|
A positive ANA on it's own does not really tell them anything and does not automatically mean you have an autoimmune disease. Even healthy people can have a positive ANA. And it tends to increase with age. Everyone has some level of autoantibodies in them.
So your doc will look at at other markers and your history to try to determine what's going on.
A viral infection and even meds can cause a positive result. And then there's a possibility of false positives.
Even with all that, I would still keep an eye on it and ask if you should be retested in a couple of months if things are not improving.
I went for a year and half trying to get answers for joint pain. It was a positive ANA that sent me to a Rheumatologist. Positive ANA went away but I continue to have a high rheumatiod factor with no clear explanation. Diagnosing really is an art form sometimes when it comes to these diseases.
__________________
Marlene, wife to John DX w/SAA April 2002, Stable partial remission; Treated with High Dose Cytoxan, Johns Hopkins, June 2002. Final phlebotomy 11/2016. As of July 2021 HGB 12.0, WBC 4.70/ANC 3.85, Plts 110K.
|