Symptoms of Osteoarthritis

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Symptoms

Talking to Your Doctor

Living With Osteoarthritis

Resource Guide

Symptoms of Osteoarthritis

by Cynthia M. Johnson, MA

OA often affects joints in the hands, knees, hips, and spine. It can affect any joint. OA can occur in one joint or many. It can often be on one side of the body more than the other. Some people have symptoms that get worse. Others have symptoms that stay the same.

Common problems are:

Joint pain that is worse with activity and gets better with rest
Swelling
A grating or creaking sound when moving the joint
Joint stiffness
Problems moving

References:

Getting the most out of your doctor appointment. Family Doctor—American Academy of Family Physicians website. Available at: https://familydoctor.org/tips-for-talking-to-your-doctor. Accessed August 24, 2021.

Osteoarthritis. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases website. Available at: https://www.niams.nih.gov/health-topics/osteoarthritis. Accessed August 24, 2021.

Osteoarthritis (OA) of the hip. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/condition/osteoarthritis-oa-of-the-hip. Accessed August 24, 2021.

Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/condition/osteoarthritis-oa-of-the-knee. Accessed August 24, 2021.

Last reviewed July 2021 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Laura Lei-Rivera, PT, DPT
Last Updated: 8/24/2021

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