Common Symptoms of Arthritis

Introduction

Arthritis is a very common medical condition among older people, affecting around 10 million people in the UK today. There are several different types of arthritis, the most common of which are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Almost nine million people suffer from osteoarthritis, making it by far the most common form of the condition, while rheumatoid arthritis affects around 400,000 people in the UK. Today's article is a guide to the common symptoms of arthritis, focusing specifically on osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. It's important to know the signs so that you can get the right treatment as quickly as possible.

Symptoms of Osteoarthritis

As previously mentioned, osteoarthritis affects almost nine million people in the UK, making it the most common type of the condition. It's most common in adults in their mid-40s or older, with women more likely to be affected, and those with a family history of the condition are also at a higher risk. Osteoarthritis can sometimes occur as a result of an injury, and it also has associations with other joint problems like gout and rheumatoid arthritis. Initially, osteoarthritis affects the smooth cartilage lining of the joint, causing movement to become more difficult than usual. This difficulty leads to the main symptoms of the condition: pain and stiffness in the joints. The symptoms may come and go in episodes, depending on factors like your activity levels, although in severe cases, the joint pain and stiffness can be continuous.

Osteoarthritis can affect any joint in the body, but the most common areas are the knees, hips, and smaller joints in the hand. Both knees will commonly be affected over time, unless it occurs due to an injury or another medical condition affecting only one knee. In the hips, pain and stiffness will prevent you from moving the joints easily, and you'll also usually have pain in the groin or outside the hip. In the hand, the three main areas affected are the base of the thumb, the joints closest to the fingertips, and the middle joints of the fingers, and alongside the pain and stiffness, the fingers may become swollen.

According to the NHS, you'll usually only experience symptoms in one joint or a few joints at any one time. Other symptoms to look out for include your joints appearing slightly larger or more "knobbly" than usual, a crackling or grating sound in your joints, a limited range of movement, weakness and muscle wasting, and joint tenderness. If you're suffering from any of the above, you should visit your doctor as soon as possible.

Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis affects more than 400,000 people in the UK, with symptoms usually developing between the ages of 40 and 50. Like osteoarthritis, this condition is more common in women, who are in fact three times more likely than men to develop it. Rheumatoid arthritis is actually an autoimmune condition, in which the body's immune system attacks healthy joint tissue. This is what leads to the most common symptoms: joint pain, stiffness, and swelling. These symptoms usually develop gradually over several weeks, although in some severe cases they can appear within days.

Each case of rheumatoid arthritis is different, with symptoms coming and going. It's common for those affected to suffer from flare-ups, when the condition deteriorates rapidly and symptoms become more severe for a period of time. Initially, rheumatoid arthritis commonly affects the small joints in the hands and feet, and most people find that the condition affects their joints symmetrically, such as in both hands or both feet, although this isn't always the case. The main symptoms are joint pain, a throbbing and/or aching pain that's often worse in the mornings and after long periods of inactivity; joint stiffness, which limits movement and is again worse in the mornings or after inactivity; and swelling, where the lining of the affected joints becomes inflamed, causing them to swell and become hot and tender to the touch. In some cases, firm swellings called rheumatoid nodules can also develop under the skin around affected joints.

As with osteoarthritis, there are also several other symptoms to look out for, including sweating, weight loss, a loss of appetite, a fever, tiredness, a lack of energy, dry eyes caused by inflammation, and chest pain if the heart or lungs are affected. If you notice any of these symptoms, you should make an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible. Even if you aren't sure, it's always better to get new symptoms checked out.