What Are Some Symptoms Of Arthritis

Imaging Test Results Help Paint A Picture

X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, and ultrasounds are all tests that can help track and detect the severity of joint and cartilage damage. Bone erosion and destruction of cartilage can happen quickly within the first two years that you have rheumatoid arthritis, and the damage may continue to develop over time.

RELATED: Rheumatoid Arthritis and Disability Applications: What to Know

Your Lifestyle Is More Sedentary And You’re Moving Less

Regular physical activity is necessary for everyone but especially for people with RA. Research has shown that regular cardiovascular exercise and weight training can substantially improve daily function without exacerbating rheumatoid arthritis disease activity. There are numerous health benefits associated with regular physical activity like improved muscle strength and better bone and joint health which all help your aches and pains feel better. But rest is also needed to restore the body from the bouts of intense pain and fatigue that are characteristic of rheumatoid arthritis. But you cant let taking it easy become a way of life. A sedentary lifestyle may eventually lead to increased pain, fatigue, and weakness, and a lower quality of life.

RELATED: 7 of the Best Activity Apps for People With Rheumatoid Arthritis

Regular exercise also has another life-enhancing benefit: It helps reduce your odds of developing cardiovascular disease. Taking good care of your ticker is essential for people with rheumatoid arthritis, because heart problems are more prevalent in people who have RA compared with the general population. Its heart disease that kills you, not the RA, says Domingues. Its very important to talk to your primary care doctor or a cardiologist if you have RA to control your risk factors, such as high cholesterol, obesity, and diabetes.

RELATED: 8 Things People With Rheumatoid Arthritis Must Know About the COVID-19 Vaccines

What Questions Should I Ask My Healthcare Provider About Arthritis Of The Knee

It might be helpful to arrive at your healthcare providers office with a list of questions you want or need to be answered. Consider:

• Do I have arthritis in one knee or both?
• What type of arthritis do I have?
• Whats a possible cause of my arthritis?
• What treatments do you recommend?
• What medications should I take?
• Do I need physical therapy?

A note from Cleveland Clinic

Knee arthritis can affect people of all ages. Its painful, impairs movement and causes swelling of the joint. Some people are so disabled by it that they cant work anymore. Others can only work after surgery. Meanwhile, for others, the pain isnt necessarily as bad, but it still prevents them from regular activities like cleaning, gardening and running after their kids.

Arthritis of the knee can decrease your quality of life. The good news is that treatments can lessen the severity of your symptoms. The pain and swelling might not be as bad. See your healthcare provider for evaluation and treatment if you have symptoms.

Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 10/18/2021.

References

You May Like: Arthritis Articles

What Is The Knee Joint

Three bones come together to form your knee joint. They include the:

• Thighbone .
• Shinbone .
• Kneecap .

A smooth substance called cartilage covers the ends of each bone. Its a cushion between the bones that keeps them from rubbing together. The synovial membrane, a type of tissue that surrounds the joint, lubricates the cartilage.

Arthritis of the knee causes pain and swelling in the joint

What Is A Joint And How Does It Work

A joint is where two or more bones meet, such as in the fingers, knees, and shoulders. Joints hold bones in place and allow them to move freely within limits.

Most of the joints in our body are surrounded by a strong capsule. The capsule is filled with a thick fluid that helps to lubricate the joint. These capsules hold our bones in place. They do this with the help of ligaments. These are a bit like very strong elastic bands.

The ends of the bones within a joint are lined with cartilage. This is a smooth but tough layer of tissue that allows bones to glide over one another as you move.

If we want to move a bone, our brain gives a signal to the muscle, which then pulls a tendon, and this is attached to the bone. Muscles therefore have an important role in supporting a joint.

Recommended Reading: How To Deal With Arthritis

What You Need To Know

• Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis to affect the spine.
• Arthritis can occur anywhere along the spine but is more frequent in the lower back and neck.
• Pain and stiffness are the most common symptoms of spinal arthritis.
• Causes of spinal arthritis are still largely unknown except for osteoarthritis, which is typically a result of wear and tear.
• Spinal arthritis treatment may include pain medications, steroid injections, physical therapy and surgery in severe cases.

What Questions Might A Healthcare Provider Ask To Diagnose Arthritis Of The Knee

Your healthcare provider will interview you when you report your symptoms. Some questions might include:

• Does anyone in your family have arthritis of the knee?
• Does your knee swell up?
• Is your skin often red?
• Is your skin often warm?
• Do you have symptoms in one knee or both?
• How long have you had these symptoms?
• What medications do you take?
• How severe is your pain?
• Do you struggle to walk?
• Do the symptoms interfere with your daily activities?

Recommended Reading: What Is The Rheumatoid Arthritis Blood Test

What Are The Risk Factors For Arthritis

Some factors make you more likely to develop arthritis, including:

• Age: The risk of arthritis increases as you get older.
• Lifestyle: Smoking or a lack of exercise can increase your risk of arthritis.
• Sex: Most types of arthritis are more common in women.
• Weight: Obesity puts extra strain on your joints, which can lead to arthritis.

Effective Treatments For Ra Are Available

But the good news is that in 2021, the treatments for rheumatoid arthritis are better than ever. There are phenomenal therapies for RA, and most patients will have a completely normal life, provided they take their medications, says Vinicius Domingues, MD, a rheumatologist in Daytona Beach, Florida, and a medical advisor to CreakyJoints, a support, education, advocacy, and research organization for people living with arthritis and rheumatic disease. Here are five important things to note about disease progression:

Don’t Miss: Can You Stop Rheumatoid Arthritis From Progressing

What Are The Types Of Arthritis Of The Knee

There are around 100 types of arthritis. The most common types that might affect your knees include:

• Osteoarthritis is the most common of the types on this list. Osteoarthritis wears away your cartilage the cushioning between the three bones of your knee joint. Without that protection, your bones rub against each other. This can cause pain, stiffness and limited movement. It can also lead to the development of bone spurs. Osteoarthritis gets worse as time passes.
• Post-traumatic arthritis is a type of osteoarthritis. The cartilage starts thinning after trauma to your knee . Your bones rub together, and that causes the same symptoms as osteoarthritis: pain, stiffness and limited movement. Your knee arthritis symptoms might not start until years after the trauma.
• Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease. A healthy immune system causes inflammation when it’s trying to protect you from an infection, injury, toxin or another foreign invader. The inflammatory response is one way your body protects itself. If you have rheumatoid arthritis, you have an unhealthy immune system that triggers inflammation in your joints even though theres no foreign invader. The inflammation causes pain, stiffness and swelling of the synovial membrane, which can also wear away your cartilage.

Is This Topic For You

There are many types of arthritis . This topic is about rheumatoid arthritis. If you are looking for information about how juvenile idiopathic arthritis affects young children, see the topic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis. If you are looking for information on the most common form of arthritis in older adults, see the topic Osteoarthritis.

You May Like: How To Deal With Arthritis

The Signs And Symptoms Of Ra

Luckily, the signs and symptoms of early onset RA ARE heavily documented. Experts agree that the most common initial symptoms are as follows:

• You begin to experience a general feeling of pain or stiffness in your joints.
• Your joints begin to swell or turn red on a regular basis even when youre not engaged in heavily physical activities.
• These symptoms extend to four or more of your joints, including those in your hands and fingers.
• Your symptoms are symmetrical meaning that they equally affect both the left and right sides of your body.
• You experience a general sense of stiffness in your entire body when you wake up in the morning that often lasts for a half hour or more.
• Any of the above physical symptoms last for longer than six months in a row.

If you begin to experience any of these initial signs, you should absolutely consult your doctor to schedule a physical examination. Dont continue to ignore your body. Its trying to tell you something is wrong. Outside of the symptoms directly associated with RA, there are a number of indirect signs to be on the lookout for, too. These include, but are not limited to, ones like:

How Is Arthritis Treated

The main goal of treatment is to reduce the amount of pain youre experiencing and prevent additional damage to the joints. Youll learn what works best for you in terms of controlling pain. Some people find heating pads and ice packs to be soothing. Others use mobility assistance devices, like canes or walkers, to help take pressure off sore joints.

Improving your joint function is also important. Your doctor may prescribe you a combination of treatment methods to achieve the best results.

Also Check: Rheumatoid Arthritis Drug Side Effects

Whats The Outlook For Someone Living With Arthritis

Since theres no cure for arthritis, most people need to manage arthritis for the rest of their lives. Your healthcare provider can help you find the right combination of treatments to reduce symptoms. One of the biggest health risks associated with arthritis is inactivity. If you become sedentary from joint pain, you may face a greater risk for cancer, heart disease, diabetes and other serious conditions.

Why You Have Arthritis

There are over 100 different types ofarthritis that can develop as you get older or following an injury. The many types of arthritis target your joints, causing pain, inflammation, and stiffness and limiting your joints flexibility.

The two most common types of arthritis that affect many adults in the United States include osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Also Check: Ra Back Pain

When To Call A Doctor

if you have:

• Sudden, unexplained swelling and pain in any joint or joints.
• Joint pain associated with a fever or rash.
• Pain that is so severe that you cannot use the joint.
• Back or neck pain along with weakness in your arms or legs.
• Loss of bowel or bladder control.

• Joint pain that continues and has not improved for over 6 weeks.
• Side effects that occur with large doses of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or other medicine used to treat your arthritis. NSAIDs include ibuprofen and naproxen .

What Are The Different Types Of Arthritis

Arthritis is a broad term that describes more than 100 different joint conditions. The most common types of arthritis include:

• Osteoarthritis, or wear and tear arthritis, which develops when joint cartilage breaks down from repeated stress. Its the most common form of arthritis.
• Ankylosing spondylitis, or arthritis of the spine .
• Juvenile arthritis , a disorder where the immune system attacks the tissue around joints. JA typically affects children 16 or younger.
• Gout, a disease that causes hard crystals of uric acid to form in your joints.
• Psoriatic arthritis, joint inflammation that develops in people with psoriasis .
• Rheumatoid arthritis, a disease that causes the immune system to attack synovial membranes in your joints.

You May Like: Is Peanut Butter Bad For Arthritis

What Areas Of The Body Are Affected

Symptoms of joint inflammation caused by rheumatoid arthritis can occur throughout several areas of the body. The nature of autoimmune disease in RA leads to inflammation in multiple joints gradually wearing the bone and cartilage away.

The main areas affected by joint inflammation are:

• Hands
• Ankles
• Toes

RA symptoms can occur in either one or multiple locations. When symptoms occur in more than four different joints in the body, the condition is referred to as polyarthritis.

Difficulty With Daily Tasks

The combination of joint pain, stiffness, and fatigue can make it difficult to carry on daily activities, and the loss of function can be extremely frustrating. Especially when the hands are affected, its hard to hold a toothbrush, do up buttons or a zipper, open a water bottle, type on a keyboard, says Dr. Bykerk. It can even be difficult to hold a grocery bag or a child. Not being able to function normally and deal with daily life understandably sends many people to the doctor to find out whats wrong.

Recommended Reading: What Does The Rash From Psoriatic Arthritis Look Like

Gradual Increase In Pain

Arthritis pain usually starts slowly, although it can appear suddenly in some cases.

At first, you may notice pain in the morning or after youve been inactive for a while. Your knees may hurt when you climb stairs, stand up from a sitting position, or kneel. It may hurt just to go for a walk.

You may also feel pain when youre simply sitting down. Knee pain that wakes you up from sleep can be a symptom of OA.

For people with RA, the symptoms often start in the smaller joints. They are also more likely to be symmetrical, affecting both sides of the body. The joint may be warm and red.

With OA, symptoms may progress rapidly or they may develop over several years, depending on the individual. They can worsen and then remain stable for a long time, and they can vary by days. Factors that may cause them to worsen include cold weather, stress, and excessive activity.

With RA, symptoms usually appear over several weeks, but they can develop or worsen in a few days. A flare can happen when disease activity increases. Triggers vary, but they include changes in medication.

With OA, this can be:

• hard swelling, due to the formation of bone spurs
• soft swelling, as inflammation causes extra fluid to collect around the joint

Swelling may be more noticeable after a long period of inactivity, like when you first wake up in the morning.

This is because RA is a systemic disease, which means it affects the whole body. OA, meanwhile, only has a direct impact on the affected joint.

What Are The Symptoms Of Arthritis

Joint pain, stiffness, and swelling are the most common symptoms of arthritis. Your range of motion may also decrease, and you may experience redness of the skin around the joint. Many people with arthritis notice their symptoms are worse in the morning.

In the case of RA, you may feel tired or experience a loss of appetite due to the inflammation the immune systems activity causes. You may also become anemic meaning your red blood cell count decreases or have a slight fever. Severe RA can cause joint deformity if left untreated.

Also Check: How To Deal With Arthritis

Soft Tissue Musculoskeletal Pain

Soft tissue musculoskeletal pain is felt in tissues other than the joints and bones. The pain often affects a part of the body following injury or overuse, such as tennis elbow, and originates from the muscles or soft tissues supporting the joints.

Pain that is more widespread and associated with other symptoms may indicate fibromyalgia.

Early Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms

In the early stages of rheumatoid arthritis, it is common to feel characteristic symptoms of pain and stiffness. The specific symptoms, their severity, and timing differ in each patient and may be related to how aggressively the immune system is attacking the bodys healthy tissues.

Some of the most common RA signs and symptoms include:

• Pain and tenderness in joints for at least six consecutive weeks
• Stiffness and loss of range of motion in the joints
• Stiffness in the morning lasting at least 30 minutes and up to several hours
• Pain and soreness in one or multiple joints
• Involvement of joints on both sides of the body
• Pain and soreness in small joints like knuckles and toes

You May Like: Over The Counter Medicine For Rheumatoid Arthritis

When To Call Your Doctor

Dr. Cotter urges anyone who experiences sudden symptoms of arthritis to seek medical attention immediately. If left untreated, these symptoms could lead to long-term problems in the joint.

“It is not normal for a joint to suddenly swell, and getting the correct diagnosis is of the utmost importance,” she says. “Early diagnosis and intervention will mean a better outcome.”

Any persistent issues warrant a call to your doctor as well, she says. For example, if you have joint pain without swelling or joint swelling without pain that persists, you should see your doctor for an evaluation.

Amplification In The Synovium

Once the generalized abnormal immune response has become established which may take several years before any symptoms occur plasma cells derived from B lymphocytes produce rheumatoid factors and ACPA of the IgG and IgM classes in large quantities. These activate macrophages through Fc receptor and complement binding, which is part of the intense inflammation in RA. Binding of an autoreactive antibody to the Fc receptors is mediated through the antibody’s N-glycans, which are altered to promote inflammation in people with RA.

This contributes to local inflammation in a joint, specifically the synovium with , and entry of activated T-cells, mainly CD4 in microscopically nodular aggregates and CD8 in microscopically diffuse infiltrates. Synovial macrophages and function as by expressing MHC class II molecules, which establishes the immune reaction in the tissue.

Don’t Miss: How To Deal With Arthritis