Question 1

fevers,chills,muscle aches,bilateral knee pain. complete blood work up everything normal except dr. suspects rheumatoid arthritis from blood work, ordered more tests. referral to rheumatologist. im scared its multiple myeloma. how likely is mm?

Accepted Answer

: MM is unlikely, but remains part of the differential diagnosis and rheumatology usually considers diseases from that spectrum in delineating your condition. Infectious or autoimmune causes remain high on the list otherwise.

Question 2

what are early signs/ symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis? joint pain, low fevers, finger swelling and stiffness, hot rash on fingers and knuckles.

Accepted Answer

Arthritis: You may know that there are several kinds of arthritis.  RA can present similar to what you mention.  Osteoarthritis (wear and tear) can do that also.  Please see your doctor.  He/she may refer you to a rhumatologist.  A nutritionist can be a helpful part of your support system also.  Peace and good health.

Question 3

my doctor suspects rheumatoid arthritis from blood work. have referral to rheumatologist. how likely could it be multiple myeloma? blood work does not support multiple myeloma but im scared of being misdiagnosed. fevers,bilateral knee pain, aches?

Accepted Answer

: Symptoms suggest rather an infectious or autoimmune cause with other causes such as lymphoma possible. The myeloma panel of tests is usually run by rheumatologists and that should help in clarifying.

Question 4

what things can cause rheumatoid arthritis symptoms to flare up?

Accepted Answer

Fatigue,stress,infxn: There are several possible causes of flares include stress, fatigue &amp; overexertion which can trigger RA inflammatn as well as possibly food allergies vs. a chemical sensitivity.RA meds suppress the immune system,which means a higher risk for infections.Thus even the common cold or flu may trigger a flare of RA.Thus learn to recognize your triggers, get rest,work w/MD &amp; decrease stress w/meditaiotn

Question 5

how does rheumatoid arthritis cause anemia?

Accepted Answer

Chronic Inflammation: There are several causes of anemia in rheumatoid arthritis. The most common is anemia of chronic disease. The cause is not completely understood.  However, chronic inflammation can affect the body's ability to use iron and  its ability to produce red blood cells which leads to low blood counts.

Question 6

how does rheumatoid arthritis cause tachycardia?

Accepted Answer

Rheumatoid arthritis: Ra may cause rapid heart rate(hr) in a variety of ways. People with RA are often anemic because of chronic inflammation, the hr increases to deliver adequate oxygen. Inflamed joints lead to less exercise & deconditioning increases the hr. Ra can attack either the heart or lungs and increase the heart rate, RA is a systemic illness and affects organs other than the joints.

Question 7

what are the causes of limb deformities in rheumatoid arthritis ?

Accepted Answer

Uncontrolled disease: Limb deformities occur in rheumatoid arthritis when inflammation has led to physical destruction of the joint so it can't move properly. This can lead to contracture (can't move it through full normal range of motion), joint dislocation if the integrity of the joint is compromised, or even collapsed.   Rheumatoid arthritis is a serious and potentially deforming disease so it must be treated.

Question 8

what is the latest understanding for the cause of autoimmune disease (rheumatoid arthritis)?

Accepted Answer

Nobody Knows: We are not sure what gets the ball rolling, but autoimmune disease in general is a case of "misprogramming" in which the immune system begins to incorrectly recognize the body's own tissues (joints in the case of ra) as though they were foreign.  It then attacks them as it would any invading substance.  Smoking definitely raises the risk of ra, though we don't know why!

Question 9

can rheumatoid arthritis cause your skin to feel like it is burning or have a burning sensation?

Accepted Answer

No: That symptoms is not related.

Question 10

are there certain types of illegal drugs that can cause early rheumatoid arthritis or bone deterioration more than others?

Accepted Answer

Many!: Smoking pot impairs healing, as does cigarettes. Narcotics may provide pain relief, but they demotivate and lower testosterone in men. Certainly no illicit drugs such as meth, cocaine, etc. Help the process and/or impair treatment, as does the money wasted!

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A member asked:

Fevers,chills,muscle aches,bilateral knee pain. complete blood work up everything normal except dr. suspects rheumatoid arthritis from blood work, ordered more tests. referral to rheumatologist. im scared its multiple myeloma. how likely is mm?

A member asked:

What are early signs/ symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis? joint pain, low fevers, finger swelling and stiffness, hot rash on fingers and knuckles.

A member asked:

My doctor suspects rheumatoid arthritis from blood work. have referral to rheumatologist. how likely could it be multiple myeloma? blood work does not support multiple myeloma but im scared of being misdiagnosed. fevers,bilateral knee pain, aches?

A member asked:

What things can cause rheumatoid arthritis symptoms to flare up?

A member asked:

How does rheumatoid arthritis cause anemia?

A member asked:

How does rheumatoid arthritis cause tachycardia?

A member asked:

What are the causes of limb deformities in rheumatoid arthritis ?

A member asked:

What is the latest understanding for the cause of autoimmune disease (rheumatoid arthritis)?

A member asked:

Can rheumatoid arthritis cause your skin to feel like it is burning or have a burning sensation?

A member asked:

Are there certain types of illegal drugs that can cause early rheumatoid arthritis or bone deterioration more than others?

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