What Are the Symptoms of Osteoarthritis?
Answers
The symptoms of osteoarthritis include the following:
Pain in the affected joint(s), especially during or after using the joint
Joint stiffness, especially in the morning or after a period of resting the joint
Tenderness when certain parts of the joint(s) are touched or massaged
Enlargement of the affected joint(s)
Reduced flexibility of the joint(s) -- difficulty moving it as well as before
A grating or crunching sensation when the joint is used
Osteoarthritis in the neck or low back can cause pain and stiffness in those areas. It's also possible to develop additional symptoms if the nerves leaving the spine are affected by damage to the spaces between vertebrae.
Osteoarthritis symptoms usually start off being mild and occasional but over time can become severe and almost constant. Symptoms can also get better, especially if a person loses weight or otherwise reduces stress on the affected joint(s).
Although osteoarthritis generally can't be cured, proper management can reduce symptoms and sometimes delay worsening of the disease.
