How is enteropathic arthritis diagnosed?

How is enteropathic arthritis diagnosed?

Enteropathic arthritis diagnosis requires:

• Discussion of symptoms.
• Physical exam.
• Review of personal health history and family medical history.

There is no specific enteropathic arthritis test, but your healthcare provider may order certain procedures to confirm that IBD and inflammatory arthritis are both present. Or tests may identify another cause of your symptoms. These tests may include:

• Arthrocentesis, which takes a sample of synovial fluid from your joints for testing.
• Bacteria culture test of your stool.
• Biopsy of tissue from your digestive tract.
• Blood tests that identify inflammation, such as erythrocyte sedimentation rate or C-reactive protein.
• Blood tests to look for HLA-B27.
• Colonoscopy.
• X-rays of the joints that are tender or painful.