An RA factor test can easily determine the blood’s rheumatoid factor. The immune system’s proteins often attack healthy body tissues, and the rheumatoid factor represents these proteins. Sjogren’s syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis occur mainly because of increased blood-related rheumatoid factors.
What is this test all about?
The rheumatoid factor test includes a series of blood examinations to diagnose rheumatoid arthritis. Some of the most practical exams that are included in these tests are as follows:
- Erythrocyte-sedimentation rate.
- C-reactive protein.
- Anti-CCP.
- Anti-nuclear antibodies.
Blood samples are collected to complete these tests successfully. These samples are immediately sent to a lab to conduct these tests. Suppose you already suffer from chronic diseases like infections, mixed connective-tissue disorders, cancer, inflammatory lung diseases, and others. In that case, the RA factor in your blood will automatically get raised.
If you think that only diseases can trigger the RA factor, you are wrong, as many healthy beings, especially aged ones, might develop this trouble. Therefore, you should always bring your past medical reports so the doctor can choose the right treatment. They must also go through the concerned test to get a clear view of RA-factor content.
Symptoms that decide that an RA-factor exam is needed:
- Acute joint stiffness.
- Cartilage loss.
- Communal warmth and swelling.
- Bone loss.
- Nodules beneath the skin.
- Enhanced joint stiffness, swelling, and pain, especially during mornings.
These signs can easily indicate that the patients need RA-factor examination.
How is the test conducted?
RA-factor examination is always conducted within a clinical setting. Expert health providers extract blood from patients’ veins in a systematic manner. Within a few minutes, this task is completed, and patients do not need to stay for long. The same scenario happens with the vitamin B12 test. Some healthy preparations are necessary before extracting blood from veins, and they have been illustrated below:
- The skin over the veins needs to be cleaned well.
- An elastic-made band must be tied strongly around the arm to fill the vein with blood.
- A small needle should be inserted within the targeted vein to extract blood.
- A sterilized vial must be arranged so the blood can be collected safely.
- The puncture site must be immediately covered with a soft gauge or adhesive bandage to prevent blood from coming out.
- After that, the vial is sent quickly to the lab to detect RA-factor antibodies.
If the health provider is experienced, the entire session will be completed quickly and efficiently. Moreover, the patients will not experience any painful conditions. If the task has been accomplished nicely and safely, there will be no bruising or infection. This test is low-cost, and thus, it can be afforded easily.
The test is even cheaper than urine microalbumin exams at clinics. You have to move to your nearest clinic to avail this test. Patients already experiencing arthritis issues are cared for on a special note, especially during the RA-factor examination. The medicines for decreasing the RA factor in blood might vary based on age and health condition.
