Osteoarthritis (OA)

Osteoarthritis symptoms or signs can vary by person. Osteoarthritis symptoms could also differ depending on the joints affected. Here are some common osteoarthritis symptoms, followed by a few specific signs and symptoms for certain joints:

• Morning stiffness (usually less than 30 minutes)
• Pain or deep aching
• Pain on motion
• Early in disease: pain and stiffness with more than usual use
• Late in disease: pain at rest
• Stiffness or pain after prolonged sitting or rest
• Instability of weight bearing joints
• Crackling or grinding noise or sensation within a joint

Hip osteoarthritis symptoms:

• May feel pain in the groin, inner thigh or buttock
• May limp when walking
• Difficulty in daily tasks such as putting on shoes or getting into cars

Knee osteoarthritis symptoms:

• "Grating" or "catching" sensation when moving your knee
• Difficult to walk up or down stairs
• Difficult to get up from a chair
• Weakness in thighs if joint discomfort prevents you from exercising your legs

Hand osteoarthritis symptoms:

• Redness, swelling, tenderness or aching in finger joints
• Enlarged finger joints from bony growths (spurs)
• Difficulty in activities that require pinching movements of your fingers

If you think that you might have osteoarthritis, or any another form of arthritis, see your physician. Only your physician can review your osteoarthritis symptoms, determine if you have the characteristic metabolic imbalances and provide the right diagnosis. Then, you and your physician can decide on the best options to manage or treat your condition.