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Unexplained Joint Inflammation

Hi there,

For the past 4 to 5 years I have had continual joint problems that won't go away. First of all I got bursitis in both shoulders, then tendonitis in both elbows and wrists. I now have tendonitis in both hips and pain In both knees which I haven't had looked at yet.  I have had blood tests for arthritis, Osteoarthritis and connective tissue disorders. All came back clear.  These were all reviewed by a specialist who said there was nothing he could see that could be causing the problems.  So now I have no idea what to do??  I am a 30 year old male however I feel like I'm 80.  I haven't exercised in years due to my fragile joints.  Can you shed some light on what may be causing these symptoms??

I suffered from really bad anxiety for about 6 years or so and I'm not sure if this may have caused some low grade inflammation in my body.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks.
2 Responses
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1549643 tn?1495759353
There is no blood test for osteoarthritis. The blood tests are for various connective tissue disorders. Osteoarthritis can be diagnosed on clinical findings or when it shows up on xrays.
Helpful - 0
351246 tn?1379682132
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hi!

Recurrent joint problems with recurrent tendonitis and bursitis can be due soft tissue rheumatic syndromes. This is a group of symptoms that occur at a time to indicate a particular problem. The syndrome involves soft tissue structures around a joint like bursae, tendons, ligaments, and muscles.

In general, the syndrome is caused by incorrect posture, repetitive injuries, over use of joints due to particular work or due to diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, thyroid disorders, autoimmune diseases etc.

Hence it is important to run a complete autoimmune panel: antinuclear antibody (ANA) and rheumatoid factor (RF), anti-dsDNA, antiSmith, Ribonucleoprotein Antibody (Anti-RNP), Scl-70 kD kinetochore (Anti-Topoisomerase I), antiphospholipid antibodies (anticardiolipin immunoglobulin G [IgG] or immunoglobulin M [IgM] or lupus anticoagulant etc. Other tests include erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP).

Since the symptoms move from joint to joint (migratory), they can be due to Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, rheumatic fever, SLE, HIV, Lyme’s disease, sarcoidosis, Whipple’s disease, Henoch-Schnlein Purpura, bacterial endocarditis and gonoccoccal arthritis. Hashimotos thyroidits is another possibility. It can also be fibromyalgia and or chronic fatigue syndrome.

Please consult your doctor regarding this. Meanwhile, rest the affected joint, apply ice pack, take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory such as Tylenol, Aleve or Mobic, and wear protective gears (knee cap, elbow cap etc), and braces.

Hope you get well soon! Good Luck and take care!
Helpful - 0

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