can you get arthritis in feet and hands only and in knees at time?

Question

does your joints have to swell for it to be arthritis

Answer 1

You can "get" arthritis really in any joint of your body. It doesn't have to swell. Arthritis is an inflammation. It is common to just experience pain, therefore. That said, there are several different types of arthritis, also. To answer your question, one would have to know which type the person has.

Answer 2

I have a type of arthritis called Psoriatic Arthritis. Right now it is in my feet and hands only and on my left side except for one joint on my right foot. It began when I was only 17 and it took 7 doctors, 2 surgery's, and multiple other "treatments" over the span of ten years before anyone diagnosed it. By the time it was diagnosed and I began treatments, it had spread to over 20 joints most of which are completely fused together. The arthritis in each joint always began with swelling, redness, and tenderness.

Answer 3

My Arthritis started in my index finger, it became red hot and swollen. It then died down only for the thumb to rebel. After that subsided I had neck pain, that came and then went. The ache in the back was a wee bit more serious but I put it down to the high heels. It was only when my toe, the one next to my big one swelled that the Doc did a blood test. Not all forms will swell but most are painful. It has now erupted in the spine and both hands and feet show narrowing so the cartilage is wearing away. Likewise not all forms of Arthritis can be diagnosed by a blood test.