Arthritis Diagnosis

To diagnose big toe arthritis, your doctor will examine your foot for range of motion and gait analysis. X-ray evaluation is important to determine the amount of joint narrowing and bone spur formation in the joint. Full Answer

In the foot, arthritis most frequently occurs in the big toe, although it is also often found in the midfoot and ankle. A doctor can usually diagnose arthritis based on symptoms and standard x-rays. Full Answer

The first step in the diagnosis of arthritis is a meeting between the patient and the doctor. The doctor will review the history of symptoms, examine the joints for inflammation and deformity as well as ask questions about or examine other parts of the... Full Answer

Cartilage does not show up on x-rays. X-rays do show changes in the space between bones, such as in the knee joint, if cartilage is worn away by arthritis. This video gives more information on the knee and arthritis. Full Answer

An x-ray can show the damage done to the bones of the joint due to loss of protective cartilage and bones rubbing directly against each other. Full Answer

Although there is no cure for most types of arthritis, early diagnosis and proper management are important, particularly for inflammatory types of arthritis. Early use of disease-modifying drugs can change the course of rheumatoid arthritis. If... Full Answer

The degree of severity of arthritis on an X-ray often does not correlate with symptoms. A person with a terrible looking X-ray of the knee may be completely symptom-free. Likewise, a person who shows minimal arthritis on an X-ray may be experiencing... Full Answer

The presence of asymptomatic findings of arthritis on an X-ray should be taken as a warning that the joint is not healthy and will probably become painful if you don't start taking better care of it.A person with no clinical symptoms and X-ray findings... Full Answer

X-rays are more than sufficient for diagnosing arthritis. They can show bone spurs (osteophytes), subchondral cysts (the fluid-filled cysts that sometimes occur beneath the hardened bone), and joint space narrowing (the most classic finding in arthritis... Full Answer

In addition to X-rays, CT scans, and/or MRIs, your doctor might order blood tests to help rule out infection, types of arthritis other than osteoarthritis, cancer, and other problems. Most people with straightforward signs and symptoms of arthritis may... Full Answer