Inflamed joint/RA pain?

Just wanting to know what RA pain is like? My hands and arms ache most of the time and my knuckles, wrists, elbows, shoulders, knees, ankles and feet joints sting on and off. It doesn't necessarily hurt worse to touch the joints but woohoo watch out if I knock them on anything!! I read somewhere that you don't have Inflammatory Arthritis if it doesn't hurt to press the joint...is this right? Or is what I am experiencing most likely IA/RA?

[flow4]

You need to see a rheumatologist, 1985mum - it's hard enough for doctors to distinguish and diagnose pain face-to-face, and impossible for people to do over the internet

But it's definitely not true that inflamed joints don't hurt to touch - they do! In fact, the 'squeeze test' is one way doctors assess whether pain in your hands could be inflammatory arthritis.

Hope you get some answers soon!

[Hidden]

I second what flow4 has written you 1985mum, most doctors do not diagnose you accurately right away, therefore, asking us because we have similar symptoms will not get you a diagnosis, at least not an accurate one. But, I have RA (rheumatoid arthritis) and lupus and I initially begin to lose hair with no pain. The hair would return, grow steadily, but then sometimes years later other times months later I would lose it again. Year later I could hear my joints clicking or popping, but no pain was experienced. Then I began to experience pain in my: Hands, knees, ankles and swollen toes. I couldn't wear my normal size shoes. Though the first symptom I ever had was fatigue and tiredness.

However, in writing all of this, my daughter experience some of the same symptoms as I do, but her diagnosis is graves disease. Now you see why you must check in with a specialist, and a rheumatologist is a good one since you have joint pain.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I strongly second both of these comments. I was diagnosed with RA four years ago but now it seems to have turned into a more broad connective tissue disease. The symptoms and signs that got me diagnosed were swelling, pain, heat and severe stiffness in my synovial joints. For me the pain was worst on both wrists and my knuckles.

For what it's worth, RA classically presents in the synovial joints and is often bilateral/ symmetrical. The pain often felt to me as if the joint was fractured it was so excruciating. Then a few days after flaring up in one joint it would go and start up in another right around my body until it eventually settled in my hands after about 6 months.

But I don't have this anymore. I have other more vascular, systemic problems now. When I was younger I lost my hair several times and used to have rashes on my face. Looking back I think this was because I was showing autoimmunity even as a young child - but they finally found I was hypothyroid about ten years ago. These diseases can all overlap a lot so only a rheumatologist can diagnose them - and even then mine said we have to keep an open mind because "things can change". Add hormones and allergies to the mix and it's like a very long and convoluted thriller!

[Hidden]

I have the same pain in my hands that you describe i was told that I have psoriatic arthritis I was given sulfasalazine I would ask to see a rheumatologist

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I believe they can present very similarly but only RA presents in the synovial joints in the way mine did. A friend showed me how her PsA presents more as "sausage" fingers with redness and swelling in the joints. Mine was more like bruising and I have never suffered from psoriasis either. I think this is something rheumatologists are trained to distinguish - especially in the hands. Although the treatments are mostly the same anyway and both diseases are equally destructive.

[Hidden]

Thanks twitchytoes I am new to this.

[Hidden]

Glad to be useful - I'm fine years in but a bit of a nerd about RA symptoms and had the hand swelling thing explained to me last year by a professor of connective tissue diseasea.

[Hidden]

Oops five years I meant!

[jannah]

Hello all,well I don't know where to start to be honest. I am fed up with the doctors not listening to me and take notice of my problem. I am having these pain and burning like aches in my fingers and my wrist I can't do nothing for the whole day when it starts.

Drs are really honestly taking the Mick. Then my small fingers become cold and feels numb like.

I can't hold mobile when I get these pains...I nearly burn myself with hot drink becuz of the pain.

Can someone please help me and to also make the Dr send me off to specialist they have never no matter how hard I try to send me to neurologist friend of mine suggest that i might have some nerve issues. Plz anyone help me.I've had blood test nothing to worry about but will ask for result. Reception called to say my thyirod is just under the boader line.how I need to repeat my blood test 3/4 months time.