Early Warnings of Arthritis

Knowing how the types of arthritis differ will help you understand your disease and will help you work more effectively with your health care team. Aches and pains in and around joints can mean many different things - not necessarily arthritis. That is why it is important to be diagnosed as soon as possible after signs or symptoms appear. What are the signals of arthritis?

According to the US National Arthritis Foundation, there are four major warning signs:

Persistent pain and stiffness on arising
Pain, tenderness, or swelling in one or more joints
Recurrence of these symptoms, especially when they involve more than one joint
Recurrent or persistent pain and stiffness in the neck, lower back, knees and other joints

Looking at this list of warning signs, some people may think they have arthritis when they do not. For example, stiffness in the neck muscles is not necessarily arthritis but may actually be a result of sleeping in an awkward position. Soreness in muscles probably doesn’t indicate arthritis when you have spent the previous day raking leaves.

Many such discomforts disappear by themselves. When pain does not disappear, however, or when it recurs frequently, arthritis may be suspected. The only way to be sure is to have a complete physical examination and some specific test which your physician will recommend.