Arthritis has many causes, but the early symptoms of arthritis are the same.
Arthritis is a painful condition that involves inflammation of the joints. It comes in many forms and can affect various areas in the body. The condition can also be caused by different factors, such as age, injury and infection. But in spite of this, arthritis always starts out with a number of similar signs and symptoms. Below are the early symptoms of arthritis.
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One of the most evident signs of
arthritis is the loss of mobility. Some patients will find it painful to move their hands and feet and sometimes, it even becomes too painful to walk. Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis include patients usually experiencing morning stiffness which can last for more than an hour.
Another early sign of arthritis is body malaise. Malaise is a general feeling of discomfort, which is usually the very first sign of a systemic infection. Most of the time, body malaise is accompanied by a feeling of weakness and exhaustion.
As mentioned before, arthritis can be caused by an infection, and one of the body's primary reactions to this is fever.
Fever is characterized by an increase in the body's basal temperature which can eventually trigger shivering.Crackling joints can also be considered as one of the early symptoms of arthritis. Medically, this is known as crepitus. This occurs when the irritated cartilage and bones rub together. This may not produce a very audible sound so it's best that you pay extra attention to the affected area.
Increased temperature and swelling of the affected area are also very common early symptoms of arthritis. When a certain area in the body is inflamed or is in need of repair, blood flow to the area naturally increases, which can result to heat and swelling. Swelling can easily be detected by the presence of taut, shiny skin and redness in the area.
Arthritis is a chronic condition, which means that it can last for a several months or years, or even for a lifetime. As a degenerative disease, it also gets worse over time. This is the very reason why early detection and proper treatment are very important. The earlier you and your doctor detect the condition, the better are your chances of treating it. Don't let arthritis in fingers go untreated.
Once you detect the above mentioned symptoms, never try treating the condition by yourself. These symptoms are highly generalized and could possibly be a sign of a more serious form of the condition which calls for immediate medical treatment.
Thus, seek advice from a medical professional as early as you can for further tests and treatment. Remember, these are not the only symptoms needed for diagnosis.
Once in the clinic, you are usually advised to through more thorough medical tests and examinations to confirm the condition. This can range from blood tests, joint fluid analysis, CT scans and many others.
Be very mindful of
the early signs of arthritis so you won't have to go through more the more damaging and painful stage of the condition, such as deformation and complete loss of mobility. Self treatment can be possible and safe, only when the condition has been confirmed by your doctor.
But still, you are highly advised to go through
self treatment with the proper guidance of a medical professional.
