Arthritis : Symptoms and Diagnosis

by National Institute on Aging

(Page 3 of 7)

Different types of arthritis have different symptoms. In general, people with most forms of arthritis have pain and stiffness in their joints. To make a diagnosis, most doctors use a combination of methods and tests including a medical history, a physical examination, x rays, and laboratory tests.

It is important for people with joint pain to give the doctor a complete medical history. Answering these questions will help your doctor make an accurate diagnosis:

• Is the pain in one or more joints?
• When does the pain occur and how long does it last?
• When did you first notice the pain?
• Does activity make the pain better or worse?
• Have you had any illnesses or accidents that may account for the pain?
• Is there a family history of any arthritis or rheumatic diseases?
• What medicines are you taking?

A medical history is the patient's description of symptoms and when and how they began. The description covers pain, stiffness, and joint function, and how these have changed over time.

Patient being examined by doctor. A physical examination includes the doctor's examination of the joints, skin, reflexes, and muscle strength. The doctor observes the patient's ability to walk, bend, and carry out activities of daily living.

Osteoarthritis Symptoms and Diagnosis

The doctor will use a combination of tests to try to find out if osteoarthritis is causing the symptoms. A patient's attitudes, daily activities, and levels of anxiety or depression have a lot to do with how severe the symptoms of osteoarthritis may be.

Osteoarthritis usually develops slowly and can occur in any joint, but often occurs in weight bearing joints. Early in the disease, joints may ache after physical work or exercise. Most often, osteoarthritis occurs in the hands, hips, knees, neck, or low back.

Common signs of osteoarthritis include joint pain, swelling, and tenderness; stiffness after getting out of bed; and a crunching feeling or sound of bone rubbing on bone. Not everyone with osteoarthritis feels pain, however. In fact, only a third of people with x-ray evidence of osteoarthritis report pain or other symptoms.

X-rays are limited in their capacity to reveal how much joint damage may have occurred in osteoarthritis. X-rays usually don't show osteoarthritis damage until there has been a significant loss of cartilage.

Quiz

1. Osteoarthritis

A. occurs more commonly in weight bearing joints
B. usually develops slowly
C. may cause joints to ache after physical work or exercise
D. all of the above

D is the correct answer. Osteoarthritis usually develops slowly and most commonly in weight bearing joints. Early in the disease, joints may ache after physical work or exercise.

2. Common signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis can include

A. pain
B. swelling
C. tenderness
D. all of the above

D is the correct answer. Common signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis include joint pain, swelling, and tenderness.

3. As a tool for diagnosing osteoarthritis, x rays are

A. not useful
B. limited in their usefulness
C. the only way a doctor can make a diagnosis

B is the correct answer. X rays are often used in combination with other methods to diagnose osteoarthritis. However, x rays are limited in their capacity to reveal how much joint damage may have occurred, and they do not usually show osteoarthritis damage until significant cartilage loss occurs.

4. Which of the following is not a sign or symptom of osteoarthritis?

A. joint pain
B. stiffness
C. fever
D. bone rubbing on bone

C is the correct answer. Common signs of osteoarthritis include joint pain, stiffness after getting out of bed, and a crunching feeling or sound of bone rubbing on bone. Fever is not a symptom of osteoarthritis.

5. Osteoarthritis

A. develops suddenly.
B. always causes pain.
C. usually occurs in the hands, hips, knees, low back or neck.

C is the correct answer. Osteoarthritis usually comes on slowly and can occur in any joint. Most often, it occurs in the hands, hips, knees, low back, or neck. Not everyone with osteoarthritis feels pain, however. In fact, only a third of people with x-ray evidence of osteoarthritis report pain or other symptoms.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms and Diagnosis

Rheumatoid arthritis is characterized by inflammation of the joint lining. This inflammation causes warmth, redness, swelling, and pain around the joints. A person also feels sick, tired, and sometimes feverish.

Rheumatoid arthritis generally occurs in a symmetrical pattern. If one knee or hand is affected, the other one is also likely to be affected.

Rheumatoid arthritis can be difficult to diagnose in its early stages for several reasons. First, there is no single test for the disease. In addition, symptoms differ from person to person and can be more severe in some people than in others.

About the Author

www.nia.nih.gov
NIA, one of the 27 Institutes and Centers of NIH, leads a broad scientific effort to understand the nature of aging and to extend the healthy, active years of life. In 1974, Congress granted authority to form NIA to provide leadership in aging research, training, health information dissemination, and other programs relevant to aging and older people.