How Does One Know If They Have Arthritis?

Question

my muscles in my leg seem to ache each time i walk long distances or climb stairs.

Answer 1

A simple blood test ordered by your doctor will show if you actually have arthritis. Muscle pain is not generally associated with it, but joint pain is as well as shooting pain traveling through your limbs. Your symptoms(as briefly stated in your question) would lead me to believe it was possibly due to new muscle activity that you are unaccustomed to, or signs of dehydration. It could also be symptoms from a more serious problem though, so schedule an appointment with your physician. I do have "Uncle Arthur" living with me and the discomfort is felt when I move past my comfort zone in joint movement and becomes stiff after a night of sleep or long inactivity in same position and, of course, damp weather.

Answer 2

A doctor can tell you if you have arthiritis. My right hip has been aching for 2 years and I have been diagnosed with hip bursitis and nothing seems to be helping it. I have had physiotherapy, chiropractic, injections into the bursa. I feel it most when I walk upstairs too and when I sleep or lay on that side. I do pilates and yoga and I swim and I used to walk 5 miles a day for about 10 years but I have had to completely curb my walking and still nothing helps. As we age our joints just wear down and we have that achy arthiritic feeling. It is somewhat hereditary too. So look at your family history. Xrays and MRI's can show if you have degenerative changes and women should have bone density scans after age 40 to make sure you don't have osteporosis or osteopenia which is weak brittle bones that could lead to easy fractures. Thin women of European or Asian descent are more likely to get osteoporosis as they age and they have medication out now that can reverse the osteoporosis. Or maybe you just need to do some stretching exercises to relieve your muscle tightness. Good luck in your quest for information.

Answer 3

Arthritis is a degenerative disease of the joints, not the muscles. If your joints are bothering you, you might want to see your dr. If your muscles are bothering you after walking long distances or climbing stairs, well, you might want to consider getting a bit more excersize.

Answer 4

What you describe is more than likely lack of exercise and not arthritis, as the symptoms don't accur till you perform some type of exercise; and you also stated the pain was in your muscles. Arthritis is in the bones and a blood test can show some forms of it.

Answer 5

Arthritis makes your joints ache, not your muscles. Anytime you use a muscle more than it is used to, it starts to hurt. it also gets stronger.

Answer 6

Arthritis pain is usually in the joints. Doctor is the best person to diagnose you. (My legs ache too, but it is because I don't get enough exercise....)

Answer 7

Pain is a good indicator of something amiss, but see a doc for evaluation... a pinched sicatic nerves could cause pain down legs... so many reasons...

Answer 8

if you have like a painful ache on your stomach every day in the same place then its because you have that.

Answer 9

One goes to the dr and gets diagnosed

Answer 10

You feel it in your joints or get diagnosed by a doctor.