Do I Have Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Do you feel pain in your joints (they hurt both when you are moving them and when still)?

Do you have joint stiffness which is commonly worst in the morning or after a period of inactivity (after sitting or lying down for a long time), that tends to last for 30 minutes or longer?

Do you have swollen joint that are puffy (soft) and tender?

Are your joints warm when you touch them and perhaps reddish in color?

Did you first experience joint changes in the small joints of the hands and feet (the joints that attach your fingers to your hands and your toes to your feet)?

Do you have symptoms in the same joints on both sides of your body, like both wrists and both hips (symmetrical pattern)?

Do your symptoms interfere with your daily activities?

Do you feel malaise, constant fatigue or muscle aches and pain?

Do you have a fever lower than 100F?

Do your symptoms vary in severity and may even come and go (periods with severe symptoms alternate with periods when symptoms fade or disappear)?

Do you have bumps of tissue under the skin on your arms that are mostly painless and easy to move when you touch them (rheumatoid nodules)?

Are you a woman that is 55 years old or younger and overweight?

Do you smoke or have a family history or rheumatoid arthritis?

Based on your answers it is unlikely that you have rheumatoid arthritis (RA). It is important to know that the early signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can mimic those of many other diseases, so diagnosis of RA can be difficult. If you have any discomfort, pain or swelling in your joints, it is best to make an appointment with your doctor.

Based on your answers there is a possibility that you have rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune and inflammatory disorder that affects the mucous membranes of the joints, causing painful joint swellings and over time, can lead to bone erosion and joint deformity. Sometimes RA can damage various body systems, including the skin, eyes, lungs, heart and blood vessels. You should make an appointment with you GP or the rheumatologist. To diagnose RA, your doctor will do a physical exam, blood tests and imaging tests (X-rays, MR and ultrasound). RA treatment includes physical or occupational therapy, prescribe medications or surgery.