There are a number of other medical conditions that can produce symptoms which are indicative of osteoarthritis (OA), including lupus, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), polymyostitis, and scleroderma. In order to accurately diagnose this disease, doctors must run a number of tests first. The diagnostic tests that are used for osteoarthritis include all of the following:

Physical Examination

Your doctor will need to have a look at all of your aching joints and examine them for any swelling. They will then need to characterize the joint pain and feel for any bony spurs (growths on the bone), a serious red-flag for osteoarthritis. Your doctor will also have a look at your family medical history and note the timing of your joint pain in order to help them with their diagnosis. Of course, it is not always that simple and more tests may be needed.

Blood Tests for OA

There is no single blood test that can be used to diagnose osteoarthritis. Still, these blood tests are an essential part of ruling out other diseases which could just be producing similar indications as osteoarthritis. Doctors also use blood tests to monitor patients in order to ensure that they are not having adverse reactions to their prescribed OA treatments as well as to track the progression of this disease.

Your doctor may check your erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) with a blood test in order to determine the severity of the inflammation that may be caused by your symptoms. While ESR is not used in the diagnosis of OA, a elevated level indicates that the body is not well. Doctors may also check your C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, since this can give an even clearer picture of the state of inflammation in the body.

Arthrocentesis

Osteoarthritis will cause joint pain and inflammation in or around the affected zones. In addition to providing some relief for the patient, an arthrocentesis procedure is used to help rule out other inflammatory diseases like gout. This procedure involves using a needle to extract some of the joint fluid, and often is followed with a corticosteroid injection to the affected area.

If there is some level of damage that has been inflicted to the joint or surrounding ligaments, then this procedure should be able to detect it. Fortunately, the recovery following arthroscopy is a bit faster than open joint surgery, at least when doctors find favorable results. Doctors may also be able to repair some of the joint damage they find during the procedure.

X-Rays for OA

If you have osteoarthritis, then you might develop these growths on the bone joints called bone spurs as a result of the loss of cartilage. Doctors can identify these growths with the help of medical imaging like X-rays. Like the other tests for OA, X-rays can also help rule out other potential medical conditions which could be causing these symptoms. If you are diagnosed with osteoarthritis, than X-rays may be used in order to assess the potential need for surgical treatment in order to repair the affected joints and loss of cartilage.

Medical Resonance Imaging for OA

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be a very important tool in the diagnosis of osteoarthritis. Using magnetic imaging technology, an MRI will scan the body and produce crystal clear images of the joints. Doctors may choose to use MRIs, X-rays, or a combination of both in order to make their diagnosis.

Be sure to let your doctor know if you are pregnant or attempting to become pregnant prior to undergoing any of these medical imaging tests. You should also discuss your symptoms and other health issues with your doctor, as all of this information can be essential in making an accurate diagnosis. Be honest and upfront with your doctor, and they should be able to make the best diagnosis in a timely manner.