Arthritis Diagnosis
Diagnosis
Diagnosing Rheumatoid arthritis can prove somewhat difficult. Even in patients with symptoms that are consistent with RA, there might be a number of other diseases that could be to blame. When your doctor attempts to find out what’s causing your joint pain and inflammation, they will likely start with a physical examination of your joints.
During a physical exam, the doctor will look for redness and swelling. Warmth is another indicator of potential RA. This check could also involve checking your reflexes and strength in order to rule out certain other conditions.
Other Tests
There are a few other tests doctors can try to determine whether a patient has RA. Blood tests to determine if you have an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate are common. Likewise, X-Rays or other imaging tests could be used to determine the severity of arthritis.
It is worth noting that there is no single test that can show that a patient is suffering from RA. There are a number of other diseases and conditions that can send similar symptoms and evidence, making diagnosis a complex undertaking.
Treatments
There is no cure for arthritis. The disease is degenerative and will only become more severe as time goes on. There are, however, treatments that can help to slow the disease’s progress. Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, or DMARDs, are one such treatment that has been shown to offer remission from certain symptoms.
DMARDs
DMARDs offer relief from joint pain and work by slowing the progress of the disease. In fact, when taken soon enough, DMARDs can even safe joints and bones from permanent and lasting damage. They aren’t without side effects, though. DMARDs can cause lung infections, liver damage and marrow suppression in some patients.
A new type of DMARDs, called biologic agents, work by targeting parts of the immune system that give rise to arthritis. In particular, they stem the onset of inflammation in the body that leads to the lasting joint damage found in arthritis patients.
Like traditional DMARDs, biologic agents can also lead to a higher risk of infection. Also, while DMARDs can result in remission from symptoms, they are not a cure. Once you have arthritis, you have it for life.