A number of diseases mimic the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an autoimmune form of arthritis. These include bacterial joint infections, inflammatory diseases, other autoimmune diseases, and other forms of arthritis. Ruling out conditions that mimic RA is central to the diagnosis of RA. To do so, your healthcare provider will not only order tests that point to RA as the cause but also order tests to exclude other diseases like Lyme disease, lupus, or fibromyalgia. Even if you've been diagnosed with RA, your healthcare provider may want to investigate other possible causes if you are not responding to RA treatment or if there is a chance that another disease is co-occurring with RA (referred to as a comorbidity). This article describes 14 conditions that mimic rheumatoid arthritis along with comorbid conditions that commonly occur alongside RA.Signs and Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis Did You Know?Research published in the Annals of Rheumatic Diseases found that more than 40% o...
