Common Questions About Arthritis

Can a Blood Test Detect Arthritis?

Question:

I was told that to determine whether a patient has arthritis, a doctor does a blood test. Are there special blood tests for each form of arthritis, or will one test give all the answers?

Answer:

There is a special blood test for rheumatoid arthritis, but no test for the wear-and-tear type called osteoarthritis. Blood tests, however, are only one of many tools physicians use to make a diagnosis. In the case of osteoarthritis, a diagnosis is made based on physical examination, detailed patient history, and, in some cases, ruling out other probable causes of pain.

The best way to prevent and treat osteoarthritis is through a holistic pain cure program. The four tenets of such an approach would include: nutrition along with supplementation, physical therapy such as exercise and acupuncture, medicine--including the possibility of hormone replacement therapy, and mental and spiritual pain control.

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