Arthritis Signs and Symptoms
The various types of arthritis have different symptoms. Common arthritis symptoms include:
Swelling in one or more joints
Joint stiffness (Inflammatory arthritis may be associated with forty-five minutes or more of stiffness, but noninflammatory arthritis is still associated with morning stiffness that may last less than thirty minutes.)
Persistent or recurring pain or tenderness in a joint
Difficulty using or moving a joint (i.e. loss of function, loss of normal range of motion)
Warmth and redness in or around a joint, indicative of inflammation
Beyond those common symptoms of arthritis, patients can experience joint deformity, crepitus (cracking sound or grating feeling in the joints), fever, unexplained weight loss, severe fatigue, weakness, and malaise (vague feeling of discomfort). Specific symptoms, including where or how they are manifested, are associated with specific types of arthritis.
Essential
Symptoms of arthritis can develop suddenly or gradually. Similarly, progression of the disease can be fast and furious, or slow and seemingly uneventful, especially at first. No two cases of arthritis are alike, at disease onset or years after disease onset.
The next chapter covers common types of arthritis and delves into symptoms associated with specific types of arthritis. The emphasis on getting an accurate diagnosis and early treatment, both of which are discussed in subsequent chapters, will become evident.
Recognizing Joint Problems
If you suspect you have arthritis, you must have noticed a change in how you feel or how you can do certain things. You can do a self-test, which will point out your problems and allow you to gather information for when you do go to the doctor for the first time. Ask yourself these questions:
Has climbing stairs become more difficult?
Do you experience hip or knee pain when walking two or more blocks?
Do you have pain and stiffness in one or both of your hands on a daily basis?
Do you have problems when brushing your hair?
Do you have some difficulty when getting dressed in the morning?
Do you have problems getting on or off of a normal toilet?
Do you have difficulty getting up from a straight-backed chair that has no arms?
Do you have difficulty getting in or out of a car?
Do you have any other functional limitations that developed recently?
Arthritis Risk Factors
Certain risk factors can increase the likelihood that you may develop arthritis. As you consider the signs and symptoms of arthritis, as well as any functional limitations you have noticed, also consider whether you have any of the known risk factors for arthritis.
Age — Though you can develop arthritis at any age, generally, the risk of developing the disease increases with age.
Gender — Sixty percent of people with arthritis are women. Most types of arthritis, but not all, are more common in women.
Genetics — The presence of specific genes increases the risk of developing certain types of arthritis.
Obesity — Excess weight has been associated with an increased risk of arthritis in weight-bearing joints.
Joint injury — Trauma to a joint can increase the risk of developing arthritis in that joint.
Infection — An infection in a joint can lead to arthritis in the affected joint.
Occupation — Jobs that involve repetitive motions may increase the risk of arthritis in the affected joints.
Smoking — Smoking has been associated with an increased risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis.
Family history — A family history of arthritis is considered a risk factor for developing arthritis.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), some of the risk factors for arthritis are modifiable; other risk factors are not. If you can modify one or more of the factors, you may be able to lower your risk for developing arthritis.
