Many believe that arthritis disease is a medical condition experience only by the elderly. However, a persistent backache, neck strain, or other painful condition could very well be osteoarthritis, a common arthritis that afflicts individuals of any age. In fact, with every type of arthritis, the area surrounding joints including the elbow, knee and wrists can become swollen, red and tender to touch. In many incidences, there is a warm sensation around a joint with arthritis.
Osteoarthritis, often referred to as spondylosis, is known to affect one out of every seven individuals of adult age. While it is most common in individuals 45 and older, it does affect younger individuals as well. It is often triggered by sports-, accident-or work-related injury. Even though researchers and medical experts do not fully comprehend why, women usually experience spinal arthritis and more intensive severe chronic pain than do men. So exactly what does arthritis feel like and how do you know you have it?
Gradually Worsening Pain
Osteoarthritis is a form of back pain that gradually worsens over time. Unlike a major backache that happens suddenly and excruciating in an attack, osteoarthritis begins with a twinge and becomes achier over time. Osteoarthritis feels more like an overall achiness or an acute pain in one or many areas of the back. Pain caused by osteoarthritis can also come and go, where you will feel normal and flexible for weeks or even months, before the pain returns worse than ever.
Limiting Range of Motion
In addition to feeling stiff and achy, when rising every morning, you might also notice a stiff back or the inability to bend flexibly. Often times, osteoarthritis sufferers find it challenging to arch their back or bend over because it triggers intense severe pain. Many activities including dance, yoga or sports might become more challenging because of a limited range of motion and stiffness that only improves with exercise and stretching. Often times, the pain migrates in different areas, where the neck might be sore on the first day, the shoulder the next day, and the other shoulder sometime later.
Tingling and Numbness
While many individuals believe they are suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome, it might actually be arthritis of the spine because of the similar symptoms. Arthritis often appears as a stiffness or sensation in the fingers, hands and wrists, causing the loss of control of fine motor movements. In addition, the condition can arise as numbness, tingling or twinge radiating from the shoulder down through the arm. As a result of nerve compression, it may be that the individual feels pain in a specific area, or down the entire arm. The sensation is also known to come and go.
When individuals wonder exactly what does arthritis feel like, it is important to note that every sufferer experiences something different. One individual may have weakness, numbness or pain in the legs, while others are presented with tingling and stiffness. Still other individuals might be experiencing aches and pains that mimic other degenerative diseases or conditions.
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