If the doctor is having trouble diagnosing your ailment, here’s a check list for you to match your symptoms in six different diseases.
Lupus – A chronic inflammatory disease
Symptoms: Fatigue, kidney/heart/lung damage, rash, joint pain
Mimics: Chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis
Tests: Complete blood, chest X-ray, anti-dsDNA, ANA, and lupus
erythematosus cell tests
Parkinson’s disease – A degenerative disorder of the central nervous system
Symptoms: Tremors in hands/arms/legs or head, stiff muscles, problems
with balance/walking
Mimics: Alzheimer’s, stroke, stress, traumatic head injury, essential
tremor
Tests: Diagnosed by a clinical examination.
Fibromyalgia – A chronic arthritis-like disorder characterized by widespread pain
Symptoms: Anxiety or depression, increased sensitivity to pain,
incapacitating fatigue
Mimics: Rheumatoid arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome
Tests: Diagnosis is when patients report: (1) widespread pain lasting
more than three months; (2) presence of at least 11 tender points.
Lyme disease – A systemic infection caused by a deer tick bite
Symptoms: Shortness of breath, chest or rib soreness, abdominal
cramping, nausea, and vomiting, bull’s-eye rash at bite site,
neck stiffness, twitching of face or eyelids
Mimics: ononucleosis, flu, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia,
depression, meningitis
Tests: If no rash is visible, a two-step blood antibody test is
recommended: ELISA or IFA blood test, followed by the Western
blot blood test.
Multiple sclerosis – A progressive autoimmune disease that attacks the central nervous system
Symptoms: Muscle spasms, lack of coordination, balance problems,
blurred vision, cognitive impairment
Mimics: Viral infection, lupus, Alzheimer’s, bipolar disorder
Tests: Blood tests, a lumbar puncture, and MRI.
Celiac disease – An autoimmune disorder marked by the inability to digest gluten
Symptoms: Vomiting, abdominal pain/bloating, diarrhea, weight loss,
anemia, leg cramps
Mimics: Irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease, cystic fibrosis
Tests: Blood tests, small-intestine-sample biopsy, DNA tests.