Rheumatoid arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis?So 3 months ago I started to have a little pain and tenderness on my inner ankle bone. Didn't think it was anything serious at the time but now months later it has continued to get more and more severe. My entire foot and has become swollen and deformed and I can barely squeeze it into any shoe. I wear flip flops. X-ray and MRIs showed only dramatic inflammation. I have been taking Voltaren for one month and it doesn't seem to be working anymore. I have a rheumatologist appt in a month to proceed with testing but nothing I read says that flare ups can last this long! And it just gets worse! And only in one ankle and foot, not the other. I did have some swelling in my other big toe but can gout last this long. Does anyone have any other ideas or personal experience with this to share. I feel like I can't wait another month to find out what the heck is wrong with me. I am 30 and a female and I miss my high heels!

Pierre
It could be rheumatoid arthritis, as the inflammation and swelling indicates.

If it is rheumatoid arthritis, it will spread to the whole body, but characteristically, affects the lower extremities at first.

If it were seronegative rheumatoid arthritis, the telling signs are the following:

- Joint pain in the feet (or cracking ankles) in the early 20's;
- Fatigue;
- Joint deformities of the fingers, a specific sign of rheumatoid arthritis;
- Negative or low level of Rheumatoid factor;
- X-Rays showing bone erosion, a consequence of rheumatoid arthritis;
- Generalized arthritis, involving the whole body;
- Elevated levels of C-Reactive protein and Sedimentation rate.

NSAIDs like Voltaren, COX-2 inhibitors like Celebrex, acetaminophen like Tylenol, and codeine are all used to control inflammation and relieve the pain of arthritis.

Regular exercise like walking, biking and swimming are also helpful for most patients. Make sure that you are not overweight as carrying too much weight can only increase the pain of arthritis.

You should consult an Orthopaedist who will order blood tests, joint scans and X-Rays to better diagnose the type of arthritis from which you suffer.

Lyme disease could be a possibility. Ask your doctor to test you for the bacteria causing Lyme disease.

Are there any other cases of arthritis or rheumatic diseases among your relatives? Chronic forms of arthritis are usually prevalent in families where a defective gene is passed on by parents to their children.

There are a few hundred types of arthritis and rheumatic diseases. The good news is that science is progressing rapidly in its understanding of rheumatic diseases.

Antibiotics are now used to achieve full remissions for at least 40%, if not 65% of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. For more info, please join our group at:

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/antibio

Give your answer to this question below! Gout - information, symptoms and treatments. Googout.info health information factsheet - advice on gout and its symptoms, causes and treatment, plus prevention through diet.

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