According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, arthritis is the leading cause of work disability in the United States, affecting more than 53.2 million people. It can happen to adults of any age for a variety of reasons, and the pain can be debilitating.
The most common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis, but there are other forms of arthritis, such as gout, rheumatoid arthritis, and lupus, that can cause a wide range of symptoms. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease that damages cartilage and causes inflammation.
Here are early signs of illness that you should never ignore:
1.Your joint hurts.
Joint pain is one of the most obvious and common symptoms of arthritis.
Typically, people experience greater pain when walking on slopes, uneven surfaces, and climbing stairs, and even clothing such as socks and shoes may cause pain.
2.You experience joint pain first thing in the morning.
If you experience joint pain first thing in the morning, it’s likely osteoarthritis.
An early symptom of arthritis is if you feel pain when you get up and out of bed after sleeping for a few hours.
3.Your joint appears swollen.
If your joints are swollen, it may be due to excess synovial fluid, a thick fluid that lubricates and cushions.
When osteoarthritis occurs, synovial fluid production increases with associated inflammation, causing pain and swelling.
4.Your joint feels stiff after you get up from lying down.
An early symptom of arthritis is joint stiffness after rising from lying down.
Many people with knee osteoarthritis experience stiffness upon waking from rest or after sitting in a chair for a period of time.
5.You feel cracking or grating sounds.
Sometimes, you may hear a cracking, popping, or grinding sound in your joint, even though it doesn’t cause any pain.
These sounds may indicate damage to the joint cartilage due to arthritis.
6.Your pain may improve after taking an anti-inflammatory.
Arthritis is an inflammatory cascade.Taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can almost always relieve arthritis pain.
If you think you may have joint pain, your first step may be to take an NSAID to provide temporary pain relief.
7.Your joint pain is accompanied by other symptoms.
If your arthritis is caused by another condition, such as rheumatoid arthritis or gout, you may also notice other signs of the problem. With rheumatoid arthritis, this can be tenderness in multiple joints in the body, weight loss, and fatigue. With gout, you may notice redness and swelling specifically around your ankles or feet. With lupus, you may also experience muscle pain, light sensitivity, hair loss, or fever.