Symptoms of osteoarthritis include the following:
Deep, achy joint pain exacerbated by extensive use - The disease’s primary symptom
Reduced range of motion and crepitus - Frequently present
Stiffness during rest (gelling) - May develop, with morning joint stiffness usually lasting for less than 30 minutes
Osteoarthritis of the hand
Distal interphalangeal (DIP) joints are most often affected
Proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints and the joints at the base of the thumb are also typically involved
Heberden nodes, which represent palpable osteophytes in the DIP joints, are more characteristic in women than in men
Inflammatory changes are typically absent, less pronounced, or go unnoticed
See Clinical Presentation for more detail.