Do I have early RA symptoms?
Firstly I'll say that I've recently had some blood tests - CCP, anti-CCP, CRP and FBC. All are 'normal'.
I've also had my hands X-rayed but won't know the results for a couple of weeks.
The reason for doing all of the above is because, for the past two to three weeks, I've been having specific movement-related pains in some of my finger joints and well as some slightly tender areas on some joints. I've not been doing any activity which would cause this.
What makes me think this could be RA is that the symptoms are symmetrical, which I understand is unique to RA (in comparison, Osteoarthritis isn't symmetrical).
Affected joints on both hands are:
lower thumb joint mid thumb joint lower index finger joint mid index finger joint mid joint of little finger
Also, for the past few months, I've been experiencing assorted and intermittent tingling, slight numbness and increased sensitivity in my hands. Possible causes are varied but this can also be an indication of RA (inflammation causes nerve compression). However, assorted tests haven't yet identified a possible cause.
So it's all a bit of a mystery really.
Does any of the above sound like RA?
I should note that I don't have any other symptoms. I do though suffer with IBS which often leaves me feeling tired and sometimes a bit fatigued which could be masking or contributing to something.
As for the affected finger joints, the base joint of the thumb of my right hand and the same joint on that index finger are the most noticeable; the index finger joint can be painful with any kind of load-related sideways motion (opening a screwed on bottle cap), while there is a noticeable slight swelling at the side of the thumb's base joint which is sensitive to moderate pressure. The middle joint of the right little finger is also a bit sensitive to pressure. Other than that there's no obvious swellings or redness anywhere.
Sometimes first thing in the morning there may be a little more pain in the worst affected joints but it varies and wears off within a minute or two of flexing and general movement.
I should emphasise that the main reason I suspect RA is because of the symmetrical nature of the symptoms.
Also sorry about the messy formatting of the following part,
lower thumb joint
mid thumb joint
lower index finger joint
mid index finger joint
mid joint of little finger
I can see why you’d be concerned, especially with the symmetry in your symptoms. While I cannot give you a diagnosis, it sounds like your blood tests are pretty normal so far which is a good thing. But we all know that alone doesn’t tell the whole story. RA can sometimes be tricky to detect early, so I hope the results from your X-ray give you some more insight. Since your symptoms vary, and seem to improve quickly with movement in the morning, it might help to keep a simple log of when and how the pain shows up considering that symptoms of RA also resemble symptoms of other conditions. I want to add an article about how RA is diagnosed as you might find it helpful-https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/diagnosis. I know the process of getting a diagnosis can feel long and all-consuming, but you’re doing all the right things, and I truly hope you get answers soon. All the best, Latoya (Team Member)
Thanks very much for your very helpful reply.
The only relevant blood test that I've not yet had is Erythrocyte sedimentation rate - is this one worthwhile if the other bloods are normal?
I'm also thinking that I should get an Ultrasound scan.
