The most familiar type of arthritis is called osteoarthritis. The symptoms and signs of this form of arthritis include joint swelling and enlargement, restricted range of motion, and stiffness of the joint, and pain. Also commonplace in osteoarthritis is loss of cartilage, symptoms onset normally goes together with the steady diminishing of cartilage in a joint that has been affected.
Frequent Symptoms
The most commonly diagnosed form out of the types of osteoarthritis is known as primary osteoarthritis. It occurs due to the loss of cartilage and the degeneration of the joint, and in general with the advancement of age, however, no other cause is connected to the condition. Other causes could be linked to secondary osteoarthritis, such as obesity, joint injury, or other joint conditions. Universal symptoms of all two forms of osteoarthritis consist of joint deformity or misalignment, joint instability, crepitus that is popping, grinding or cracking, joint enlargement or inflammation, restricted range of motion or stiffness, and joint tenderness or pain.
Joint Pain
The main symptom that is related to osteoarthritis is pain, plus it is connected to disability and functional impairment in individuals that suffer from the disease. Typically, the pain associated with osteoarthritis develops very slowly. As it relates to mild and moderate osteoarthritis, the pain usually becomes worse when the joint is put to use, that is, movement within an activity, and gets much better once at rest. The pain is normally more consistent and persistent with the progression of the disease, plus it might not be resolved with conventional management of osteoarthritis or rest.
Even though the pain that occurs while at rest is a sign that the advancement of the disease or that it has become more severe, it could be an indication as well that there is localized inflammation in the joint. Pain that is linked to osteoarthritis is not emanating from direct loss of cartilage. Cartilage is considered aneural, which means that there nerve tissue is not present. The pain being felt is more than likely associated with an adjacent structure, such as synovitis, subchondral bone microfractures, the capsule of the joint being stretched by the bony enlargement, or other changes in structures.
Joint Stiffness
Common to osteoarthritis is morning stiffness, which normally lasts for roughly no more than thirty minutes, in most instances below this time period is referred to as rheumatoid arthritis. Joint stiffness that is linked to osteoarthritis also has the tendency to recur as the day progresses, specifically after durations of inactivity, also referred to as gelling. Individuals suffering from osteoarthritis also complain frequently of stiffness of joints when the weather is changing to stormy conditions, resulting in alterations in the barometric pressure.
Joint Tenderness
By means of touch or palpations, it is normal for some areas to experience tenderness or pain, in particular around the margin of the joint. Structures which are surrounding the joint, known as periarticular structures, might also show signs of tenderness because of tendinitis or bursitis adjoining the joint.