With over 100 types and variations, there’s plenty to learn about arthritis. Osteoarthritis, a wear-and-tear condition often associated with age, is the most common form of the disease, with rheumatoid arthritis placing a distant second.
Whichever type of arthritis you have, it becomes a problem when the cartilage covering over the ends of bones starts to degrade. As with many health conditions, early diagnosis can slow the process of joint deterioration and improve your outcomes.
Dr. James Nassiri and our team at Westside Pain Specialists in Beverly Hills and Rancho Cucamonga, California, specialize in managing arthritis pain and other symptoms.
To help you get the care you need, when you need it, we’ve prepared this list of three early signs of arthritis that you shouldn’t ignore.
When you suspect you’re experiencing these signs of arthritis, contact our nearest office to request a consultation. The right care can keep you active and pain-free for years to come.
When you break down the roots of the word “arthritis,” you get a good idea of why so many conditions are combined under its collective category. The medical word for joint, “arthro,” combines with the suffix “itis” to describe the main effects of these diseases.
Any conditions causing joint inflammation are, therefore, considered forms of arthritis. Perhaps the most common early sign of these is joint aches and pain. The pain symptoms you feel may vary, from dull achiness to sharp, burning pain.
Your levels of pain typically depend on things like the level of inflammation, joint deterioration, or the length of time you’ve had the condition. When your joint aches are frequent and not attributable to exertion, it’s a good time to seek a medical diagnosis.
Swollen, achy joints may also feel stiff and unable to move through their normal range of motion. Osteoarthritis tends to affect weight-bearing joints first, places like your knees, hips, and lower back, or joints that have been damaged due to injury.
This stiffness usually strikes when you’ve been stationary and you start to move again. Getting up in the morning may require a period of warmup before you begin to move normally.
Your body often responds to injury with inflammation, and arthritis is no different. Your aching and stiff joints may also display a puffy, swollen appearance that might be warm to the touch.
This inflammation is a natural reaction of your body to try to heal the joint damage. Unfortunately, many arthritic conditions, like osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, are progressive and incurable.
With treatment and lifestyle adjustments, we can help you control and manage the symptoms of arthritis. It’s still possible to maintain the activity levels you’ve previously enjoyed with minimal pain or mobility issues.
The arthritis management process starts with a visit to Westside Pain Specialists. Call our Beverly Hills office at 323-741-3104 or our Rancho Cucamonga location at 909-275-7976 to schedule your consultation today.
