Arthritis manifests itself in many ways. The initial symptoms you need to know can consist of:
- Waking up in the morning with your joints all stiffed
- Increasing pain in your joints when you move
- Swelling and pain around the joints that can last for two weeks or more
- General pain
- Knees cracking when you stand up
- Feeling that you are coming down with Flu
- Fever
There are over a hundred forms of arthritis and each may have particular symptoms as well.
Rheumatoid Arthritis or Osteoarthritis?
Gout, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis are the three most common forms of arthritis. Each of these conditions has certain symptoms different from the others.
The symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis include:
- Heat and redness of the affected joint
- Swollen and painful joints
- Loss of appetite
- Muscle aches and pain
- Low grade fever
Rheumatoid arthritis is a condition that affects a body joint in symmetrical fashion.
This problem not only affects the joints but major organs of the body as well.
Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms usually stay dormant for a certain amount of time. Triggers can make its symptoms erupt. No precise cause has been established for what brings about this problem although many medical experts believe it may be caused by infections, fungi or bacteria. It is also suspected that rheumatoid arthritis may be a hereditary problem. Its triggers include infection, stress and poor nutrition.
Symptoms of Osteoarthritis
- Joint stiffness when waking up in the morning
- Pain in the cartilage/cartilage damage
Osteoarthritis does not affect the body in a symmetrical way unlike rheumatoid arthritis. It usually affects a single joint, only damages the joints and does not affect the internal organs of the body.
Osteoarthritis is due to a damaged or broken cartilage. The cartilage dysfunction causes the bones to painfully rub together. This type of arthritis often affects the spine, hands, hips and knees. When the sufferer feels pain in the joint, it means the affected cartilage is already severely damaged.