There are several different types of arthritis and although you may not be able to avoid the onset of any of them, you can recognize the signs. This will indicate that you need to seek professional advice to help alleviate the pain and hopefully stop it from getting worse. Here are four signs of arthritis that you should be aware of.
Pain
Your pain may be different depending on what type of arthritis you have. A throbbing, aching pain is often associated with rheumatoid arthritis and this will usually be worse in the mornings or after periods of inactivity. To alleviate this, you should try remaining as active as possible. Many people also find that taking a hot bath or shower in the morning helps significantly.
Tenderness is often a symptom of arthritis too. If your joint is sore when you touch it, this could be an early warning sign. Grating is caused by your joints rubbing together painfully, although this type of pain can be harder to recognize. If your symptoms last for six weeks or longer, you should visit a specialist such as Kneecare Clinics who will be able to help and advise you.
Stiffness
Stiffness is a significant early warning sign and will occur especially in the morning or after a period of inactivity. As with rheumatoid arthritis, a warm bath or shower could help with the pain. This is often a sign of osteoarthritis. If you find it hard to bend your knees to walk down the stairs or straighten out your fingers, you should seek professional advice.
Swelling and Redness
Swelling occurs because your joints can become inflamed, and this can cause them to turn red and become warmer to the touch. This often happens in the joint itself but can often occur on the skin around the joint, so don’t ignore the problem if it is not directly on your joint. Anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen can help reduce the swelling, but you should check with your medical practitioner before you start taking any new medication. They will be able to advise you if this will have an adverse reaction to any other medication you are taking or whether you could be allergic to any of the ingredients.
Chills and Fever
Although these symptoms are usually associated with a cold or flu, they can also be caused by a type of arthritis. Infectious arthritis is often caused by a virus or bacteria, and it tends to be located in one of your joints rather than several. It often occurs if you have an open wound, such as recent surgery, you have a condition such as diabetes or cancer that will weaken your immune system, or you are an intravenous drug user.
These could all be early warning signs of arthritis. However, they could be indications of other health issues. If you are suffering from any of these, you should visit your medical practitioner for a health review and some advice.
