crimsonshedemon:

You may have rheumatoid arthritis or a related illness such as lupus. I have systemic lupus and have had a positive Rheumatoid factor. Blood test in autoimmune diseases are definitive. Symptoms, blood work, xrays, and a physical exam are all pieces of a puzzle that the rheumatologist needs to place collectively to establish if you’re sick or not. Sometimes patience is needed as autoimmune diseases can be hard to establish.

A blood test that measures your erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR or sed rate) can point headed for the presence of an inflammatory process in your body. People with rheumatoid arthritis tend to have elevated ESRs. The ESRs in those with osteoarthritis tend to be normal.

Another blood test looks for an antibody called rheumatoid factor. Most people with rheumatoid arthritis eventually have this abnormal antibody, although it may be absent early in the disease. It’s also possible to have the rheumatoid factor in your blood and not have rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid factors (RFs) are antibodies that attach to other antibodies and may trigger inflammation in the body. A positive rheumatoid factor test means that rheumatoid factor has been detected in your blood. This test is used mainly to diagnose rheumatoid arthritis (RA) — about 80 percent of people with RA test positive for rheumatoid factor. But other conditions also can cause a positive rheumatoid factor test, including:

Sjogren’s syndrome
Chronic mononucleosis
Chronic hepatitis
Lupus
Tuberculosis
Sarcoidosis
Dermatomyositis
Scleroderma
Bacterial endocarditis
Primary biliary cirrhosis
Leukemia
In addition, rheumatoid factor can also be detected in healthful people. It’s vital to discuss with your doctor the significance of a positive rheumatoid factor test in your specific situation.

Pierre:

You could have rheumatoid arthritis or, possibly, seronegative rheumatoid arthritis like me.

The telling signs of seronegative rheumatoid arthritis are the following:
- Joint pain in the feet (or cracking ankles) in the early 20′s;
- Fatigue;
- Joint deformities of the fingers, a specific sign of rheumatoid arthritis;
- Negative or low level of Rheumatoid factor;
- X-Rays showing bone erosion, a importance of rheumatoid arthritis;
- Generalized arthritis, involving the whole body;
- Elevated levels of C-Immediate protein and Sedimentation rate.

NSAIDs like Voltaren, COX-2 inhibitors like Celebrex, acetaminophen like Tylenol, and codeine are all used to control inflammation and relieve the pain of arthritis.

Regular exercise like walking, biking and swimming are also helpful for most patients. Make sure that you are not overweight as carrying too much weight can only increase the pain of arthritis.

You should consult an Orthopaedist who will order blood tests, joint scans and X-Rays to better diagnose the type of arthritis from which you suffer.

Lyme disease could be a possibility. Question your doctor to test you for the bacteria causing Lyme disease.

Are there any other cases of arthritis or rheumatic diseases among your relatives? Chronic forms of arthritis are usually prevalent in families where a defective gene is passed on by parents to their children.

There are a few hundred types of arthritis and rheumatic diseases. The excellent news is that science is progressing rapidly in its understanding of rheumatic diseases.

Antibiotics are now used to realize full remissions for at least 40%, if not 65% of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. For more info, please join our group at:

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/antibio