Symptoms and Diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease of the joints that causes pain, swelling, and stiffness, especially in the morning for more than half an hour. Fingers and toes are often affected early and more severely, but many joints like the wrists, knees, shoulders, and ankles can also be involved. Joints on both sides of the body, i.e., right and left side, are involved simultaneously. Along with joint pain, patients may also experience fever, muscle cramps, and weight loss. Rheumatoid arthritis can initially present in one or two joints and then gradually spread to others, but sometimes it affects many joints severely from the start. Besides joints, rheumatoid arthritis can also affect the eyes, lungs, heart, and skin.

 

The patient’s description of symptoms is often enough to diagnose the disease. Specific tests, such as the RF factor and anti-CCP, are conducted, but there are important considerations. It is possible to have a positive RF factor without having rheumatoid arthritis, which your rheumatologist will assess. It is also common to have negative test results but still have rheumatoid arthritis, known as seronegative rheumatoid arthritis.

 

Treating rheumatoid arthritis is crucial. According to guidelines, starting proper medication within the first six months is necessary. This has two benefits: it increases the chances of remission, i.e., complete control of the disease, and prevents joint damage and deformity over time. If you are a patient with seronegative rheumatoid arthritis, it’s important to follow your treatment plan. If you have questions or need more information, please let us know, and we will try to answer them. Thank you very much.