Many Baby Boomer women live with joint pain on a regular basis and just assume they’re getting arthritis; but not all joint pain is caused by arthritis and not all joint pain (or arthritis) is treated in the same way. That is why it is important to recognize the symptoms so your doctor can correctly identify and treat what is wrong with you rather than treat you incorrectly and find the correct diagnosis later.
Most people are surprised to find out there are over 100 different types of arthritis. Plus, even if two people have the same kind, they will probably have somewhat different symptoms. When you visit your doctor, she will likely take a history of your symptoms, perform a physical exam, and perform x-rays and other tests to confirm the diagnosis, but also to rule out other conditions that could be causing your symptoms.
Here are some common symptoms of Arthritis.
1. Joint Pain.
The most common known symptom of arthritis is joint pain. The pain can be mild to severe and is generally persistent. It may be worse when you stand, walk, run or perform other activities, but often doesn’t go away when you are resting. In addition to being painful, arthritic joints tend to become swollen, red and inflamed. While the pain and swelling are generally just an inconvenience to begin with, if arthritis is not treated they can become severe and affect or limit physical activity.
2. Bone Build Up
Some arthritis causes bones to actually build up. This causes pain but will also begin to deform your joints, particularly if it is in the fingers and hands. You may notice hard lumps start to grow on the sides of fingers or other affected joints.
3. Range of Motion Loss
Another common symptom of arthritis is the loss of range of motion. You may not be able to bend a joint as far as you used to because of pain or swelling. While minor loss of range of motion can be mildly annoying, worsening symptoms can begin to affect your daily life and activities.
4. Physical Symptoms
There are other less common symptoms associated with arthritis that have little to nothing to do with the joints themselves. People with certain types of arthritis can experience fever, fatigue, mood problems and weight loss.
While many people can treat minor arthritis with over-the-counter medication, you should still see a physician to make sure it isn’t something more serious. She can also help recommend what kind of medication or other therapy would be best for your specific case. Proper diet, good food and rest are other things to do to help out.
Simply living with arthritis is not something you have to do. While arthritis is not curable, there are many treatments to manage the pain, but also to slow progression and treat the underlying cause of the problem. For proper arthritis diagnosis, you should always see your doctor.
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