The types and severity of symptoms of osteoarthritis vary between individuals. At the onset of the disease, the symptoms of osteoarthritis can be vague and develop slowly. Many people may have no symptoms in early stages.
As osteoarthritis progress, joint pain occurs. Joint pain progresses in severity over time and can lead to difficulty moving, immobility and disability. Certain types of activities may increase or aggravate joint pain. Often joint pain is worse after excessive exercise or excessive inactivity.
Inflammation of the joint results in symptoms, such as redness, swelling, and warmth. A crunching, crackling or grating sound or sensation may be experienced in the affected joint or joints. An affected join or joints can eventually appear deformed.
Complications of osteoarthritis include damage to the joints, chronic pain, disability, stress, depression and deformities....more about Osteoarthritis »
The list of signs and symptoms mentioned in various sources for Osteoarthritis includes the 52 symptoms listed below:
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Diseases that may be commonly undiagnosed in related medical areas:
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The list of other diseases or medical conditions that may be on the differential diagnosis list of alternative diagnoses for Osteoarthritis includes:
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More information about symptoms of Osteoarthritis and related conditions:
Click on any of the symptoms below to see a full list of other causes including diseases, medical conditions, toxins, drug interactions, or drug side effect causes of that symptom.
Steady or intermittent pain in a
joint
Stiffness after getting out of
bed
Joint swelling or tenderness in one or more
joints
A crunching feeling or sound of bone
rubbing on bone
Hot, red, or tender? Probably not
osteoarthritis. Check with your doctor about other causes, such
as rheumatoid arthritis.
Not always pain. Not everyone with osteoarthritis feels pain. In fact, only a third of people with osteoarthritis in their x rays report pain or other symptoms.
Someone who has arthritis of the knee may experience pain, swelling, and a decrease in knee motion. A common symptom is morning stiffness that lessens as the person moves around. Sometimes the joint locks or clicks when the knee is bent and straightened, but these signs may occur in other knee disorders as well. The doctor may confirm the diagnosis by performing a physical examination and examining x rays, which typically show a loss of joint space. Blood tests may be helpful for diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis, but other tests may be needed too. Analyzing fluid from the knee joint may be helpful in diagnosing some kinds of arthritis. The doctor may use arthroscopy to directly see damage to cartilage, tendons, and ligaments and to confirm a diagnosis, but arthroscopy is usually done only if a repair procedure is to be performed. (Source: excerpt from Questions and Answers About Knee Problems: NIAMS)
Osteoarthritis begins when cartilage breaks down, sometimes eroding entirely to leave a bone-on-bone joint in extreme cases. Any joint can be affected, but the feet, knees, hips, and fingers are most common. It may appear in one or two joints and spread no further. (Source: excerpt from Arthritis: NWHIC)
OA usually affects the hands and the large weight-bearing joints of the body: the knees and hips. Early in the disease, pain occurs after activity and rest brings relief; later on, pain occurs with very little movement, even during rest. (Source: excerpt from Arthritis Advice -- Age Page -- Health Information: NIA)
When considering symptoms of Osteoarthritis, it is also important to consider Osteoarthritis as a possible cause of other medical conditions. The Disease Database lists the following medical conditions that Osteoarthritis may cause:
- (Source - Diseases Database)For a more detailed analysis of Osteoarthritis as a symptom, including causes, drug side effect causes, and drug interaction causes, please see our Symptom Center information for Osteoarthritis.
These general reference articles may be of interest in relation to medical signs and symptoms of disease in general:
Full list of premium articles on symptoms and diagnosis
The symptom information on this page attempts to provide a list of some possible signs and symptoms of Osteoarthritis. This signs and symptoms information for Osteoarthritis has been gathered from various sources, may not be fully accurate, and may not be the full list of Osteoarthritis signs or Osteoarthritis symptoms. Furthermore, signs and symptoms of Osteoarthritis may vary on an individual basis for each patient. Only your doctor can provide adequate diagnosis of any signs or symptoms and whether they are indeed Osteoarthritis symptoms.
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