Diagnosing Reiter's syndrome is difficult because of all the vague and varied symptoms associated with it. In fact, most of the tests your doctor can do to diagnose Reiter's syndrome will also help rule out other forms of arthritis. The most accurate tests for this disease are blood tests, MRI scans, and computed tomography scans. In this article, you will learn what these three tests are, how they help diagnose the condition, and how they can help your doctor diagnose the condition.
First, blood tests are often done for this condition. Your doctor may want to do this test to rule out rheumatoid arthritis or lupus. If he or she cannot confirm rheumatoid arthritis, then a blood test is probably not necessary. However, if he or she is being tested for lupus, a blood test will help confirm the diagnosis.
If a doctor performs an MRI of your knee, you can tell if you have Reiter's syndrome by the way it moves. In general, if you have Reiter's syndrome, your doctor should notice that your knee is not moving normally.
CT is a test that is used to determine if Clark's articular cartilage is being destroyed by inflammation. Computed tomography can show signs of inflammation and the presence of blood vessels in the joint. This helps determine if there is damage to the cartilage and if Reiter's syndrome has progressed to a more serious stage of your disease.
A bone scan may be performed if the doctor suspects that Reiter's syndrome has developed into osteonecrosis. Osteonecrosis is the destruction of bones caused by age and arthritis. This is usually accompanied by fractures. Bone scans will show bone loss in the knee and surrounding areas, as well as bone growth.
If your doctor has ruled out rheumatoid arthritis and Lupus then a blood test to help determine if Reiter's Syndrome has progressed to osteonecrosis is probably not necessary. However, a bone scan may help confirm if it is Lupus or rheumatoid arthritis that is causing the degeneration of your bones. If it is Lupus, then your doctor may want to perform a bone marrow aspiration test to determine whether your bone marrow is producing antibodies to destroy bacteria. which causes osteonecrosis.
When it comes to diagnosing Reiter's Syndrome, one of the most important factors in diagnosis is to rule out diseases that can cause arthritis and which are not related to your symptoms
For example, if you have diabetes, then there is no need to perform tests that can indicate Reiter's Syndrome.
Also, there is no need to take any blood pressure when diagnosing Reiter's Syndrome because although the symptoms that cause arthritis can indicate Reiter's Syndrome, they are different from diabetes. Therefore, you can also be treated without testing for blood pressure.
A bone scan can help rule out osteonecrosis but if your doctor has ruled out osteonecrosis, then a bone marrow aspiration test to determine if the bone marrow is producing antibodies to destroy bacteria can help rule out Reiter's Syndrome. Bone marrow is the bone marrow of the bone that is located inside the bone marrow duct. The bone marrow is an extremely important part of bone health and cannot be replaced by cells that do not exist in bone.
When it comes to treating Reiter's Syndrome, your doctor may decide that medications are needed to control pain and inflammation, but the treatment may not be based on the type of Reiter's Syndrome. Since Reiter's Syndrome is very rare, only about one in three thousand people suffer from this condition, then the treatment is not likely to be life threatening. If the pain is not that severe and/or does not interfere with daily activities, then you may choose a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, such as a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug.
When your doctor has determined that Reiter's Syndrome is the cause of the pain and the knee does not respond to the anti-inflammatory medication, then he or she will probably recommend surgery. If the problem is much worse, then a joint supplement may be prescribed.
Reiter's Syndrome can cause severe complications so if you decide to seek medical advice for this condition, it is best to first consult with your doctor for diagnosis. The doctor can determine what is causing your discomfort and recommend the proper course of treatment. For more information and to learn about future treatments for Reiter's Syndrome, contact your doctor.