With over a 100 different forms of arthritis, it can be difficult to determine which type a patients has. Pinpointing arthritis symptoms can help expedite the diagnoses of it.
Typical Arthritis Symptoms
The word arthritis means joint inflammation, and this is a result of having arthritis. Some forms of arthritis can actually affect body's organs and can cause death.
Arthritis symptoms in the initial stages can be somewhat undefined. Vague pain and being tired may accompany joint pain that can come and go. Most of the specific pain surrounds the joints of the patient. These symptoms can be in the form of direct joint pain, redness and warmth around the joints, swelling and tenderness around the joint and the patient may experience limited range of motion in the joint.
Arthritis symptoms are important to keep track of in order to get definitive diagnoses. When a patient begins seeking medical advice in regards to their symptoms, the patients history will play an important part in being able to determine the form of arthritis that they have.
A doctor will also perform a physical evaluation of a patient that is experiencing arthritis symptoms. This can be in the form of looking at the patients joints, and determining if the rang of motion is compromised. The doctor may also be searching for warm or red joints, and will ask the patient numerous questions in order to get a clear physical picture of the patient. Arthritis symptoms may not be obvious to a patient, so the doctors questioning can lead to a proper diagnoses.
There are several major forms of arthritis. Discovering which arthritis symptoms go with these diseases can help in finding out which form of arthritis a patient has. Rheumatoid Arthritis has some classic arthritis symptoms, including severe morning stiffness, the small bones of the hands and feet may be swollen and painful and extreme fatigue are common arthritis symptoms in Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Osteoarthritis often appears as a constant pain in a specific joint. This pain may be more evident after continued use of the joint. The pain is more common later in the day, and this form of arthritis can also occur with other arthritis conditions.
Psoriatic arthritis affects not only the joints but also the skin. The arthritis symptoms associated with this arthritis include, swollen joints and red, patchy and scaly skin. This form of arthritis has an impact on both joints and skin areas.
Anklosing spondylitis is another form of arthritis. The arthritis symptoms associated with this disease include, severe lower back pain that will progress up the spine and into the ribs. This form of arthritis is very painful and begins with chronic lower back pain.
As arthritis is a very common condition, learning some of the classic arthritis symptoms can assist a patient in getting the proper treatment.By: John Hilaire
