Nathan Wei, MD

“What are the symptoms of arthritis and what is the treatment?”

People often worry if arthritis is setting in when they get a twinge of joint pain. This article discusses some of the major symptoms of arthritis.

There are four major arthritis symptoms.

Joint swelling:  Joint swelling unless it is definitely due to trauma (example: getting tackled in football) may be a symptom of arthritis.  The joint will feel tight. Often it will hurt.  If the swelling persists for more than a day, it should be evaluated by a physician.

Joint warmth:  When inflammation affects a joint, there will often be warmth associated with it.

Joint redness:  Along with the warmth, the joint will also have a dusky reddish color.  When the joint is warm and red, it will, in most case, be painful.

Joint pain:  This is the symptom noticed by most people for obvious reasons.  While the swelling, redness and warmth may go unnoticed, the pain will not.  The pain will vary in intensity.  For some people pain will be dull and constant, described as an aching.  Others will have sharp shooting pains.  The pain may come and go. Sometimes- for instance with osteoarthritis- the pain will be present at night.

Another is loss of range of motion.  This is an inability to move the joint as much as usual.

Stiffness may be a common symptom.  This stiffness is most apparent when getting up in the morning or after sitting for a long time during the day.

If any or all of these symptoms persist for longer than a few days, a physician should be consulted.  A rheumatologist is an arthritis specialist who will be able to take these symptoms and come up with a specific diagnosis.  The diagnosis will determine the treatment needed.  Treatment is the subject of another article.

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