Check out the symptoms and see where you might fit in. The symptoms include morning stiffness, pain, reaction to a cortisone injection, joints involved and more.
| Symptom |
Inflammatory joint disease (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis) |
Mechanical joint disease (e.g. osteoarthritis) |
| Does activity increase or decrease the pain? |
The longer you’re inactive, the worse is the pain. Rest worsens the symptoms, activity improves the symptoms. Be active! |
Activity tends to increase the pain and stiffness, and rest improves the symptoms. |
| Morning stiffness? |
You wake up with stiff joints, but it improves after an hour or more. The more you use your joints, the sooner the stiffness subsides. |
You wake up with stiff joints, but the stiffness lasts 15-30 minutes, then it becomes easier to move. |
| What do the joints look and feel like? |
Joint swelling is usually soft, because it is caused by inflammation and fluid. |
Joint swelling can be soft (fluid) or hard (bony). |
| |
The swollen joint is usually warm to the touch and may even be red. |
The swollen joint is usually not warm when you touch it. |
| |
You have limited movement. |
You have limited movement. |
| |
The swollen joints are always tender to touch. |
The swollen joints are sometimes tender to touch. |
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The joints often make a “grinding” noise during movement. |
| Which joints are aching or stiff? |
All joints – particularly the small joints of the hands and feet. |
Your weight bearing joints – the big ones: back, knees, hips. |
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Any joint which has been previously injured, infected or even longstanding inflammatory joint disease. |
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The small joints of the hands (tends to run in families). |
| Fatigue |
You feel very tired and fatigued. |
Your fatigue is minimal. |
| Systemic involvement |
Other body organs may be involved e.g. eyes, lungs, blood vessels. |
Other body organs are not involved. |
| Do the symptoms respond to cortisone? |
Yes, often dramatic response. |
Usually no dramatic response. |
How can I tell the difference between inflammatory (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis) and mechanical (osteoarthritis) joint diseases?
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