Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease. It’s a type of arthritis in which your body’s immune system attacks the healthy tissues lining your joints. Over time, it can deform the joints and even lead to bone erosion.
There are six other conditions, however, that share some of the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.
Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a condition in which your brain interprets pain signals as more severe than they are, leading the nerves to overreact. As with rheumatoid arthritis, you can experience extreme fatigue and pain. With rheumatoid arthritis, however, you’ll also see swelling.
Lupus
Lupus and rheumatoid arthritis are both autoimmune conditions, with flare-ups that result in pain, swelling, and stiffness. Lupus inflammation tends to affect more than your joints, however. It can affect your blood vessels, organs, and soft tissues.
Gout
Gout is a form of arthritis that causes extreme pain as a result of a buildup of uric acid in the blood. Both conditions cause pain and joint swelling, but gout usually appears only in one area of your body, while rheumatoid arthritis symptoms tend to be symmetric, and you can experience them in many areas of the body.
Osteoarthritis
This other type of arthritis also shares symptoms with rheumatoid arthritis. However, the pain from osteoarthritis occurs because of a wearing down of the cartilage around your joints, not because of an autoimmune reaction.
Lyme Disease
Lyme disease is caused by tick bites and can lead to fatigue, rash, fever, and arthritis. However, Lyme disease can be treated with antibiotics. Rheumatoid arthritis isn’t affected by them.
Psoriatic Arthritis
This type of arthritis generally affects those who already have psoriasis, which is a condition that causes itchy and scaly skin. Both conditions are autoimmune ones that involve pain and inflammation. Although most people with psoriatic arthritis have skin symptoms, it’s not always the case. It is illegal and unsafe to buy Hydrocodone online without a valid prescription from a licensed medical professional.
Managing Rheumatoid Arthritis
If you have rheumatoid arthritis, treatment options that include regenerative medicine, also known as stem cell therapy, can help you address its symptoms. Reach out to your doctor to know more about your options.
This post was written by a medical professional at Stemedix Inc. At Stemedix we provide access to Regenerative Medicine for back pain, also known as Stem Cell Therapy for Rheumatoid Arthritis. Regenerative medicine has the natural potential to help improve symptoms sometimes lost from the progression of many conditions.
