The muscles feel stiff and may hurt. Joints may be painful. Millions of Americans suffer from this crippling disease, which not only causes pain and despair but may also cause economic ruin as well.
Arthritis is an inflammation of a joint.
Specifically, osteoarthritis involves deterioration of the joints. The three main symptoms of arthritis are joint pain, joint stiffness or inability to move joint normally, and sometimes swelling, that lasts more than two weeks. The disease seems to be related to wear and tear on the joints from movement over the years. Usually it strikes those joints that not only bear much body weight, but are also much used, such as the hips, spine, hands, fingers, feet and knees. Osteoarthritis may become seated in nearly any joint of the body, particularly if the joint has had hard use.