Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory condition that is characterized by pain, redness, swelling and warmth in the small joints of the fingers, wrists and feet. It is an autoimmune disease--a disease in which the body's immune system attacks the body--that leads to inflammation of the joints in the body as well as other areas of the body. Diseases that mimic or resemble rheumatoid arthritis are those that share some of its symptoms.
Psoriatic Arthritis
Psoriasis is an inflammatory skin disease. It is characterized by the formation of raised patches of skin that have red bases and silvery tops. Psoriatic arthritis is an inflammatory joint disease that occurs in people who have psoriasis. The Merck Manuals Home Edition explains that psoriatic arthritis resembles rheumatoid arthritis. The two diseases share symptoms that include swelling and deformities in affected joints.
Lupus
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center suggests that systemic lupus erythematosus, also called lupus, mimics rheumatoid arthritis. Lupus is an autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system attacks the body. It leads to widespread inflammation that affects almost every part of the body including the skin, kidneys, central nervous system, heart, lungs and joints. People who suffer from lupus and rheumatoid arthritis experience joint pain and fatigue.
Lyme Disease
"What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Autoimmune Disorders," By Stephen B. Edelson and Deborah Mitchel, says that lyme disease mimics rheumatoid arthritis. Lyme disease is infectious and occurs when a deer tick infected with a particular bacteria bites and transfers the bacteria to a human. Symptoms of this disorder are joint ache, fever and fatigue. Rheumatoid arthritis also features all of these symptoms.
Osteoathritis
Osteoarhtitis is a disorder that involves deterioration of joint cartilage. In this disease, the cartilage, which helps bones at a joint move smoothly, breaks down and causes inflammation of the synovial membrane. Like rheumatoid arthritis, this leads to symptoms such as joint pain and stiffness.
Gout
The Hospital for Special Surgery reports that gout mimics rheumatoid arthritis. Gout is a disease of the joints. Gout causes needle-like crystals to build up around a joint. This leads to pain and inflammation in the affected joint. Intense joint pain, swelling and redness in affected joints are symptoms of both rheumatoid arthritis and gout.
References
- Merck Manual Home Edition: Other Types of Inflammatory Arthritis
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center: Rheumatoid Arthritis
- "What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Autoimmune Disorders"; Stephen B. Edelson, Deborah Mitchel; 2003
- Hospital for Special Surgery: An In-Depth Overview of Rheumatoid Arthritis
