Most people already know that osteoarthritis is a very common kind of arthritis condition and it is also common knowledge that osteoarthritis affects the elderly the most. The main reason why people suffer from osteoarthritis is that there is wear and tear and deterioration of the cartilage that protects the bones and keeps them from rubbing against one another. This cartilage also keeps the stress on the joints to a minimum and so whenever there is damage to the cartilage there is greater likelihood that osteoarthritis symptoms will occur.

Varying From Individual To Individual

However, osteoarthritis symptoms are known to vary from individual to individual and what’s more, osteoarthritis is a progressive disease which means that with passage of time the osteoarthritis symptoms will get worse. Sometimes, osteoarthritis symptoms can cause incapacitation of the patient though in most cases this will not happen.

The most common of all osteoarthritis symptoms is pain that will continue to trouble the patient even when they are at rest. Other common osteoarthritis symptoms include body growths which normally are experienced around the joints and which cause atypical angulations. In addition, other common osteoarthritis symptoms include joints snapping off and immobility as well as stiffness as well as swelling of the joints.

In case you notice osteoarthritis symptoms occurring in your knee then you will find that the shape and appearance of your knees will begin to change – perhaps even causing you to become knock-kneed. And, if you do not move your affected knee often enough you risk the knees becoming weak and in a few instances the knees might also shrink.

Sometimes, osteoarthritis symptoms occur around a person’s hips and this causes much pain and can lead to the patient developing a limp. In addition, when this happens it is also common to experience pain around the groin area and even in the inner thighs. When the osteoarthritis symptoms affect the hip they can also make the affected leg appear to be a bit shorter.

You can also develop osteoarthritis symptoms around your fingers in which case you will be affected by a condition known as Herberden’s nodes though such symptoms affect women more than men.

Hip osteoarthritis is quite a common complaint among people affected by osteoarthritis. Since the hips are entrusted with carrying the body weight any problem to this area is bound to lead to severe discomfort. It is in fact quite common to find that this particular kind of osteoarthritis leads to stiffening of the groin and buttocks and the stiffness worsens whenever you move.