Usually, osteoarthritis involves joints which have suffered a lot of stress in life, such as our knees or hips. The lower back and the neck bones are often affected. The bottom of the thumbs, and the end of the fingers are common sites, particularly in women. Osteoarthritis usually begins as a nagging pain in a joint, which is worse when the joint is moved, and improves when resting. The joint may become inflamed, which means red, painful and swollen.
Inflammation can also cause stiffness in the morning, or stiffness after periods of inactivity.
Sometimes movement becomes restricted, and a joint can no longer move freely. There are several different types of arthritis, and your doctor will need to decide which type of arthritis you have, and advise you on the best treatment. There is no blood test for osteoarthritis, and often the diagnosis is made from simply listening to your complaints and examining your joints. Occasionally, blood tests are needed, to check for other types of arthritis. Your doctor may wish to X-ray your joints to decide which sort of arthritis you have and to see how far it has progressed.