How to Recognize the Development of Osteoarthritis

Do you avoid going to the doctor until total misery has become a part of each day? For many reasons, including financial, may people do not want to pay for a visit with their physician, if healing will occur and the symptoms will go away on their own. Unfortunately, many health concerns become a lifelong challenge and you will need professional assistance and information to improve quality of life. For example, if you are in pain and know how to recognize the development of osteoarthritis, needless days of discomfort can be relieved.

The development of osteoarthritis does not happen overnight. According to the definition given by the Mayo Clinic, osteoarthritis occurs when cartilage in your joints wears down over time. In truth, the debilitating arthritis is claiming a joint(s) long before the patient feels any discomfort.

Granted, everyone suffers aches and pains as a normal part of life. However, the average discomfort will come with illness or accident, and leave with healing. But, when the pain becomes a daily trial, with no apparent reason, it is time to consider the possibility of something more serious.

So, how did doctors discover the development of osteoarthritis and whether your joints suffer from the same malady?

1. Joint pain
2. Tenderness
3. Stiffness
4. Loss of flexibility
5. Grating sensation
6. Bone spurs
7. Swelling

Although the development of osteoarthritis does not mean you will suffer all of these symptoms, many will present themselves at one time or another.

Joint pain is probably the one that will ultimately send you to seek the help of professionals. Whether you remain in one position for an extended period or you have been exercising a joint too much, it will eventually become painful. Osteoarthritis can occur in any joint of the body or multiply joints. So, your discomfort level may be different than a fellow sufferer.

Tenderness may not even be noticeable until pressure is inadvertently applied to the joint. For example, a handshake may be very uncomfortable. Even a light grasp can expose the tenderness in a finger joint.

Stiffness is a common complaint in the development of osteoarthritis. For instance, a person with the disease in his/her elbow may feel stiff when moving the arm. Unlike over-exercise, no reasonable explanation for the stiffness can be determined. One day may be a fluke, but when it becomes a daily issue, it is time to get help.

Loss of Flexibility may not be an immediate complaint of the development of osteoarthritis, but as the cartilage wears away, it will become a part of daily life. The knee may not want to bend in order to plant that favorite garden flower; climbing stairs might become a trial; writing and penmanship may become more labored.

A grating sensation will accompany the lost of cartilage in the joint. Instead of the cushion for movement, bone will feel like it is rubbing against bone. Unfortunately, that is exactly what can happen and it may even seem to click with the effort to move.

Bone Spurs can unfortunately become a problem with the development of osteoarthritis. Although you may be stoic and have unknowingly been suffering from the disease for some time, spurs can be the result of grinding joints and pieces of bone breaking loose. Now is not the time to tough it out.

Swelling around the joint often occurs as the joint is being compromised. With the development of osteoarthritis, you may notice it is more difficult to get rings over a joint. Even when you do not notice, a doctor can detect swelling in hips or other joints.

Like you, I do not want to go to the doctor, unless I have no other alternative or friends and family start hounding me to do something. But, now that you know how to recognize the development of osteoarthritis, do not delay if you suspect you have the disease. Although there is no known cure, medications, therapy, and even dietary changes can slow the progression and help relieve the symptoms. Then, you can get back to a more normal quality of life.

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