Morning stiffness and fatigue

 The early warning symptoms of arthritis needs to monitored closely as this may prevent severe pain and suffering of elderly people in their golden retirement age. Elderly people may have activities or hobbies that they would normally enjoy doing in their retirement age however due to the severe arthritis pain in the knee joint, hip joint and other joints, they are restricted in their movement and confined to a small space. When the arthritis pain has become too severe, it may be difficult to reverse the damage done to the joints and it will have a disabling effect not only on the individual but also the entire family.

This article serves to create an awareness on the College early warning signs of arthritis. The early symptoms of arthritis may differ from person to person and this may depend upon the type of arthritis that the person is suffering from. The early warning symptoms for those suffering from Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) are as follows:

Morning stiffness and fatigue

If the stiffness last for a few minutes, it is a degenerative form of arthritis. If the stiffness last for several hours then it is a symptom of inflammatory arthritis. Normally stiffness begins in the joints of the hands. The stiffness comes on slowly initially and can effect multiple joints in a couple of days. You can become unusually fatigued weeks or even months before other symptoms may become apparent.

Joint pain

The joint stiffness experienced can lead to joint tenderness or pain during any form of movement or when at rest. This joint pain may effect both sides of the body equally in early Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Minor joint Swelling

Mild inflammation of the joints may be more prominent than they usually do. When there is swelling, the joints can feel warm to the touch. Flare-ups can last anywhere between a few days to a few weeks and can be expected to increase with time

Fever

A low grade fever may be present due to the joint pain and inflammation combined with other symptoms. This fever should be mild and should not exceed (38oC).

Numbness and Tingling

Inflammation of your tendons can create pressure on your nerves. This can cause numbness, tingling or a burning sensation in your hands known as cappal tunnel syndrome. The joint of your hands may produce a crackling noise or squeak due to the damaged cartilage grinding against joints when you move.

Decrease in range of motion

Inflammation in your joints can cause tendons or ligaments to become deformed or stretched. When the arthritis becomes severe, you may have difficulty to bend or to straighten certain joints. This may decrease the range of motion possible for you.

For people having Osteoarthritis(OA), the early warning symptoms are as follows:

Joint pain

The joint may feel pain or hurt during or after movement.

Joint Tenderness

The joints may feel tender when you apply light pressure to it.

Joint Stiffness

The stiffness is very noticeable in the morning or after a period of inactivity.

Loss of flexibility

You can't move your joint through its full range of motion.

Grating sensation

You may feel the grating sensation when you use the joint due the damage of the cartilage causing the bone to rub against another bone.

Bone Spurs

There are extra bits of bone, feel like hard lumps and can form around the affected joint.

The above early symptoms for Rheumatoid Arthritis as well as Osteoarthritis is to alert the people of the need to take action early to prevent and alleviate the detrimental effects of severe arthritis to have a negative impact in their later years. Staying active and doing light exercises is key, can help you to relieve pain by building knee flexibility and muscle strength. These symptoms may vary from individual to individual but they they need to be taken seriously as this can avert severe movement disability and can lead to a better quality of life in the golden retirement years.