What Are The Symptoms Of Arthritis?

Arthritis is a chronic systemic disease where there is an inflammation in the joints.  The disease is a major health problem, being responsible for much of the existing chronic illness and crippling incapacity of adults.  Women are affected about three times more often than men, although sex differences decrease with age as the prevalence of the disease increases; by the age of 69 years the sex distribution is equal (Dieppe et al, 1985).  The common symptoms are as follows:

1. Morning stiffness.
2. Pain and tenderness in one joint.
3. Swelling in one joint for 6 weeks.
4. Swelling in one other joint.
5. Symmetrical wide spread joint involvement.
6. Nodules.
7. Radiological changes of rheumatoid arthritis.
8. Rheumatoid factor.
9. Characteristic synovial histology.

Seven of the above = classical arthritis
Five of the above = definite arthritis
Three of the above = probably arthritis

Other symptoms are:
a. Anemia.
b. Lymphadenopathy.
c. Edema.
d. Nodules.
e. Osteoporosis.
f. Muscle wasting.
g. Episcleritis.
h. Keratoconjunctivitis.
i. Entrapment neuropathy
j. Nail fold Vasculitis.
k. Peripheral sensory neuropathy.

Would arthritis behind the knee cause pain in the medial, front of the knee moving down approx. 2 inches which is very sore to touch and also include severe pain in that side of the knee which feels like being poked with needles or sharp objects, throbbing pain. The area is not hot or overtly swollen.