Other Symptoms of Osteoarthritis -- By Location
Osteoarthritis symptoms can occur in any joint. Most often, they occur in the hands (especially at the ends of the fingers and thumbs), knees, hips, or spine (neck or lower back).
Hand Osteoarthritis Symptoms
Osteoarthritis in the hands may cause many of the symptoms explained above. People with hand osteoarthritis may also have small, bony knobs that appear on the end joints of the fingers. These are called Heberden nodes. Similar knobs, called Bouchard nodes, can appear on the middle joints of the fingers.
Fingers can also become enlarged and gnarled, and they may ache or be stiff and numb. The base of the thumb joint also is commonly affected by osteoarthritis.
Knee Osteoarthritis Symptoms
The knees are the body's primary weight-bearing joints. For this reason, they are among the joints most commonly affected by osteoarthritis. In a person who has osteoarthritis, they may be stiff, swollen, and painful, making it hard to walk, climb, and get in and out of chairs and bathtubs.
Hip Osteoarthritis Symptoms
Symptoms of osteoarthritis in the hips may include pain, stiffness, and severe disability. People may feel the osteoarthritis pain in their hips, groin, inner thigh, buttocks, or knees. Walking aids, such as canes or walkers, can reduce stress on the hip.
Osteoarthritis in the hip may also limit moving and bending. This can make daily activities, such as dressing and foot care, a challenge.
Spine Osteoarthritis Symptoms
Stiffness and pain in the neck or in the lower back are common osteoarthritis symptoms in the spine.
Weakness or numbness of the arms or legs can also result. Some people feel better when they sleep on a firm mattress or sit using back support pillows.
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