Rheumatoid arthritis causes the immune system to attack the cells in the linings of joints, including the hands and feet. This chronic autoimmune condition causes inflammation and leads to swollen and stiff joints. Usually, a healthy immune system helps the body fight various bacteria, viruses, and parasites that cause illness and disease. But when it comes to rheumatoid arthritis, the immune system makes the mistake of attacking a part of its own body.

Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis
The first few rheumatoid arthritis symptoms are usually stiffness and swelling of the joints. A few other early warning signs could also be symptomatic of multiple other illnesses. Therefore, fever, fatigue, and weight loss cannot be considered on their own. However, these first symptoms, when coupled with the specific indicators for rheumatoid arthritis, help us diagnose the disease correctly.

In 1988, the American Rheumatism Association revised its criteria for rheumatoid arthritis based on a study of 262 test subjects suffering from the disease and 262 control subjects that did not have the illness. The following revised criteria help detect the first symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis:

Morning joint stiffness that lasts for an hour or more

Swelling of the tissues around joints

Swelling of the interphalangeal finger and wrist joint

Mirrored swelling on both sides of the body

Rheumatoid nodules

The presence of autoantibody or rheumatoid factor

Radiographic erosions or periarticular osteopenia

The above first symptoms are studied by doctors who specialize in cases of rheumatoid arthritis. These doctors are called rheumatologists and are trained to identify rheumatoid arthritis as opposed to other inflammatory joint diseases such as osteoarthritis.

While rheumatoid arthritis is primarily associated with damage to the joints, it also ends up affecting other parts of the body. Such an autoimmune condition could affect the eyes, causing inflammation and pain, or it could affect your gums, causing periodontitis. In a few cases, rheumatoid arthritis also affects the skin, resulting in sores, lesions, bruising, and wounds that do not heal.

Tests for rheumatoid arthritis
There is no single rheumatoid arthritis test that can be used to convincingly diagnose the condition. Instead, rheumatologists have to use a combination of physical examination, blood tests, and imaging solutions to determine whether the patient is suffering from the disease.

Physical examination

Rheumatologists use the seven criteria laid down by the American Rheumatism Association to physically examine patients and determine whether they are suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. The physical examination is further supplemented by the following blood tests:

Blood tests

Two types of blood tests will help determine rheumatoid arthritis: one type measures serostatus or blood status and the other measures inflammatory markers.

Serostatus
Since these tests are not 100% indicative of rheumatoid arthritis, it is only used to supplement other findings. However, when both tests are positive, it is usually indicative of advanced joint damage. Rheumatoid factor is an autoantibody (or protein) produced by the immune system when it strikes healthy cells. It is present in a majority of patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) is an autoantibody found in many people living with the disease. A positive anti-CCP test usually means the patient has rheumatoid arthritis.

Inflammatory markers
Since the first symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis primarily cause inflammation, testing for these markers in the blood will help confirm the condition. These tests are also used to determine the progress of the disease and whether the patient is responding well to treatment.

Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) determines the time that red blood cells take to sink to the bottom of the test tube. Inflammation causes the red blood cells to stick together and sink faster.

C-reactive protein (CRP) is a protein produced by the liver in response to inflammation.

Apart from the above blood tests, doctors may conduct a combination of other tests to determine rheumatoid arthritis. These include tests for antinuclear antibodies, i.e, proteins that destroy a cell’s nucleus, and human leukocyte antigen, i.e., a genetic marker that will indicate whether the condition is inherited.

Imaging tests

Imaging tests help rheumatologist see the actual damage sustained by to the joints and tissue surrounding the area. Some of the imaging techniques used include magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), X-rays, and ultrasound. Imaging tests are also used to track the progress of the disease in addition to diagnosing the condition.

Keeping track of the first symptoms and geting an early diagnosis by conducting the relevant rheumatoid arthritis tests are important steps to take. The maximum damage to the body is caused in the first two years of developing the condition. Rheumatoid arthritis has no cure; therefore, the earlier it is detected and treatment started, the better the chances of successfully fighting the disease.