Early Symptoms of Arthritis

Arthritis is a group of conditions involving damage to the joints of the body. There are different forms and each has a different cause. The early symptoms of arthritis differ across the different types but with one common denominator - pain.
 
There are around 200 kinds - the most common forms are osteoarthritis - OA (degenerative joint disease) and rheumatoid - RA in adults; Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) in children.
 
All arthritides feature pain. The patterns may differ depending on the source and the location.
Elements of the history of the disorder guide diagnosis. Important features are speed and time of onset, pattern of joint involvement, symmetry of symptoms, early morning stiffness, tenderness, gelling or locking with inactivity, aggravating and relieving factors.
 
Early Symptoms of Arthritis include:
 
There will be medical problems affecting the joints and connective tissue. The aged patient simply moves less and the infantile patient refuses to use the affected limb. The pain is generally worse in the morning and associated with stiffness in the early stages.
 
Anemia (which is very common) and extra-articular ("outside the joints") manifestations are known to occur with RA.
 
With OA the main symptom is a sharp ache or a burning sensation in the associated muscles and tendons, causing loss of ability. It can cause a crackling noise when the affected joint is moved or touched. Patients may experience muscle spasm and contractions in the tendons.
 
In JIA the symptoms are often non-specific initially. They include lethargy, reduced physical activity, and poor appetite. The first manifestation particularly in young children may be limping. They may also become quite ill presenting with flu-like feelings that persist.
 
A healthy arthritis diet will boost the immune system and provide the sufferer with extra energy to fight the disease.