Signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis

The patients I see in my surgery typically tell me that their osteoarthritis develops gradually.  And the first signs of osteoarthritis may have you wondering what's happening.  It's important for you to recognise the four warning signs of osteoarthritis.

Firstly, there's often a deep grating pain affecting a single or small number of joints, often felt first in the hands, the neck, the back or the weight bearing joints in the hips or knees.  There can also be stiffness in a joint that can occur after getting out of bed in the morning or after sitting for long periods of time.  And with osteoarthritis joint stiffness after waking may last for up to around 30 minutes or so.

Now a small amount of fluid exists in normal joints, but when a joint is affected by arthritis increased abnormal amounts of fluid build up, making the join swollen.  The excess fluid is produced by the soft tissues that surround and line the joints.

Finally, crepitus in a joint can indicate cartilage wear in the joint space.  The term crepitus is taken directly from the Latin crepitus, meaning a crackling sound or rattle.  But in terms of osteoarthritis, crepitus is a crunching feeling, like the sound of bone rubbing on bone.