Seronegative rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia

3. Symptoms and misdiagnosis of Seronegative Rheumatoid Arthritis and fibromyalgia

To diagnose a patient with Seronegative RA, he/she must exhibit a specific group of symptoms. Some of them include:

• Pain and stiffness in the joints particularly in the hands, elbows, knees, ankles and feet.
• Signs of inflammation in the joints such as swelling and redness
• Soreness in the joints
• Mirroring symptoms in various joints
• Persistent inflammation in the joints
• Morning stiffness which continues for more than half an hour
• Fatigue
• Redness in the eye

The absence of anti-bodies makes seronegative RA difficult to diagnose. This is where seronegative rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia are similar and can sometimes be confused. Both conditions are difficult to diagnose. Furthermore, they exhibit overlapping symptoms which may cause them to be mistaken as the other.