Confused about arthritis

Anonymous
Today I got a negative arthritis result from my doctor. I was complaining about multiple joint pain. However, I was diagnosed with osteo arthritis by a spinal doctor in May after MRI of my thoracic area. I m confused here that blood work says I don’t have arthritis but MRI report shows I have arthritis. What does it mean? What’s the difference between the blood report and the MRI report?
Anonymous
I am thinking you had labs drawn to test for rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are different things.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:I am thinking you had labs drawn to test for rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are different things.


That’s my guess too
Anonymous
Yes--the blood test looks for rheumatoid arthritis, which is an autoimmune disorder. Osteoarthritis is generally caused by wear and tear to the joints.
Anonymous
It is also possible that you have seronegative rheumatoid arthritis ( https://creakyjoints.org/diagnosis/rheumatoid-factor-negative/ )

Seronegative RA is especially common among children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. In my case, the course of the disease was best monitored using ultrasound imaging of the joint erosions.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:It is also possible that you have seronegative rheumatoid arthritis ( https://creakyjoints.org/diagnosis/rheumatoid-factor-negative/ )

Seronegative RA is especially common among children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. In my case, the course of the disease was best monitored using ultrasound imaging of the joint erosions.


PP here. I just noticed that the OP said she was told she had osteoarthritis, so seronegative RA seems less plausible.
Anonymous
Arthritis can be caused by wear and tear on the joints. That's osteoarthritis, and it would be diagnosed through imaging, like an X-ray or MRI.

There is also inflammatory arthritis caused by conditions like Lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, Lyme disease, gout, etc. There are blood tests that are specific to individual diseases, and then there are blood tests that can pick up general inflammation. Something I didn't know before being diagnosed with a form of autoimmune arthritis is that the blood tests aren't exactly perfect. Sometimes I test positive for RA or Lupus, and other times I don't. I don't know how common that is.

It is possible to have both osteoarthritis and a form of inflammatory arthritis, which is why a doctor might do a blood workup for inflammatory arthritis even if you'd already been diagnosed with osteoarthritis.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Arthritis can be caused by wear and tear on the joints. That's osteoarthritis, and it would be diagnosed through imaging, like an X-ray or MRI.

There is also inflammatory arthritis caused by conditions like Lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, Lyme disease, gout, etc. There are blood tests that are specific to individual diseases, and then there are blood tests that can pick up general inflammation. Something I didn't know before being diagnosed with a form of autoimmune arthritis is that the blood tests aren't exactly perfect. Sometimes I test positive for RA or Lupus, and other times I don't. I don't know how common that is.

It is possible to have both osteoarthritis and a form of inflammatory arthritis, which is why a doctor might do a blood workup for inflammatory arthritis even if you'd already been diagnosed with osteoarthritis.


Agree. Rheumatoid arthritis is not the only type of inflammatory arthritis, but the test you were given is only for RA. You should have both inflammatory markers, ESR and CRP tested for. Particular types of inflammatory arthritis may affect one marker more than the other and it can vary among individuals.
Anonymous
I was diagnosed with RA, even when my RH factor was negative. After a few years, I started having skin problems. They corrected my diagnosis to psoriatic arthritis.

I was in my 30s when mine started. If you’re over 50, osteoarthritis seems more likely. Most of the auto-immune arthritis is treated the same way, so a precise diagnosis early on isn’t critical.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Arthritis can be caused by wear and tear on the joints. That's osteoarthritis, and it would be diagnosed through imaging, like an X-ray or MRI.

There is also inflammatory arthritis caused by conditions like Lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, Lyme disease, gout, etc. There are blood tests that are specific to individual diseases, and then there are blood tests that can pick up general inflammation. Something I didn't know before being diagnosed with a form of autoimmune arthritis is that the blood tests aren't exactly perfect. Sometimes I test positive for RA or Lupus, and other times I don't. I don't know how common that is.

It is possible to have both osteoarthritis and a form of inflammatory arthritis, which is why a doctor might do a blood workup for inflammatory arthritis even if you'd already been diagnosed with osteoarthritis.


Agree. Rheumatoid arthritis is not the only type of inflammatory arthritis, but the test you were given is only for RA. You should have both inflammatory markers, ESR and CRP tested for. Particular types of inflammatory arthritis may affect one marker more than the other and it can vary among individuals.


We don’t know what blood test(s) the OP had. The post just says “a negative arthritis result.” OP, you should check with your doctor to see what they were testing for. Also, was the test ordered by your primary care doctor or a specialist? If you haven’t already, you could ask for a referral to a rheumatologist, who would be better at differentiating between different causes of (inflammatory) joint pain or, as another poster pointed out, starting a treatment that is likely to work even without a definitive diagnosis.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:I am thinking you had labs drawn to test for rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are different things.


This.

You can test neg for RA inflammation multiple times and still have RA.
Anonymous
Thanks a lot for the responses. The test was ordered by my primary care doctor. I will check what kind of RA it was. I am in my 40s and was diagnosed with osteoarthritis after my X-ray and MRI. It’s in my lower back and neck area. Is 40s too early to have osteoarthritis? My knee joint also makes crackling sound when I bend them for last 15 years. My hip joint too recently started to ache a bit. I never imagined I will have these problems so early. Having mostly veggies in my diet is helping a bit. However I reading that osteoarthritis never reverses back.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Thanks a lot for the responses. The test was ordered by my primary care doctor. I will check what kind of RA it was. I am in my 40s and was diagnosed with osteoarthritis after my X-ray and MRI. It’s in my lower back and neck area. Is 40s too early to have osteoarthritis? My knee joint also makes crackling sound when I bend them for last 15 years. My hip joint too recently started to ache a bit. I never imagined I will have these problems so early. Having mostly veggies in my diet is helping a bit. However I reading that osteoarthritis never reverses back.


See a rheumatologist. I’m the pp with psoriatic arthritis. My PCP was rather dismissive of my complaints. I had to call and visit several times before they referred me.

RA, and many other types of inflammatory arthritis, usually start in the small joints. There are some types that start in the back and larger joints. If it’s inflammatory arthritis, getting treatment sooner is better than waiting.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Thanks a lot for the responses. The test was ordered by my primary care doctor. I will check what kind of RA it was. I am in my 40s and was diagnosed with osteoarthritis after my X-ray and MRI. It’s in my lower back and neck area. Is 40s too early to have osteoarthritis? My knee joint also makes crackling sound when I bend them for last 15 years. My hip joint too recently started to ache a bit. I never imagined I will have these problems so early. Having mostly veggies in my diet is helping a bit. However I reading that osteoarthritis never reverses back.


I’m 42 and was recently diagnosed with osteoarthritis aka “degenerative disk disease” in my lower spine. My understanding is that it’s not reversible, but the symptoms can be managed (and further progression slowed? not sure on that point) by doing physical therapy. In my case, there was no suggestion of RA ( although now I’m off to research that!), the diagnosis was from an x-ray.
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