Just recently, I happened to stumble upon an advertisement for arthritis medication on television. The spokeswoman’s hands and fingers were clearly affected. They were “knarled” for lack of a better term. Instead of pointing straight out, her poor fingers all curved toward her thumb which appeared extremely painful.

This case is one that any amateur could recognize as severe arthritis.

However, I couldn’t help but recall a time not so long ago when I extended my arm to shake the hand of an associate’s mother. She uneasily pulled her arm toward her body and explained “I really don’t mean to be rude – but my arthritis keeps me from even the most gentle of handshakes.”

Had she not offered an explanation, it would be very difficult to tell she was in pain or even had the condition.

She explained that she had always considered it an “old people’s disease” until she herself started to notice joint discomfort at around 30 years old.

Many people who experience certain symptoms chalk it up to having possibly hurt themselves (without remembering how) and believe it will just pass. This is sometimes true.

However, there are a few symptoms of arthritis that merit at least a little further investigation. This can be especially helpful if you suspect or have been noticing certain things – but just are not certain if you could be experiencing arthritis.

It is important to note that there are over a hundred different types of arthritis conditions so this description is not necessarily all inclusive.

Some of the early signs of possible arthritis often include pain in the joints, joint stiffness or tenderness and sometimes even heat in those areas. Remember we have upward of 350 joints (though a firm number is actually a source of debate.) So, the joint pain or loss of mobility may occur in a number of places throughout the body.

In my friend’s mother’s case, she started to notice sporadic lower back pain. Again, she was only in her early thirties so she assumed that her age prevented her from the condition. She decided she would practice better posture, take some aspirin and that should alleviate the problem.

Over time though, she found that in spite of trying to sit up straight the pain worsened. This finally led her to talk with her doctor. He diagnosed her with “arthritic spurs” on her spine but no treatment plan (natural or otherwise) was sought.

Some other signs of possible arthritis include:

-Morning stiffness
-Pain in both knees or other “dual” joint pain
-Excessive or extreme fatigue
-Soreness in certain joints after repeatedly moving that area
-Bone enlargement
-Psoriasis near the joint(s) experiencing pain

Bear in mind that some or all of these symptoms can also indicate other conditions, so recognizing the signs early will help you in reaching an actual diagnosis. A variety of medical tests is often necessary to determine if, in fact arthritis, is the source of pain or if something else may be at play. Because so many of the possible culprits are very serious and will likely lead to more severe pain if left untreated, it is important not to ignore these symptoms.

Your trusted medical professional should (these days at least) help in offering up a treatment plan. However, as always, remember that there are many safe, effective and all natural treatments as well.

My friend’s mother wrote to me just recently to share her joy and relief after having followed our Arthritis Guide. Her only regret – that it was not available to her 30+ years ago.

If you or someone you know is suffering, I highly recommend you check out the out our Arthritis Guide too. It may just save you years of unnecessary pain!

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