Rheumatoid Arthritis Breakthrough

Your joints feel stiff, and your muscles ache. You find yourself unable to do simple everyday tasks without a little discomfort. You suspect you have some form of arthritis, and maybe you're right. But to be absolutely certain, only your doctor or another health professional can make the official diagnosis. If you are planning to visit your doctor, here is what you can probably expect.

During your initial appointment, your doctor will begin by performing a visual inspection of your body. Your doctor will check for signs of swelling and test your joints for reduced range of movement. Even if all the common signs of arthritis are present, the doctor will also have to perform additional tests to reach a conclusive and official diagnosis. Making an official arthritis diagnosis is not always easy, and may involve several tests before a conclusive diagnosis is made. Unfortunately, there is no single test that can confirm the presence of arthritis. Most doctors use three pieces of information before making a final diagnosis. These include their visual examination, any laboratory test that may be taken, and the patient's own background history.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms