Other Conditions With Symptoms Similar to Rheumatoid Arthritis
Joint pain and stiffness can be caused by other medical conditions besides rheumatoid arthritis, including:
- Osteoarthritis (most common form of arthritis).
- Crystal deposits in the joint (gout and pseudogout).
- Lupus (systemic lupus erythematosus, or SLE).
- Polymyalgia rheumatica.
- Inflammation of blood vessels in the body (vasculitis).
- Spondyloarthropathies (such as Reiter's syndrome[reactive arthritis], ankylosing spondylitis, and psoriatic arthritis).
- Bacterial arthritis.
- Fibromyalgia.
- Lyme disease.
- Viral diseases such as HIV (human immunodeficiency virus).
- Torn cartilage in the joint.
Usually, a doctor will diagnose rheumatoid arthritis by evaluating your symptoms, understanding your past health, and performing certain blood tests to eliminate other causes for your symptoms.
Most Common Types of Arthritis
Did you know there is more than one type of arthritis? In fact, there are more than 100 types of arthritis. It's a condition that affects more than 46 million U.S. adults -- a number that's expected to increase to 67 million adults by the year 2030. The false notion that all arthritis is alike has led people to try treatments that have little effect on their arthritis symptoms. Since each type of arthritis is different, each type calls for a different approach to treatment. That means an accurate...
Read the Most Common Types of Arthritis article > >
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