Why do my joints hurt and feel stiff in the morning?
Answered by the AskDoc Medical Team · Medically reviewed under our Medical Director, MBBS
The clock tells the story: stiffness easing within thirty minutes of moving points to wear-and-tear osteoarthritis, worse after use, better with rest. Stiffness lasting beyond an hour, especially in both hands' small joints with swelling, points to inflammatory arthritis, which is a different disease with a different urgency.
Inflammatory arthritis treated early can be driven into remission; treated late, joints pay permanently.
Note which joints, how long morning stiffness truly lasts, and any swelling, then bring that log in. Persistent swelling in any joint deserves blood tests, not just tolerance.
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