Arthritis Symptoms
There are over 100 kinds of arthritis, and the symptoms vary from one form of the disease to the next. Symptoms can vary in frequency, severity, type, and location. However, there are some symptoms that are typical of all sorts of arthritis conditions. These include joint pain, stiffness, and inflammation. Arthritis of every type also takes the shape of limited mobility. Other common symptoms of arthritis can include fatigue, fever, rash on the lower body, the appearance of nodules, and symptoms that resemble those of the flu. The symptoms of non-inflammatory types of arthritis, that is, forms of arthritis where pain is intensified by movement and weight bearing, include:
- Joint aches in the foot, knee, neck, hip, back, shoulders, hands and thumbs, or fingers.
- Inflammation, stiffness, and pain in one or more part of your body.
- Initially slight symptoms with a gradual increase of intensity that leads to severe, persistent pain.
- Early symptoms of pain and stiffness following periods of idleness.
- Stiffness in the morning that goes away after a half hour of walking.
- Sensation that your joint is crackling when you use it.
- Restricted mobility.
- More severe pain when weather is humid.
- Pain decreases with rest.
The symptoms of inflammatory types of arthritis include: Involvement of multiple, symmetrical joints. Warmth, inflammation, stiffness, and lack of mobility in the joints. Involvement of the feet, wrists, and fingers. Possible additional pain in the knees, elbows, neck, spine, hip, back, shoulders, hands and thumbs—also in a symmetrical pattern, with both sides of the body affected simultaneously and equally. Possible swelling of the salivary glands or the tear glands. Fatigue, sometimes accompanied by fever. Loss of appetite, and subsequently weight. Nodules under the skin, especially in bony areas.
Doctors diagnose arthritis by taking into consideration your medical history and by asking you questions in order to identify a pattern in your symptoms. They also perform a physical exam and diagnostic lab, x-ray, or other imaging tests. These tests can reveal things that are not visible to the eye, such as inflammation of the lining of the heart or lungs, which may be present in some forms of inflammatory arthritis. If you visit your physician and tell him or her that you expect you may have arthritis, he or she will likely ask you the following questions:
- Where is your joint pain located?
- Have you ever injured this area?
- When did you start experiencing joint pain and rigidity?
- How long does your pain and/or stiffness last?
- Have you experienced any joint swelling or skin redness in the affected area?
- Are you having trouble with everyday activities?
- Does anyone in your family have arthritis, or has anyone experienced similar symptoms?
Primary care physicians are able to treat most forms of arthritis, even if treatment only means symptom management. In more severe or unusual cases, your doctor may refer you to a rheumatologist, or arthritis specialist.