How Is Osteoarthritis Diagnosed?

Osteoarthritis can occur in any joint. It occurs most often in the hands, knees, hips, and spine.

Warning signs of osteoarthritis are:

Stiffness in a joint after getting out of bed or sitting for a long time
Swelling or tenderness in one or more joints
A crunching feeling or the sound of bone rubbing on bone.

No single test can diagnose osteoarthritis. Most doctors use several methods to diagnose the disease and rule out other problems:

• Medical history
• Physical exam
• X rays
• Other tests such as blood tests or exams of the fluid in the joints

What are its symptoms? 

The most common symptom of osteoarthritis is deep, aching joint pain, which occurs particularly after exercise or other joint stress. The pain goes away when the person rests. Other symptoms include stiffness in the morning (again, relieved by rest), aching during changes in weather, "grating" of the joint during motion, and tight muscles that hamper movements. These symptoms are worse if the person has poor posture or job stress or is obese. When it affects the hands, osteoarthritis changes the shape of the joints and can eventually make them red, swollen, tender, and numb. 

How is it diagnosed? 

The doctor can assess obvious changes in the person''s joints and use X-rays to see such signs as joint deformity, bony deposits, and joint fusion. There is no lab test specific for osteoarthritis, but tests can rule out other inflammatory joint problems.