I am fairly certain I have rheumatoid arthritis, but keep getting conflicting information from my doctor. He seemed to feel since my FA factor was negative I most likely do not have RA. What are some of the symptoms which differentiate between RA and osteoarthritis?
Answer -----------------
Rheumatoid arthritis is a difficult diagnosis to make. Generally rheumatoid arthritis causes swelling and redness in both hands and/or both feet as part of its early symptoms. Sometimes plain xrays of the hands and feet show "erosive" changes in early rheumatoid arthritis. Sometimes rheumatoid arthritis causes morning stiffness rather than pain after exercise as in osteoarthritis. The rheumatoid factor blood test is very difficult to interpret sometimes. I usually believe a negative test, since "seronegative" rheumatoid arthritis is relatively uncommon.
I am a family physician. Rheumatologists generally have excellent handouts from the arthritis foundation. As you probably realize, it is important to get a correct diagnosis since severe RA responds to a variety of medications that don't work for OA.
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Paul Hunter, M.D.
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