8 signs of arthritis you shouldn't ignore

_3. JOINT STIFFNESS, ESPECIALLY IN THE MORNING._ Stiffness may occur after prolonged sitting, after activity or when you wake up. “It’s a feeling that you need lubrication to do something,”

Cannada explains. Morning stiffness that lasts more than 30 minutes is a hallmark of RA. _4. GRATING SOUND OR SENSATION. _Grinding or grating as a joint moves is a sign the cartilage in

your joint has worn down and can indicate arthritis, Cannada says. It’s most common in the knee and hip but can affect other joints as well. _5. PAIN IN A JOINT THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY INJURED._

 Many cases of osteoarthritis occur in a part of the body that suffered a prior injury or trauma. “If a football player had a knee injury back in high school, then they’re likely to get knee

osteoarthritis later,” Haque says. _6. GROIN PAIN._ Many people don’t realize pain from hip arthritis radiates to the groin, not the outside of the hip, Cannada says. Hip arthritis can also

cause pain in your thigh or buttocks. _7. SYMMETRICAL JOINT PAIN._ RA often causes problems in the same joints on both sides of your body, like both wrists or both knees. _8. PAIN OR

STIFFNESS IN YOUR HANDS AND FEET._ Rheumatoid and other types of inflammatory arthritis often develop first in the small joints of your hands, wrists and feet, Haque says. “Somebody with

inflammatory arthritis may say, ‘In the morning when I wake up, my feet are very stiff, I can barely move them, and it’s painful to bend my toes. Then the day goes on and I feel better.’ 

”​​ ARTHRITIS TREATMENT Arthritis has no cure, but there are steps you can take to minimize pain and stiffness, says Rochelle Rosian, M.D., a rheumatologist with the Cleveland Clinic

Department of Rheumatologic and Immunologic Diseases. “There is a lot we can do to help you feel better,” she says. “You can live a long and healthy life with arthritis.” Your primary care

doctor may be able to treat your symptoms if they’re mild, or they may refer you to a rheumatologist, a sports medicine doctor, an orthopedist or a podiatrist, depending on your symptoms and

where your problem is located. Expect your doctor to ask you what makes the pain better and what makes it worse, how long you’ve had the pain and stiffness, and whether you have had any

trauma to the area. - Here are some steps your doctor may recommend to help ease your pain.