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 health professional will diagnose rheumatoid arthritis by evaluating your symptoms, understanding your medical history, and performing certain blood tests to eliminate other causes for your symptoms.
| Author: | Shannon Erstad, MBA/MPH | Last Updated: August 18, 2008 |
| Medical Review: | Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine Stanford M. Shoor, MD - Rheumatology | |
 | ||