A rubbery tissue called cartilage cushions your bones at the joints and allows gliding of the bones. If it wears down, the bones rub together, cushioning is decreased or eliminated leading to pain, swelling and stiffness.
Let's see if you have arthritis anyway and not just a muscle sprain or minor joint pain before you see what is available for arthritis over-the-counter.
No?
Hmmm. You may NOT be looking at arthtitis then.
It may just be a form of joint sprain. Anyway, let's continue and see what you can uncover.
Is the pain like a deep ache that gets worse on waking up in the morning?
No?
The earliest symptom with arthritis is a deep aching pain worse on waking up.
Arthritis usually invlove:
Joints that get stiff
Deep aching pain
Gets worse on waking up in the morning
Does the pain get worse when you put weight or pressure on the affected joint?
No?
A symptom of arthritis is pain worse with weight or pressure on the joint.
Arthritis usually invlove:
Joints that gets stiff
Deep aching pain
Gets worse on waking up in the morning
Pain worse with weight or pressure on the joint
Does it get worse after you exercise?
No?
It doesn't get worse after exercising?
Arthritis usually invlove:
Joints that gets stiff
Deep aching pain
Gets worse on waking up in the morning
Pain worse with weight or pressure on the joint
Pain worse after exercise
When you wake up in the morning, does the joint get stiff?
Yes?
Most likely looking at arthritis in this case.
Stiffness follows waking up or inactivity but lasts less than 30 min and lessens when you start moving about.
Let's see if you need to see a doctor for this arthritis before we send you to the pharmacist to recommend something for you to take that is over-the-counter.
You will invariably have to see a doctor for diagnosis. This is usually by x-ray.
Any rubbing, grating, or crackling sound...
With movement of the joint?
Yes?
More than likely looking at arthritis.
Usually with arthritis there is rubbing, grating, or crackling sound with movement of the joint that is affected.
Press the affected joint area.
Does it feel tender?
Yes?
More than likely looking at arthtitis.
Let's see if you need to see a doctor for this arthritis right away before we see what a pharmacist recommend you take over-the-counter.
Hope you have an idea if you are looking at arthitis or not by now.
Suspect arthritis if:
Joints that gets stiff
Deep aching pain
Pain worse on waking up in the morning
Pain worse with weight or pressure on the joint
Pain worse after exercise
Let's see if you need to see a doctor urgently for this suspected arthritis before using over-the-counter measures.
Note that you still have to see a doctor for proper diagnosis.
Diagnosis is by x-rays. An x-ray of affected joints will show a loss of the joint space. In advanced cases, there will be a wearing down of the ends of the bone and bone spurs.
