Symptoms of osteoarthritis

Symptoms of osteoarthritis usually come on slowly and vary from day to day.

Typical symptoms

• Pain in or around the joint, worse with use, such as climbing stairs or rising from a chair
• Stiffness after rest or in the morning, usually lasting under 30 minutes
• Swelling from extra joint fluid or bone changes
• Crackling or grating when the joint moves
• Reduced movement and difficulty with daily tasks
• Weakness or a feeling the knee may give way
• Bony lumps at finger joints (Heberden's and Bouchard's nodes)

By joint

• Knee: pain on stairs, squatting, getting up from the floor
• Hip: groin or thigh pain, difficulty putting on socks
• Hand: pain and stiffness at the finger tips and thumb base
• Spine: neck or lower back stiffness, sometimes with arm or leg symptoms

Ayurvedic view

Ayurveda lists Sandhishoola (joint pain), Sandhishotha (swelling) and Akunchana-prasarana vedana (pain on bending and stretching). These match the above and are an interpretive description.

Signs that need prompt care

A hot, red, very painful joint, fever, sudden swelling, numbness or leg weakness, or inability to bear weight need urgent medical review. They can signal infection, gout or nerve compression.

See a doctor if pain lasts more than a few weeks or limits your daily activities.

When to get help

Book a visit with your doctor or an orthopaedic or rheumatology clinic if joint pain keeps returning, limits walking, stairs or sleep, or if you are unsure which treatments are safe with your other medicines. Early advice often avoids unnecessary scans, tablets and bed rest, and lets you start the right exercise plan sooner.

Remember

Symptoms do not always match X-ray changes. Treat the person and their function, not only the scan.