Arthritis - Getting a Diagnosis
There is said to be approximately one hundred types of arthritic diseases. At times the symptoms of these various types overlap. And though it may be a straightforward diagnosis for some cases - for others it may take some time for the specific type of arthritis to be narrowed down.
What is important to remember is that if you or someone you know begins to develop symptoms that seem to point to arthritis - and these symptoms last longer than a couple of weeks - then it is time to get a check up by a doctor or a rheumatologist. The longer the disease has to progress the more likelihood that there will be irreversible damage to bones, joints or even organs.
Some of the more basic indicators are signs of inflammation such as redness, swelling and tenderness in and around a joint. Along with pain there may be a stiffness that only allows for a limited range of movement.
Your physician will proceed with a diagnosis after he has concluded a physical examination and can evaluate your medical history along with any diagnostic tests and X-rays given. Of course the existence of pain, swelling or stiffness in the joints is a primary sign. There could be bony lumps or spurs that appear in the end and middle joints of fingers. And the affected joints may not only be difficult to move but may also be thicker than usual. Certain blood exams are able to show the presence of gout or lupus. Others can detect the presence of a ‘rheumatoid factor’ which is an antibody that can help confirm that Rheumatoid Arthritis is a possibility. These blood tests will help narrow the focus to a specific type of arthritis.
Unfortunately there are types of this disease that are harder to detect. This may mean subsequent testing and a period of time spent with different specialists. Imaging techniques may be employed such as arthography that uses a contrast dye to highlight problems in and around joints that may not easily be seen on regular x-rays. Thermal imaging is used to measure the contrast in heat on skin which is common to arthritic joints. And MRIs seem to help in detecting bone erosion in finer detail and thus picking it up sooner that standards x-rays might. Ultrasound imaging is gaining credence for the same reason.
Another detection device is called Joint Fluid Analysis wherein a needle and syringe are used to extract fluid from around a swollen joint to be examined by a specialist for the presence of inflammatory cells. However it will be evident that something is amiss immediately if the liquid is cloudy. Normal fluid will be somewhere between clear and light yellow and viscous in nature. Extracting the liquid will not only help with the diagnosis it may also provide some immediate relief of pressure on the joint.
Over all, researchers are working diligently to discover quicker and more precise methods of narrowing down the factors that are at work in any individual that define what type of arthritis they are dealing with. Given that many times a combination of types may be at work it is a challenging problem to say the least.
