Arthritis Symptoms

Wondering if you might have arthritis? Check against the symptoms.

Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis

The symptoms are generally non specific:

• One of the first manifestations is limping and struggling to walk
• Swelling of joints is the fundamental sign, commonly including knee, wrist, ankles and small joints of fingers
• Pain is an important feature together with children feeling lethargy, decreased appetite and getting ill eg. common cold.

Rheumatoid Arthritis:

• Foremost of the symptoms is swelling of wrist and large knuckles of hands
• The pain is usually worse in the start of the day
• Spindle shaped fingers
• The swollen tissue damages both the ligaments and cartilage thus:
• Ulnar drift occurs; turning of wrist and fingers toward the thumb
• Numbness, pain in arm, hands and fingers
• Tendons rupture; depriving the patient to move the joints and muscles with agility.

Osteoarthritis

• Loss of mobility in the joints accompanied by chronic pain
• There is a burning sensation in the muscles or tendons / ligaments
• A crackling sound can be heard while moving the affected joint or muscle
• As the joints are filled with fluid, humid weather can substantially enhance the pain
• The pain increases as the joints are used more over the day; this becomes a distinguishing feature from Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Psoriatic Arthritis

• Along with the swelling of joints, the surrounding tissue is badly damaged
• Fingers swell to take the shape of a sausage
• Nails might get perforated, or detached altogether
• Tendonitis is common (swelling of tendons)
• If there is back pain, it would gradually get better as the day progresses with activity.

Reactive Arthritis

• There may be urethritis or balanitis
• Conjunctivitis is common
• Sausage toe, similar to psoriatic arthritis may be seen