Symptoms

Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis include:

• Inflammation, warmth, redness, swelling and pain in or around the affected joints.
• Joint stiffness for 30 minutes or more, especially in the morning or after a long rest.
• Possible fatigue, weight loss, occasional fever and an overall sense of not feeling well.

Symptoms of osteoarthritis include:

• Symptoms usually begin slowly.
• Pain in joints worsens with activity and may be relieved with rest.
• Joints usually hurt most after you've used them too much; however, you may also have pain at night. The stiffness typically lasts less than 15 minutes initially.
• Pain in your joints may cause you to limp, and you may find it difficult to go up or down stairs.
• Pain in your joints may cause you to limp, and you may find it difficult to go up or down stairs.
• Your knuckles may enlarge or swell and feel painful. This is called "nodal osteoarthritis" and tends to be more common in women.
• In your knees, you may feel pain and even a grating sensation.
• Other joints, such as your hip or the large joint at the base of the big toe, may feel stiff and tender.

More on Arthritis

In the Encyclopedia:

This article was reviewed and updated June 2007.