Arthritis is a disease from which millions of people around the world suffer. It is a potentially life changing disorder characterized by joint inflammation and chronic pain. Healthy joints glide easily without discomfort because of the articular cartilage that covers the ends of the connecting bones. When this smooth, elastic tissue gradually wears away, it is referred to as osteoarthritis. The condition is most commonly seen in the hands, neck, hips, lower back and knees.
Osteoarthritis can be a hereditary disorder, although it is also diagnosed in those with no genetic predisposition to the condition. It may afflict young people as well, but is most often diagnosed in those over fifty. The condition is more common in women than men, which may be due to hormonal changes that occur after menopause.
1. Joint Pain
One of the most overt signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis is pain in the joints. This is caused by the erosion of cartilage. Once a significant amount of cartilage has been worn away, the person’s bones begin rubbing against each other at the level of the joint. This creates the mild to severe pain felt with most types of arthritis, including osteoarthritis. In certain cases, the pain is debilitating and the person avoids moving the joint at all, which sometimes ultimately exacerbates the condition. However, there is sometimes a considerable wearing away of cartilage before a person begins to experience pain from the condition.
Joint pain is often described as “radiating,” such as pain running from the hip joint down the side of the leg or from the neck area into the person’s back. In certain cases, a patient may develop bad posture in an attempt to avoid pain by sitting or standing “around” the affected joint so that it is not irritated. However, the long-term result of poor posture is typically pain and soreness in other areas of the body. In some cases, pain from osteoarthritis is described as a dull ache, but sharp or radiating pain is somewhat more common.
2. Stiffness
Stiffness is very common with osteoarthritis, and most people develop it to some degree. In many cases, stiffness is worse in the morning or evening, but not quite as bad throughout the day. It may be challenging for one to rise from bed in the morning and by evening, tasks such as taking a shower or washing hair are often quite difficult. Certain patients experience stiffness on a continuous basis, regardless of the time of day or night. Some individuals use heat or ice to alleviate this symptom, while others may experience relief from muscle creams or doctor prescribed exercises.
3. Cracks and Pops
Typically an early sign of osteoarthritis, cracks, pops or creaking noises coming from one’s joints are usually due to the wearing away of cartilage. The knees are often affected by this symptom, but it can occur anywhere in the body. Sometimes referred to as “crepitus,” pops and cracks in the joints may be accompanied by pain, or may simply be an annoying symptom in the years leading up to an arthritis diagnosis. Other common areas in which these symptoms are observed include the shoulders and neck. For example, a person may hear a “crunching” noise upon turning his or her head, and this noise is often described as a gravelly sound.
4. Swelling
It is very common for joints affected by arthritis to swell. This is because the ends of the bones at the joint level are irritated and inflamed because sufficient cartilage is no longer present to create a smooth, seamless movement. Common areas that swell include elbows, shoulders, fingers, ankles and knees. Swelling around these joints is often accompanied by a significant amount of pain. A person may experience swelling in his or her back, neck, and wrists as well, although this symptom is a bit less common in these areas than the ones listed above.
5. Tenderness
Among the many signs and symptoms of arthritis is tenderness in the affected joint. In some cases, this symptom never escalates to actual pain, and some people with osteoarthritis never develop bad pain. Tenderness, however, is frequently present in joints where even mild erosion of cartilage has occurred. The joint may also look red and feel warm to the touch. Other times it may appear completely normal, yet feel as if the underlying tissue has been bruised when even light pressure is applied. Tenderness and swelling often occur simultaneously, with or without pain.
6. Bumps or Bony Outgrowths
When bones begin to rub against each other due to the erosion of cartilage, new bone tissue often grows in the same region as the existing bone. These growths are sometimes referred to as nodes or bone spurs. They can develop anywhere, but the most common places for such growths are the small joints, such as those in the hands and feet. Bumps or bony outgrowths are also quite common in the neck area, and some people who suffer from osteoarthritis develop small nodes in more than one cervical vertebrae.
7. Joint Deformity
Although joint deformity is more commonly seen in patients who have rheumatoid arthritis, all types of the disease–including osteoarthritis–can cause
one or more joints to become deformed. With osteoarthritis, the most common areas for joint deformity are the neck, wrists, hands and fingers, including the thumb. In some cases, the aforementioned bone nodes and bony outgrowths cause fingers to have a crooked appearance and may result in misaligned vertebrae in the neck. Such deformities can affect balance, as well as a person’s ability to grip something tightly, such as the motion needed to open a jar or bottle.
8. Limping
Limping is also among the signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis. The cause of this symptom is almost always pain, although joint deformity may greatly contribute to the presence of a limp. Hip and knee pain are the most common reasons an osteoarthritis sufferer may limp. Pain in one ankle may also cause a person to begin limping. In many instances, arthritic ankle pain is similar on both sides, while knee or hip pain are frequently worse on one side as opposed to the other; however, the reason for this is not yet known. Patients who have developed a limp are typically referred to physical therapy, as limping is a habit that can lead to a worsening of one’s condition.
