[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2021\/01\/arthritis-signs\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2021\/01\/arthritis-signs\/","headline":"Arthritis: Do You Know the Signs?","name":"Arthritis: Do You Know the Signs?","description":"Arthritis is a common condition. Here are the signs to watch for.","datePublished":"2021-01-12","dateModified":"2022-04-19","author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/services\/orthopaedics-regions","name":"UPMC Orthopaedic Care","url":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/services\/orthopaedics-regions","sameAs":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/orthopaedic-surgery\/","parentOrganization":"UPMC"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"UPMC HealthBeat","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/iStock-1208601778.jpg","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/iStock-1208601778.jpg","height":325,"width":754},"url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2021\/01\/arthritis-signs\/","about":["Health Topics A-Z","Orthopaedics"],"wordCount":699,"articleBody":"You go for a long run one evening and the next day your right knee is achy and stiff. Or maybe you notice tenderness and swelling in your knuckles when you wake up every morning.Could these aches and pains be the warning signs of arthritis?Possibly. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), about 54 million adults in the United States have arthritis. It is a leading cause of work disability among people 18 to 64 years old.Risk Factors for ArthritisYou’re more likely to get arthritis if:You’re older (risk increases with age)You’ve suffered an injury to a jointYou’re overweightYou’re a womanOne or both parents had arthritisYou play a sport or have a job that requires repetitive motionYou’re a smokerTypes of ArthritisArthritis is not just one disease. It’s an umbrella term that describes more than 100 conditions affecting the joints, including gout, lupus, and fibromyalgia.The most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Joint pain and stiffness are the primary symptoms of both.Signs of OsteoarthritisOsteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis. The CDC says it affects 32.5 million adults in the United States.Osteoarthritis happens when the cartilage between bones breaks down from wear and tear. It typically affects the bigger joints of the body (hips, knees, spine) but can also occur in fingers, wrists, and toes.Tell your doctor if you have any of the following signs of osteoarthritis:Pain and stiffness in weight-bearing joints, such as the hips, knees, and lower backThe pain is grinding or grating (many people describe the pain as a \u201cbone-on-bone” feeling)Your pain is in a single joint (one knee may have arthritis but not the other)Your joints make noise (cracking, grinding, popping) when you moveThe affected joint is swollen and warmMorning stiffness (lasts less than 30 minutes)You feel stiff when you get up after sitting for an extended period of timeJoints become inflamed or tender (sore to the touch)Your range of motion feels limitedAn old injury starts achingYou feel muscle weakness around a jointYour joints seem unstable or ready to give out or buckleYour joints ache after playing a sport or doing a job with repetitive movementsSigns of Rheumatoid ArthritisRheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that affects the joints. It occurs when your immune system misfires, attacking healthy tissue in the joints and causing painful inflammation.Left untreated, the inflammation from rheumatoid arthritis can damage the heart, lungs, and other internal organs.According to the Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Network, 1.5 million Americans suffer from rheumatoid arthritis. Women are three times as likely as men to develop the disease.Tell your doctor if you have any of the following signs of rheumatoid arthritis:You are more likely to feel pain in small joints, like those in hands and feetYour morning stiffness lasts an hour or morePain affects more than one jointSoreness often occurs in the same joint on both sides of the bodyYou feel tired, weak, and irritableYou have a low-grade feverYour appetite is decreasedYou’re losing weight for no apparent reasonYou’re developing small lumps under the skin over bony areas, like handsSymptoms come and go, but flare-ups can last days or monthsWhile there is no cure for either osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, your doctor can recommend effective treatments that make it easier to live with these conditions.To learn more or schedule an appointment with UPMC Orthopaedic Care, call 1-866-987-6784 or visit UPMC.com\/Ortho.SourcesCDC, Arthritis Basics https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/arthritis\/basics\/types.htmlCDC, Arthritis Fact Sheet https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/chronicdisease\/resources\/publications\/factsheets\/arthritis.htmNIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, What is Arthritis?https:\/\/www.niams.nih.gov\/health-topics\/arthritisArthritis Foundation, Do I Have Arthritis? https:\/\/www.arthritis.org\/health-wellness\/about-arthritis\/understanding-arthritis\/do-i-have-arthritisArthritis Foundation, Osteoarthritis https:\/\/www.arthritis.org\/diseases\/osteoarthritisArthritis Foundation, Rheumatoid Arthritis https:\/\/www.arthritis.org\/diseases\/rheumatoid-arthritisRheumatoid Arthritis Support Network, RA Facts: What are the Latest Statistics on Rheumatoid Arthritis? https:\/\/www.rheumatoidarthritis.org\/ra\/facts-and-statistics\/"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"2021","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2021\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"01","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2021\/\/01\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Arthritis: Do You Know the Signs?","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2021\/01\/arthritis-signs\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]