It can be scary going to the doctor, but you can be in and out quicker if you are able to give your doctor accurate descriptions of you problem. Be sure to tell him or her when the problem started and if there are any times the pains seems worse. Also knowing these common arthritis symptoms will make you realize when to make a doctor’s appointment or not. Generally, the earlier your doctor knows about your arthritis symptoms, the earlier you can be accurately diagnosed and get effective treatment.

Joint Pain

Now this is the biggie of arthritis symptoms. Arthritis is an umbrella term for over 100 types of inflammations of the joints. Joints, in this case, do not refer to any herbal smokes, but to the natural hinges of your body. Joints and therefore, joint pain, are in your wrists, ankles, hips, neck, fingers, knees and shoulders. This is usually a pain you’ve never had before while performing tasks that you never before had any problems doing, such as opening a bottle or turning the pages of a book or walking up a flight of stairs.

Joint Stiffness

This is another of the major arthritis symptoms to look out for. Limbs and joints that previously not hurt while moving not only hurt, they refuse to move. This can be varied such as a hand refusing to uncurl from a fist position you made as you slept to not being able to move a leg. You move (or can’t move) more like the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz before he gets his dose from the oil can. This can get better throughout the day, and often gets worse in the cold.

Physical Joint Changes

These are other common arthritis symptoms, although they do not happen to everyone with the beginnings of arthritis. The painful places of your body become visibly swollen, more red or discolored and very tender, often to the point where the only thing they will tolerate touching them is air.

Other Tips

In order to diagnose you and get you the help you need as quickly as possible, your doctor will also need to know your medical history and the medical histories of your parents and siblings, if possible. If they are willing to talk about it, ask and write down what your parents or sibling remember about when their arthritis started and what type of arthritis it was diagnosed as. Remember to thank them.