What are the symptoms of osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is particularly common in middle-aged and elderly people. Common symptoms include pain, limb stiffness, joint contracture, instability, pain, and even joint deformity and dislocation in severe cases.

1. Pain: Pain is the main symptom of the disease and the main cause of functional impairment. It is characterized by insidious onset and continuous dull pain, which often occurs after activities and can be relieved by rest. As the disease progresses, joint movement may be limited by pain, and pain may occur even when the patient is at rest. During sleep, the muscles around the joints are damaged and the protective function of the joints is reduced. The patients cannot limit activities that cause pain as they do when awake, and they may wake up in pain.

2. Morning stiffness and stickiness: Morning stiffness indicates the presence of synovitis. But unlike rheumatoid arthritis, the duration is relatively short, generally not exceeding 30 minutes. The sticking sensation refers to the feeling of stiffness when the joint moves after being still for a period of time, as if it is stuck, which can be relieved by a slight movement. The above situation is more common in the elderly and lower limb joints.

3. Other symptoms: As the disease progresses, joint contracture, instability, rest pain, and increased pain when bearing weight may occur. Dysfunction may occur due to mechanical locking caused by poor joint surface fit, muscle spasm and contraction, joint capsule contraction, and bone spurs. ?

4. Joint swelling: caused by local bone hypertrophy or exudative synovitis, may be accompanied by local temperature increase, effusion and synovial hypertrophy. In severe cases, joint deformity and subluxation may occur.

5. Tenderness and passive pain: There may be local tenderness in the affected joint, especially when accompanied by synovial effusion. Sometimes there is no tenderness, but pain may occur during passive movement.

6. Popping sound during joint movement (bone friction sound): most common in the knee joint. Examination method: The patient sits, and the examiner moves the knee joint with one hand and presses on the joint to be examined with the other hand. A "click" sound can be felt when the joint moves. It may be caused by cartilage loss and poor joint smoothness.