Depending on the clinical manifestations and anatomical changes in the joints, osteoarthritis of small joints is divided into several stages.

Symptoms of stage 1 osteoarthritis of small joints:

• pain in the hands that occurs after significant physical exertion and disappears at rest;
• crunching in the joints when moving the phalanges of the fingers;
• swelling of the joints, tension of the periarticular muscles.

Symptoms of stage 2 osteoarthritis of small joints:

• pain in the hands becomes constant;
• Discomfort in the fingers increases after physical exertion;
• pain syndrome bothers at night;
• swelling and burning of affected joints;
• atrophy of muscle fibers in the affected area;
• limitation of the functional ability of the fingers.

In the area of the interphalangeal joints, seals appear, which over time become hard and usually do not regress. These are the so-called Bouchard and Heberden nodes.

Symptoms of stage 3 osteoarthritis:

• constant intense pain in the affected joints;
• curvature of the fingers;
• joint ankylosis (immobilization).

In the last stage of the disease, there is complete destruction of cartilage, bone tissue becomes denser, bone spurs appear, and the soft tissues around the joints atrophy. The fingers become deformed and are unable to perform basic movements.