Diagnosing Arthritis

Arhtritis #4 – Diagnosing Arthritis One in seven Americans will be diagnosed with some form of arthritis during their life time. How is this diagnosis made? Dr. Vijay Vad, M.D. Hospital for Special Surgery Official PGA & Pro-Tennis Tour Doctor A diagnosis of arthritis usually occurs following a thorough medical history, physical examination, and possibly an imaging procedure like in x-ray. If you are experiencing symptoms of arthritis-like pain, swelling, or stiffness in your joints, make an appointment with your doctor. When you arrive for your appointment, your doctor will begin by taking a detailed medical history. Come prepared to answer questions about illnesses in your family, medications you are currently taking, and the duration, intensity, and location of your pain. Next, your doctor will complete a detailed physical examination of your affected joints, looking for swelling, redness, warmth, tender points and skin rashes. Following the examination, your doctor may order x-rays to confirm a diagnosis of arthritis and provide clues as to which type of disease you may have. The most common form of arthritis, osteoarthritis has distinct signs including a narrowing of the joint, bony spurs at the joint’s margin, and a one sided distribution of joint irregularities. A hereditary form of arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis exhibits different x-ray signs. A person with this type of arthritis may experience a loss of bone calcium or joint irregularities on both sides of the body. Some doctors may bypass x-rays in favor of magnetic resonance imaging or MRI. This procedure involves using a large magnet and radiowaves to produce a clear picture of the body’s interior. An MRI is painless, and usually lasts about an hour. In addition to these imaging techniques, blood test can be helpful in diagnosing certain kinds of arthritis. For example, the majority of people with rheumatoid arthritis will have rheumatoid factor antibodies or RF antibodies in their blood. Your rheumatologist may choose to determine the type of arthritis you have with the joint aspiration procedure if necessary. During the joint aspiration, a needle is inserted into the joint to withdraw a small amount of synovial or joint fluid. The synovial fluid in an osteoarthritic joint is usually clear while a rheumatoid arthritis joints fluid will be cloudy. There is currently no cure for arthritis, so if you are diagnosed with it, your doctor will discuss various options for your pain and managing the disease. If you are experiencing pain, swelling, or stiffness in any of your joints make an appointment to see your physician. Doing so is the first step on the road to better health. For more on arthritis, check out my book “Arthritis Rx.” Want to learn more, check out other videos and sources on this site for more information.