Joint inflammation

Arthritis causes joint pain, swelling, stiffness, and limited movement. Symptoms can include:

• Joint pain
• Joint swelling
• Reduced ability to move the joint
• Redness of the skin around a joint
• Stiffness, especially in the morning
• Warmth around a joint

The health care provider will perform a physical exam and ask questions about your medical history.

The physical exam may show:

• Fluid around a joint
• Warm, red, tender joints
• Difficulty moving a joint (called "limited range of motion")

Some types of arthritis may cause joint deformity. This may be a sign of severe, untreated rheumatoid arthritis.

Blood tests and joint x-rays are often done to check for infection and other causes of arthritis.

Your doctor may also remove a sample of joint fluid with a needle and send it to a lab for examination.

Images

Osteoarthritis vs. rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis

Arthritis in hip

Osteoarthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis

Synovial fluid

Rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis

Osteoarthritis

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Arthritis Overview

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Arthritis Treatment

Review Date: 02/14/2011
Reviewed By: Michael E. Makover, MD is a professor and attending in rheumatology at the New York University Medical Center, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)