Detecting Arthritis

How Do I know If I Have It?

In addition to symptoms and a doctor's examination, blood tests and X-rays are commonly used to confirm rheumatoid arthritis. The majority of sufferers have antibodies called rheumatoid factors (RF) in their blood, although RF may also be present in other disorders.

X-rays are used to diagnose osteoarthritis, typically revealing a loss of cartilage and shrunken joints. Sometimes blood tests and joint aspiration (using a needle to draw a small sample of fluid from the joint for testing) are used to rule out other types of arthritis. If your doctor suspects infectious arthritis as a complication of some other disease, testing a sample of fluid from the affected joint will usually confirm the diagnosis.