Question
Hi,
  I'm a 54 year old man.  I had a blood test for cholesterol but the doctor said he was concerned because my ANA levels showed I had rheumatism.  He said he wanted me to go to a Rheumatologist and start medication and to see what was causing this immune system disease.  I told him "NO" because I can only remember a few days waking up with all my bones aching and I usually just have trouble with stiff hands.  But he got me worried.  What is this rheumatism and does it get worse?  Will I get crooked fingers and other such things.
            Thanks for your help.

Answer
Dear Don,    Rheumatoid arthritis (rheumatisim) is just ONE of over 58 autoimmune diseases and just because you have a positive ANA blood test does not mean you have rheumatoid arthritis, but it could be something worse....  People with a positive ANA blood test should see a rheumatologist who is also specially training in other autoimmune diseases besides rheumatoid arthritis so he/she can run more blood work to see if this is simply rheumatoid arthritis or if it could be Lupus, or Scleroderma, or Systemic Sclerosis or some other autoimmune disease....  You MUST go to the specialist and get more blood work to definately diagnose exactly what type of autoimmune disease you have....  It may not be rheumatoid arthritis.....

To answer your questions, there is no cure for RA....  There is medication to help with the pain and inflamation and depending on the disease itself, RA can be debilitating if not properly treated....

thank you,   karen