Rheumatoid Arthritis Diagnosis can be difficult to diagnose in its early stages for several reasons.
First, there is no single test for the Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Symptoms differ from person to person and can be more severe in some people than in others.
Symptoms can be similar to those of other types of arthritis and joint conditions, and it may take some time for other conditions to be ruled out as possible diagnoses.
Medical History : This is the patient's description of symptoms and when and how they began.
Good communication between patient and doctor is especially important here.
Physical Examination : This includes the doctor's examination of the joints, skin, reflexes, and muscle strength.
Laboratory Tests : One common test is for rheumatoid factor, an antibody that is eventually present in the blood of most rheumatoid arthritis patients.
Not all people with rheumatoid arthritis test positive for rheumatoid factor, however, especially early in the disease.
Others who do test positive never develop the disease.
Other common tests include one that indicates the presence of inflammation in the body. a white blood cell count, and a blood test for anemia.
X Rays : X rays are used to determine the degree of joint destruction.
The full range of symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis develops over time.
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