Wait, What Does Arthritis Actually Feel Like?

Erica Sweeney
·6 min read

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If you've felt a little stiffness in your knees after sitting for too long or experienced pain or swelling in your joints, you may have wondered if arthritis could be the cause.

Arthritis affects about one-third of adults aged 18 to 64, but the number is likely higher since many people don’t get treatment for arthritis, according to the Arthritis Foundation. Arthritis is also one of the main causes of disability in the U.S. But what is arthritis, exactly, and what does it feel like? Here's everything you need to know.

What Is Arthritis?

Arthritis broadly refers to inflammation of the joints, and there are hundreds of different types of arthritis that can affect anyone of any age.

Because arthritis comes in so many forms, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis, it’s often misunderstood and raises many questions about symptoms, treatments and more. To help, we asked experts to answer some of the most Googled questions about arthritis.

Related: The 20 Best Foods for Arthritis

What Does Arthritis Feel Like?

Joint pain, whether it’s in the knees, hips or fingers, is the No. 1 symptom of arthritis, says Gautam Yagnik, sports medicine orthopedic surgeon at Miami Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Institute.

But, the severity of the pain varies from person to person. Arthritis pain can be constant or intermittent, and it can occur when you’re moving or at rest, according to the Arthritis Foundation.

Swelling is another sign of arthritis, Yagnik says, “You’ll notice in the knee, for example, that there’s some fluid and the knee gets bigger.”

The swelling can also cause redness and warmth around the joint. You may also have difficulty moving and stiffness, especially when waking up in the morning or after sitting for a length of time.

Stiffness is the classic arthritis symptom. If you feel stiffness in your joints, especially after sitting at a desk or riding in a car for a long time, it could be a sign of arthritis.

Crepitus, the grinding, cracking or popping sound you hear when moving a joint, could also signal arthritis, Yagnik says.

What Does Arthritis Look Like?

In many cases, you can’t look at a joint and tell whether someone has arthritis. People with severe cases may notice changes in the appearance of a bone or a joint’s alignment, which can get worse as arthritis progresses, Yagnik says.

“There are some changes that you can see,” he says. “The bony prominences get a little bit bigger, and so, say you have one knee that has post-traumatic arthritis and the other one that's normal, you may see that that knee looks bigger, or swelling in the knee will cause a knee to look a little bit different than the other side.”

Tests for arthritis, including X-rays, CT scans or MRIs, reveal joint damage. However the relationship between actual joint damage and level of pain varies.

“You may have someone with very mild arthritis in their knee, but it affects them tremendously, and they have a lot of pain and difficulty walking and getting up from a chair,” Yagnik says. “Then, you may have another patient that comes to your office who actually is way worse. They look like they've lost a lot of cartilage, there's bone rubbing against bone, and they're actually functioning quite well.”

How to Get Rid of Arthritis In Fingers

Arthritis in finger joints is common, especially after age 50. While it's not possible to get rid of arthritis in your fingers, treatment focuses on helping patients maintain function and relieve pain, and it’s individualized based on the level of pain and joint deterioration.

Common treatments for arthritis in fingers include anti-inflammatory medications, like ibuprofen or naproxen sodium, as well as cortisone or hyaluronic acid injections, physical therapy or surgery.

“When we start helping people to manage their arthritis, we always start least invasively and then go to most invasively,” Yagnik says. “The most invasive being something like a joint replacement. But, therapy is often a first-line treatment.”

Hand exercises, like fist stretches, fingertip touches, thumb stretches and knuckle bends can also help lessen the pain of arthritis in fingers and increase flexibility.

Related: The Top Foods to Avoid With Arthritis

How Is Arthritis Diagnosed?

Diagnosing arthritis is a multi-step process that starts with your doctor taking a medical history and discussing your symptoms, according to the Arthritis Foundation. Medical history includes general health, family history and habits, like smoking, diet, exercise, stress and sleep.

When and how long you’ve experienced arthritis symptoms, which joints are impacted, and whether they occur at certain times of the day or after being active are some topics your doctor will discuss. You’ll also be asked to describe the level of pain and other symptoms, like swelling and redness, and whether any over-the-counter medications or exercises provide relief.

A physical exam involves checking blood pressure, listening to your heart, looking at the joints for swelling or redness and moving them to check the range of motion. Then, they may decide to conduct imaging tests, like an X-ray or MRI, or a nerve test to see if electric activity in the nerves has been affected.

“A good history can give you a lot,” Yagnik says. “A physical exam looking at the joint, if there’s swelling, mobility and crepitus, and then basic X-rays. That’s most helpful (in diagnosing arthritis).”

In X-rays, doctors examine the “joint space,” he says. Cartilage doesn’t show up on X-rays so seeing if there’s little space between the bones can help diagnose arthritis.

Related: Best Foods to Lower Inflammation

What Is Psoriatic Arthritis?

Psoriatic arthritis is a form of inflammatory arthritis that commonly affects the skin and joints, according to The Cleveland Clinic.

“Psoriatic arthritis falls into the bucket of arthritis that’s an autoimmune disease,” Yagnik says, meaning the body’s immune system wrongly attacks healthy tissue causing pain, inflammation and damage to the skin or joints.

Cleveland Clinic dermatologist Anthony Fernandez, MD, PhD, says psoriatic arthritis is one potential systemic aspect of psoriasis that can progress quickly. Without early treatment, it can cause significant and irreversible damage to bones and cartilage.

“Early diagnosis is important to maximize chances that the proper medications are started,” Fernandez says. “That will protect the quality of life and joint function.”

Symptoms of psoriatic arthritis:

  • Itchy skin with painful red patches or an accumulation of dead skin cells that appear white, usually on the knees, elbows and scalp

  • Pain, swelling or redness in the fingers, wrists, ankles and knees

  • Cracking or white spots on the nail, and lifting from the nail bed

  • Inflammation and swelling in areas where tendons or ligaments connect with bone like the back of the heel

  • Fatigue and low-grade fever can also accompany psoriatic arthritis

What Causes Psoriatic Arthritis

The exact causes of psoriatic arthritis are unknown, according to the Arthritis Foundation, but researchers believe it’s both genetic and triggered by environmental factors like stress, infection or physical trauma.

Regular exercise, managing stress, eating healthy, keeping skin moisturized and using fragrance-free cleansers can help people manage their psoriatic arthritis.

Psoriatic arthritis treatments include over-the-counter and prescription medications, like ibuprofen, naproxen sodium, corticosteroids and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, or DMARDs, which reduce inflammation. Surgery and physical therapy may also be needed.

Next up: The #1 Early Sign of Arthritis Most People Miss, According to a Rheumatologist

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