How do I know whether my Hand pains are Rheumatoid Arthritis?

A common question I get from patients as well as from referring physicians and colleagues is when should you consider that somebody's hand pains may be the sign of rheumatoid arthritis. I discuss my approach in this video.

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***About this video***
In this video Siddharth Tambar MD from Chicago Arthritis and Regenerative Medicine discusses hand pains and rheumatoid arthritis.

[dogpaw]

That has got to be one of the most succinct and informative overviews of RA and acknowledgement of similar conditions; ++A.

[sundrghealth]

Thank you for educating me about osteoarthritis, its symptoms, and the most effective pain relief techniques, despite the disease's incurability. You also explained the distinction between Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis so well!

[brendaguye]

Blood work confirmed RA.
The pain in hands-painful to touch fingers felt like burning sensation. Swollen fingers and unable to fully open hand.
Toes also swollen and painful.
I have osteoporosis in knees and hips as well.
I enjoyed your presentation.

[myheartisinjapan]

Thank you so much for this! I think I’m getting rheumatoid brought on by menopause. This concise way of diagnosing is very helpful.

[oldman]

When you wake up and it feels like you have broken bones overnight get bloodwork done

[cf-kwqo]

In my 3 rd year of RA, on Rynvoc, have been doing water aerobics at a club, now have a swim spa and workout at home .

[edwardokeyoobala]

Great Information!. Hope everyone here who might have RA/have RA are able to deal with it early and get treatment using such info. Pray you all have happy and healthy lives

[ryanbellegrave]

Okay, so I’ve been scouring the internet for some type of diagnosis for my right knee / left big toe pain. I get strain type soreness (not pain, important to note) in my upper back. I’m seeing a PT. Doing stretches and seeing results. Your video has finally convinced me I do not have RA. I think sometimes our minds get away from us, especially Millennials. We’ve been told we’re sick or damaged by pop media our whole lives. Thank you, Doctor. I appreciate your help in understanding the difference between plain old age and bad body mechanics and RA.

[shelleydavis]

Look into eating foods that is nutritional to the body. Pain in the body is usually inflammation, there's certain foods that cause inflammation. So look into diet and getting the right nutrition

[najaahkadraa]

I think this is my solution because I confused my pain thank you so much your beautiful gold Advice

[somehacker]

Thank you for the info. Just turned 37, 6 months ago started waking up to fingers and toes blue and swollen. After 30 min would go away. I was a fairly active person so I didnt think to much about it. As time went on the swelling got worse and started to last longer. Decided to talk with my PCP. Got blood test done, rheumatoid factor, (auto immune) my mother has had crohn's disease since she was 17. All blood work came back normal, except my Vit D. Currently taking a low dose of meloxicam for pain as I wait to have EMG. Both hands stay swollen 24/7. When doing the smallest task, doing dishes, going for a walk with my dog, it triggers horrible throbbing and swelling in hands and feet. Morning do tend to be worse, I have to use my palms to carry and drink hot tea, as well as my teeth most days to just open toothpaste cap. Exhausted, most days the smallest activity wipes me out. Sometimes fighting to keep eyes open even though I am not sleeping well at all from pain of throbbing. Pain has moved to other areas, wrist, above elbow, inner thighs. It is getting worse so fast. Only 3 rheumatoid doctors where I am from all of which are booked up for months and I have not got a referral yet even though hands and feet were very swollen, (feet blue) when I seen my doc, as well as showed her 4 months of almost daily pics of progression of feet and hands. Im thankful a year ago I started to work from home, but even to get to my office from bedroom can be so hard most days. Am I on the right track by seeing a neurologist for a EMG? I wish I could just get referral to a rheumatologist. Any help or suggestions greatly appreciated.

[TheAdventure]

Thank you for this video. I have just been referred to a Rheumatologist, in the UK. I have costochondritis that has never fully gone away since 2019, mild scoliosis, and now severe thoracic spine pain (I can press the exact vertebra that hurts- yer nothing clear on MRI but 2 mild disc bulges, signs of degeneration. I had an abnormal MRI of the lumbar spine in 2007. Back injury 2020 I fractured my tailbone. I have gradually declined since this point. The pain is so bad I cant see a way out and im only 42! Docs not linking symptoms together. I have had ganglion cysts, swelling of hands, back and burning sensations like being scalded. Pain worse in morning and takes hours for the stiffness to go, if i do anything I am on my back, ive been like this nearly 4 months now!:-( Advice much appreciated.

[squirrlee]

Been checked for RA for 2 decades and never had the inflammation markers. My mom has RA. My hands have been crippled since I was in my 40’s. I’m 53 now and the pain in both hands is unbearable constantly and my finger joints are like hard marbles.

[mamasgirl]

Thank you. I have a pain above my knuckle at my middle finger. This is this is a soft place above the knuckle before reaching my middle finger. I don’t know if I describe that right. Just hurting in the strange area to me. It’s a very sensitive area.

[Amused_Comfort_Inc]

I was the 1k like, congratulations 🎊 also thanks for this information! Helped a lot

[Xcmyu]

Yes my knuckle actually looks bruised -hashimoto issue with flare up

[diannefitzmaurice]

Nice and succinct. Well done. Though you didn't get to the treatment or regenerative part that is your specialalty. I hope a video on it is coming . I have had most of these checked as my mother had RA and I have kept a close watch. One hand has classic nodules but as you describe wear and tear is responsible. My sport doc thought arthritis but I rarely have pain and when I do it is quickly alleviated with increasing blood flow and circulation with a 100% angora hand/wrist warmer. Also no inflammation on blood tests. However, what I am more concerned about now is knee degeneration from over use, and back and neck trouble from whiplash . I am getting relief from a combo of Boron mineral and Cetylated fatty acid supplement Celadrin (apparently an Arthritis doc in Bestheda Maryland discovered a gene in mice that do not get arthritis and isolated it in a lab and created a version of CMO or a CFA -- it works ) ! (With Mag and Vit D ) This is keeping me upright and on my feet . But still hoping for a regenerative treatment with stems cells! So hoping you do a video on this .

[carolinamonterey]

Thank you Doctor for the information... I felt pain in my wrist when I woke up the other morning..then this morning I have achy itchy fingers..inside.
But they are not swollen... maybe the result of overworked hands ... (I am a cook)

[msbutterflyz]

Thank you for the explanation as to what it is but why does RA attack its own joints? Why on earth would this happen. Thank you

[novatheproducer]

I went out with a friend, who told me that my arms was swollen at first I thought it was fat, but as time went on I realized that the swollen face wasnt the only symptoms I saw. The ankles feet and legs got swollen. But with the help of Dr Iyhere everyth