Osteoarthritis is one of the most common conditions that affects people in the West. It is estimated that over 20 million people have the condition, in the USA alone. Here we discuss some of the osteoarthritis symptoms that are commonly found.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease that affects the articular cartilage within the joint. This cartilage serves to protect the end of the bones and also provides some shock absorption. In OA this cartilage starts to wear thin and can even expose the bone. It is often said that OA is a wear and tear disease and that if the joint were not put under stress then it would not become arthritic. This is the reason why this condition particularly affects the load-bearing joints such as the knees, hips and spine. The more lightly stressed limbs of the upper arm are, in general, less likely to be affected.

The inflammation of the joint causes one of the most common symptoms of the disease, which is pain around the site of the joint. There can also be a loss of movement of the joint. It is common for these symptoms to be progressive over a period of months.

Pain and stiffness of the joints tends to get worse the more they are used. Thus you are likely to feel best first thing in the morning after a good night's rest but worse if you have just been shopping and carried some heavy bags home. This is one of the osteoarthritis symptoms that differentiates it from rheumatoid arthritis, where sufferers often feel worse in the morning but then improve.

A phenomenon called crepitus maybe present. It is particularly common in the joints of the hand and knees. It is a cracking sound as your extend your knee joint (or hand) although it is not necessarily associated with pain.

As the disease progresses there maybe a growth of bony spurs (osteophytes) at the edges of the bones of a joint. This can happen to any joint affected by OA but is particularly noticeable on the joints of the fingers.

This is an overview of the main osteoarthritis symptoms. If you are concerned that you or a loved one may have OA, it is suggested that you visit your doctor to have a proper diagnosis and to suggest what treatment you should have (if any).