Hot Hands Might Be Linked To This Inflammatory Disease

Nearly 1.5 million Americans suffer from inflammation in their joints caused by rheumatoid arthritis. The autoimmune disease attacks the joints, leading to pain, primarily in the hands, wrists, feet, knees, and elbows. The causes of RA are largely unknown, but new research might have found a way to detect the onset of this progressive disease. 

Researchers compared the hands of 31 specific rheumatoid arthritis patients to 51 healthy hands. Before studying thermal imaging, the 31 RA patients underwent ultrasound imaging tests. Though clinically diagnosed with the disease, their ultrasound imagery showed no signs of synovitis or inflammation of the tissue surrounding the joints, a major symptom of the disease.

The study wanted to figure out if the patients who didn’t show typical signs of pain, swelling, and inflammation—but clearly had the disease—would match the heat of healthy patients. 

Since ultrasound imaging doesn’t always detect the disease, finding other ways to diagnose it can be helpful for future research and prevention. 

These findings could “permit the development of an innovative, noninvasive, and more reproducible method to detect the presence of inflammation in RA,” the study said. 

One possible limitation of these findings is the small sample size, but according to the study, “researchers are confident that even if a larger sample size had to be included, results would still remain the same."

Keep in mind, this study is not encouraging you to leave your winter gloves at home. Purposely generating heat for warmth is different from the natural heat generated in patients with inflammatory symptoms. But, if you start noticing irregular amounts of heat in your hands or other joints, consider asking your doctor about the possible connection to rheumatoid arthritis.