World Arthritis Day 2023: Early Warning Signs Of Arthritis

Check the early signs of arthritis in legs, feet, hands, and make sure to get an earl diagnosis

12 October is celebrated as World Arthritis Day every year across the world to raise awareness about rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs), their treatment, and prevention. People suffer from this painful disease since they are unaware of it or the treatment options. According to WHO, around 15 percent of the older population is affected by it and the symptoms are usually more prevalent in the elderly.

Arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease that mainly affects the joints and the surrounding tissue. The onset of arthritis is typically marked by tenderness and stiffness that worsens with age. There are two main types of arthritis— rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Let's know more about the early signs of arthritis.

What Are the Very First Signs Of Arthritis?

• Joint pain that gradually becomes worse over time is a classic symptom of arthritis. This pain can be triggered by an activity, or it may set in after an activity or at the end of a long day.

• Joint swelling- As arthritis keeps getting worse, it leads joints to be swollen and tender and may even hurt when you press down on the joint.

• Stiffness can be one of the early signs of arthritis that may occur after prolonged sitting, after activity, or when you wake up.

• Grinding or grating as a joint move is a sign that a cartilage in the joint has worn down and indicates arthritis. It is most common in the knee and hip joints.

• Many cases of osteoarthritis occur in a part of the body that suffered a prior injury or trauma.

• Pain from hip arthritis radiates to the groin and not the outside of the hip. Hip arthritis also causes pain in the thighs or buttocks.

• Rheumatoid arthritis causes problems in the same joints on both sides of the body, like both wrists or both knees.

• Rheumatoid and other inflammatory arthritis often develop first in the small joints of hands, wrists, and feet.

• Psoriatic arthritis's early signs are painful, swollen joints and severe conditions can also cause rashes, eye redness and pain, and changes to the nails.