As for any other disease, the symptoms of osteoarthritis are initial warning signs of osteoarthritis. The rheumatologist too, would first ask about the symptoms and if he finds that, the symptoms are that of osteoarthritis and then, he would advice the further tests as, X-rays and chemical tests.

Osteoarthritis is becoming very common these days and therefore it very important for everybody that he is aware of these symptoms.

The most common among the symptoms for osteoarthritis is pain a particular joint. The pain due to osteoarthritis does not go away within a short time. If no treatment is taken by the patient then it will grow and finally become chronic. After some time joints become stiff. Therefore, whenever the patient will try to move these joints he will experience pain. The stiffness and the pain will increase if the patient moves that joint more often.

Also along with the joints and bones, the muscles and tendons also are affected. Occurrence of spasm in muscles and contractions in the tendons are among the very common symptoms of osteoarthritis. Therefore, a sharp and severe ache, burning sensation may be experienced by the patient.

One of the very peculiar symptoms of osteoarthritis is that in the advanced cases when the bones become quite stiff a crackling noise may occur if the patient tries to move or touch that joint.

Sometimes it also happens that the affected joints are filled with a fluid, which increases the humidity in the joints. This humidity is troublesome as it increases the severity of the symptoms of osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis also causes development of nodes i.e. enlargements in the bones. These are called the Herberden’s nodes or Bouchard’s nodes. They hardly cause any symptoms of osteoarthritis, as they are small and do not affect the movement of the joints. However bunions, which can occur in the toes, cause redness and swelling of the toes.

These are among the common symptoms of osteoarthritis they should be considered to the indications of osteoarthritis. Apart from these symptoms, as osteoarthritis can lead to some complications as well, some other symptoms too can occur.

As osteoarthritis is becoming very common these days, anybody is prone to it. The simple tests as the X-rays are not that accurate as in most of the cases they fail to detect osteoarthritis. Therefore, the chemical tests, which are time consuming, are required. However, as the occurrence of these symptoms give the idea of the osteoarthritis they have a great diagnostic significance.