Arthritis symptoms and signs vary according to type and severity of condition. A symptom is an abnormal experience, such as pain or stiffness, that a person may describe to someone else (including their doctor). Joint pain (a symptom) is often not caused by arthritis, but instead may be related to tendinitis, bursitis or degenerative joint disease (without actual arthritis, or joint inflammation). A sign is an abnormality a person may observe or detect in another; an example is the finding of joint swelling a doctor may see when examining a joint.
