OSTEOARTHRITIS – SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

 Osteoarthritis is a disease of the joints
 Unlike many other forms of arthritis that are systemic illnesses, such as rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus, osteoarthritis does not affect other organs of the body
 The most common symptom of osteoarthritis is pain (aching) in the affected joint(s) after repetitive use. Joint pain is usually worse later in the day. Pain and stiffness of the joints can also occur after long periods of inactivity, for example, sitting in a theater. With progression of this arthritis, the pain can occur at rest.
 There can be swelling, warmth, and creaking of the affected joints.
 Tenderness in the joint when you apply light pressure
 In severe osteoarthritis, complete loss of cartilage cushion causes friction between bones, causing pain at rest or pain with limited motion (loss of flexibility)
 Progressive cartilage degeneration of the knee joints can lead to deformity and outward curvature of the knees referred to as "bowlegged."
 Patients with osteoarthritis of the weight-bearing joints (like the knees) can develop a limp. The limping can worsen as more cartilage degenerates.
 Osteoarthritis of the cervical spine or lumbar spine cause pain in the neck or low back. Bony spurs, called osteophytes, that form along the arthritic spine can irritate spinal nerves, causing severe pain, numbness, and tingling of the affected parts of the body.
 Osteoarthritis causes the formation of hard, bony enlargements of the small joints of the fingers. (Heberden's node). The bony deformity is a result of the bone spurs from the osteoarthritis in that joint.
 Another common bony knob (node) occurs at the middle joint of the fingers in many patients with osteoarthritis and is called a Bouchard's node.
 Heberden's and Bouchard's nodes may not be painful, but they are often associated with limitation of motion of the joint.
 Osteoarthritis of the joint at the base of the big toe of the foot leads to the formation of a bunion (a structural deformity of the bones and the joint between the foot and big toe).
 Symptoms of osteoarthritis vary greatly from patient to patient. Some patients can be debilitated by their symptoms. On the other hand, others may have remarkably few symptoms in spite of dramatic degeneration of the joints apparent on X-rays.
 Symptoms also can be intermittent. It is not unusual for patients with osteoarthritis of the finger joints of the hands and knees to have years of pain-free intervals between symptoms.
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/osteoarthritis/page3_em.htm#Osteoarthritis%20Symptoms
http://www.webmd.com/osteoarthritis/guide/arthritis-basics
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/osteoarthritis/DS00019/DSECTION=symptoms
http://www.medicinenet.com/osteoarthritis/page3.htm