A study published today in Scientific Reports, used thermal cameras to compare heat in the hands of those with rheumatoid arthritis1 and those without. 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. After analyzing the two groups, they still found higher temperatures in the hands of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (more than 88.7 degrees in the palms and 86.5 degrees in the fingers). 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. Being aware of the likelihood to develop the disease can encourage people to take preventive measures, like eating an anti-inflammatory diet or avoiding exercises linked to inflammation. If you already suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, healing your gut might help reduce pain.
