Arthritis Symptoms and Diagnosis

Symptoms

  • Arthritis pain can be continuous or intermittent
  • It can cause swelling or inflammation
  • Pain may occur after activity or exercise
  • Pain may occur even if you've been resting and still for a period of time
  • Pain may be concentrated in one spot or all over your body
  • Joints may feel stiff and difficult to move
  • Daily chores and activity may become a challenge.
  • The pain may be more severe during certain times of the day
  • The skin over the joint may appear swollen, red, and feel hot
  • Arthritis may also cause fatigue or weariness

The location of the pain may signal the condition you have:

  • Pain that truly comes from a hip problem is often located in the thigh or groin area.
  • If hip pain is more in the buttocks than the hip, for example, it may actually be the result of a problem in the back. 
  • Hip pain that travels down the leg may be the result of inflammation in the hip joint, it can also be a sign of sciatica (a condition usually caused by a pinched nerve in the back).
  • If the pain travels below the knee, it could be a sign of disease in the nerves or blood vessels.
  • In women, pain in the hip or upper leg may stem from several other causes, including tumors of the uterus or ovaries, endometriosis (the presence of uterine tissue elsewhere in the body), or pelvic inflammatory disease (infection in the reproductive organs).

Diagnosis

Early diagnosis and treatment tailored to an individual's needs are crucial in slowing or preventing damage to joints. Only a physician can determine if you have arthritis and what type it is.

To diagnosis arthritis, your doctor may:

  •  Review of your medical history
  • Conduct a complete physical exam
  • Observe you while standing, sitting, and lying down
  • Watch how well you walk around the room.
  • Examine your hip and knee carefully
  • Ask you where it hurts and how long you’ve had the pain
  • Ask you if you fell or suffered any other trauma to the hip
  • Check for bruises, discoloration, areas of muscle wasting, and any curvature of the back.
  • Order x-rays to rule out a fracture or detect osteoarthritis.
  • Order a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan can confirm the presence of avascular necrosis or soft tissue damage.