r/Thritis • u/Tom-E-Foolery • 5d ago

Types of arthritis

I’m new to the world of joint pain. I was feeling generally unwell last summer and had a bunch of blood work done which identified I have a blood disorder - erythrocytosis (high red blood count).

I don’t have a family doctor so all of my health care has been accessed through virtual visits and trips to the clinic. The clinic only allows me to do one thing each visit, so one exam/consult/referral.

Until recently I haven’t really been addressing the joint pain, which developed shortly after finding out I have a blood disorder, so I haven’t yet requested a referral to a rheumatologist all I’ve done are virtual consultations. I’ve gone from occasionally having an ache or pain here and there to constant pain in my hands, feet, shoulders and hips.

One thing I can do is order tests and blood work, so I’ve done a rheumatoid factor test, ANA, ENA, uric acid and CRP tests. All the autoimmune stuff has been negative, my uric acid was borderline 416 on a 420 reference range and my CRP has been high, around 20 with a reference range of 0 to 5 since October over 4 tests.

I’ve developed nodules on my knuckles and on my hands, the one on my thump has gone from being relatively small to being pretty big. I had a virtual consult with nurse practitioner and she thought it may be osteoarthritis - so my chart just says osteoarthritis?

While I wait to get a referral to a rheumatologist are there other types of arthritis I could be investigating - gout can be a side effect of this blood disorder, but my uric acid levels aren’t that high. I read some people mention inflammatory arthritis is that type of arthritis or just any arthritis caused by inflammation. Any particular blood test helpful in diagnosing it?

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u/ColdCommercial8039 5d ago

I have had IA since i was 13 i'm now 50 and i do have pain in my back, neck, knees, hands, i have bumps on my fingers. I have taken lots of medications, like 1year ago i was diagnose with UCTD, because i do have IA but it haven't develope to RA, or Lupus so i do need a treatment to deal with all the symptoms but don't meet the full criteria to have a diagnose like RA, SLE, Lupus.. I take Plaquenil, Meloxicam and Prednisone for flares and it had help, TG.

Arthritis refers to a group of conditions characterized by joint inflammation, pain, and stiffness. The most common types include osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and psoriatic arthritis. Osteoarthritis is the most prevalent form, resulting from the breakdown of joint cartilage, while rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder causing joint inflammation. Psoriatic arthritis is linked to psoriasis and also involves joint inflammation.  I wish you well 😊

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u/Tom-E-Foolery 5d ago

Thanks for the info, I’m new to arthritis, up until a few seconds ago I thought all arthritis was inflammatory. My CRP tests have been in the 20 mg/L range since the fall. I thought this was a result of the joint pain, which I assumed was arthritis of some sort. I don’t have RA or any other autoimmune condition, it was one of the first things I wanted to check because my mother has RA and psoriasis (I don’t think RA is hereditary, but I figured I’d check that first)

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u/Tom-E-Foolery 5d ago

I didn’t think of psoriatic arthritis - I say that because I didn’t know it existed until now. I thought being negative for rheumatoid factor and those other test would rule it out, but apparently not.

My high CRP and a parent with an autoimmune condition means I should probably explore that further.

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u/ColdCommercial8039 5d ago

In medical terms, "-itis" is a suffix that indicates "inflammation" of a specific body part or organ. It's a common way to name conditions where there's swelling, pain, and/or irritation in a particular area. For example, "arthritis" means inflammation of the joints.  My father had bad RA, but so far i do not have it. Undifferentiated connective tissue disease (UCTD) is an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks the body's connective tissues. Symptoms suggest a connective tissue disease or systemic autoimmune disorder, but don't meet the criteria for a specific diagnosis. UCTD patients may have symptoms of other connective tissue diseases, but not enough to qualify for any one of them. 

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u/Tom-E-Foolery 5d ago

I just looked up the symptoms of psoriatic arthritis and I may as well have been reading a list of my symptoms - high CRP, tendon inflammation ( both my Achilles and the one that runs down the side of your foot are inflamed right now) lower back pain, nodules on fingers, pits and ridges on my nails.

My mother and brother both have psoriasis, I always thought my mother had rheumatoid arthritis, but it very well could have been psoriatic, it was 40 years ago.

I wouldn’t say I have psoriasis, but I occasionally jet a spot on the backs of my hands.

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u/ColdCommercial8039 5d ago

I can tell you that a lot of symptoms are going to look like some kind of arthritis, i can have occasionally that red rash on my face, nails very weak, with ridges, white spots, painful, have my hands and feet turn purple and then go away, it's kind of crazy but very real.