An ANA blood test (antinuclear antibody test) is usually performed on a blood sample as part of the diagnostic process for certain autoimmune diseases.1 It is usually ordered along with other blood tests, such as CBC and ESR—and all of the results are considered together.
Uric acid is a waste product found in urine. If your body makes too much or doesn't eliminate enough of it, uric acid levels can become too high—a condition known as hyperuricemia. High uric acid levels can lead to symptoms and eventually conditions like gout and kidney disease.
Treatment for back pain in those with RA is aimed at relieving pain and reducing inflammation that may be contributing to the discomfort. Surgery is sometimes recommended to prevent damaged and unstable vertebrae—the bones of the spine—from putting pressure on nerves located in the neck.
Painful monthly penicillin injections could be a thing of the past as Griffith University researchers, in collaboration with researchers at the University of New England, are investigating the benefits of an alternative therapy for children diagnosed with rheumatic fever.
Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a type of arthritis affecting people with the skin condition psoriasis. Flare-ups—also called flares or relapses—are periods where symptoms of PsA get worse. Not everyone with PsA has psoriasis, but psoriasis and PsA—also called psoriatic disease—are chronic inflammatory diseases resulting from a problem with the immune system.
