Explain The Pain Is It Osteoarthritis Or Rheumatoid Arthritis
If opening jars becomes more difficult because of painful hands, or if climbing stairs produces pain in your knees, “arthritis” is often the first thing that comes to mind. The two most common forms of arthritisosteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritiscan cause similar aches and pains, but there are a few key differences between them. For example:
Onset. Osteoarthritis occurs when cartilage wears away. Pain occurs when bone rubs against bone. This type of arthritis pain tends to develop gradually and intermittently over several months or years.
Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis affecting 27 million Americans. Many people believe it’s a crippling and inevitable part of growing old. But things are changing. Treatments are better, and plenty of people age well without much arthritis. If you have osteoarthritis, you can take steps to protect your joints, reduce discomfort, and improve mobility all of which are detailed in this report. If you don’t have osteoarthritis, the report offers strategies for preventing it.
Rheumatoid arthritis, on the other hand, is an inflammatory condition in which your immune system attacks the tissues in your joints. It causes pain and stiffness that worsen over several weeks or a few months. And joint pain isn’t always the first sign of rheumatoid arthritissometimes it begins with “flu-like” symptoms of fatigue, fever, weakness, and minor joint aches.
Osteoarthritis Causes Symptoms And Risk Factors
The bones in the various joints throughout the body are lined with a layer of cartilage, which prevents friction and allows the bones to glide freely to facilitate the motions that allow us to bend the knees, raise our arms above our shoulders, and sit and stand without experiencing pain and stiffness. Over time, the cartilage can wear out, leaving the ends of the bones exposed, which can result in pain and permanent damage to the joint if left untreated.
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis in Los Angeles. The most common symptoms are:
- Pain, tenderness, and stiffness in the affected joints, especially in the morning or after sitting for long periods of time
- Limited flexibility and range of motion
- Grating from friction between the ends of the bones
- Bone spurs
Anyone can develop and suffer from osteoarthritis, however, there are certain conditions and risk factors that can make the likelihood of developing the condition higher, including:
Osteoarthritis Vs Rheumatoid Arthritis
The difference between osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis is that the former is mainly because of the wear and tear changes occurring in the joints, most probably because of aging, while the latter is related to the defect inside the immune system of the individual and can occur irrespective of age.
Though these two appear like similar things, they have vast differences between them.
| Most of the time only pain in the affected joints are only present | Pain in the joints along with general weakness and other symptoms will be present. | |
| Nature of the joint affected | The pain only will be present with no swelling in most cases | the joint will be red and swollen along together with pain. |
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Most Common Joints Affected
OA can affect any joint, but it tends to happen in joints youâve injured or use over and over. Think knees, hips, back, neck, thumbs, and big toes.
RA can also cause joint problems throughout your body. The disease is especially common in the small joints of your hands and feet. It also strikes shoulders, elbows, knees, and ankles. Unlike OA, RA tends to leave your back alone.
Get Help Treating Osteoarthritis Or Rheumatoid Arthritis With Joint Academy
Todays technology-driven society has led to telehealth becoming a popular way for patients to receive medical guidance or treatments. Fortunately, Joint Academy is at the forefront of virtual physical therapy technology that can be used as a first line of defense for conditions like osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. With the Joint Academy app, licensed physical therapists can connect with patients digitally and provide them with personalized, evidence-based treatment programs to follow.
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Differences Between Osteoarthritis And Rheumatoid Arthritis
Arthritis is the inflammation of joints. It is not a single disease. There are over 100 types of arthritis. Some similar symptoms of arthritis in general include joint stiffness and joint pain. These symptoms make it difficult to move around and perform everyday tasks. Lets take a look at the two most common types of arthritis, their differences, and how arthritis doctors treat them.
Ra Starts In The Hands And Feet Then Hits Larger Joints
RA starts most often in the small joints of the hands or feet, and later spreads to larger joints like knees, ankles, elbows, hips, shoulders, or the neck. In the hands, RA may target the wrist or finger knuckles . In the feet, it often occurs in the joints connecting feet to toes. Meanwhile, RA never involves the spine, except for the cervical spine , he adds. Another telltale sign of RA: Its usually symmetrical, affecting the same joint on both sides of the body.
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Whats The Difference Between Osteoarthritis And Rheumatoid Arthritis
Arthritis is more common than you might think. For example, more than 46 million Americans1 or 1 in every 6 have some form of arthritis.
There are more than 200 different types of arthritis including little known diseases like Kawasaki disease, and Sweet’s syndrome 2 Two of the most common types are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
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Researchers also believe that skeletal remains from humans living around 4500 B.C. show signs of the disease.
www.arthritis.org
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is the breakdown of cartilage the flexible tissue that protects bone ends from rubbing against each other. Osteoarthritis is further characterized by the creation of bony spurs or growths due to bone wear and tear.3
Osteoarthritis affects only the joints and can affect many different joints,3 including the hand, knee, spine and hip.3 As well as causing pain and stiffness, osteoarthritis can also limit movement, as inflamed joints do not bend as far or as easily.3
Age is a major risk factor for this type of arthritis. Around 8 out of 10 adults over the age of 50 are affected in the UK.3 Other contributing factors are being overweight, stress to a joint from overuse or injury, and a family history of osteoarthritis.3
Rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is an auto-immune disease. This basically means that the bodys immune system attacks its own healthy tissues, joints, and organs and treats them like invaders.
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References
While Both Types Of Arthritis There Are Notable Differences
Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is recognized as the most disabling type of arthritis. While they both fall under the “arthritis” umbrella and share certain similarities, these diseases have significant differences.
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Main Differences Between Osteoarthritis And Rheumatoid Arthritis
Ra Vs Oa: Which Is Worse Rheumatoid Arthritis Or Osteoarthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is a complex autoimmune disease with fluctuating symptoms and resultant complications that create a unique pattern in each patient. Often times, RA symptoms are confused with osteoarthritis symptoms. This confusion happens commonly during the initial stages of arthritic symptoms.
Despite the fact that both types of arthritis cause joint pain, the two diseases have different diagnostic criteria. Both are considered to be chronic and non-curable diseases, however, they have entirely different causes, symptoms, prognoses, and treatments.
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Ra Treatments Are Disease
While OA meds can only treat symptoms, RA meds can actually slow the progression of the diseaseeven put it into remissionby tamping down on the overactive immune system, says Dr. Askari. In fact, if you catch RA early enough, theres a good chance it will have little impact on your life, he adds. RA treatment usually starts with disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs the most common is methotrexatewhich work by interfering with pathways in the immune system that lead to inflammation. If you dont get the results you want from that, you may move on to more targeted DMARDs like biologics or JAK inhibitors.
Diagnosis Of Joint Pain Causes
RA Medical history, physical examination, imaging tests, and blood tests make up the process. The medical history is important because there can be a genetic component.
OA Medical history, physical examination, and imaging tests are used to determine diagnosis. Lab tests may also be done to rule out other forms of arthritis.
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What Is The Treatment For Rheumatoid And Osteoarthritis
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Despite significant advances in treatment over the past decades, rheumatoid arthritis continues to be an incurable disease. While there is no cure, the goal of disease remission is frequently attainable. Treatment of RA symptoms has two major components:
Rheumatoid arthritis is a progressive inflammatory disease. This means that unless the inflammation is stopped or slowed, the condition will continue to worsen with joint destruction in most people. Although rheumatoid arthritis does occasionally go into remission without treatment, this is rare. Starting treatment as soon as possible after diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis is strongly recommended. The best medical care combines medication and nondrug approaches.
Nondrug approaches include the following:
Drug approaches include a variety of medications used alone or in combinations.
The medications for rheumatoid arthritis fall into several different categories. These RA medications include
- disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs ,
- analgesics.
Osteoarthritis
Surgery may relieve pain and improve function.
Joint Pain: Where It Hurts Most
RA It can affect the entire body or just specific joints, most commonly the hands, wrists, fingers, elbows, knees, feet, and hips. Sometimes what is noticed first is the stiffness in the morning. The synovium, or the lining of the joint, is most affected.
OA It affects only a particular joint, and the pain doesn’t go away without physical or medical therapy. The joint cartilage is what is worn away.
As OA progresses it can result in bony growths or spurs that can further compromise joints . Sometimes you can have joints that make noise that can be painful . It is also possible to get some radiating pain .
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At What Age Does Arthritis Usually Start
RA can be diagnosed anywhere between the ages of 30 and 60, although the likelihood increases with age. It is also more common in women 2 to 3 times more, in fact.
Osteoarthritis is also more common later in life, with many people getting a diagnosis in their 50s or 60s. Its estimated that about 9% of adults will have knee OA by the time theyre 60 years old. But it is possible to have OA earlier, such as after an injury.
What Is The Difference Between Osteoarthritis And Other Forms Of Autoimmune Arthritis Such As Rheumatoid Arthritis
17 Mar 2021
Although symptoms of the different forms of arthritis can appear similar it is important to distinguish between them to ensure appropriate treatment can be given. There are a few key differences that can distinguish osteoarthritis from other forms such as rheumatoid arthritis.
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Also Check: What’s The Difference In Osteoarthritis And Rheumatoid Arthritis
Causes And Risk Factors For Rheumatic Disease
A direct cause for the onset of rheumatoid arthritis is unclear, but genetics are believed to play a role in the development and progression of inflammation that triggers the adverse immune response responsible for RA-related joint degeneration.
Some risk factors for rheumatoid arthritis in Los Angeles:
- Gender more common in women
- Age while RA can develop at any age, it is most common in adults between the ages of 40 and 60
- Lifestyle factors people who smoke tobacco and are overweight can be at a higher risk of developing the condition
- Environmental and industrial contaminants while the data is still inconclusive, rheumatologists and health experts believe that exposure to certain pollutants and chemicals like asbestos and silica can increase the risk of autoimmune disorders in some people
Learn more about rheumatic diseases at nccih.nih.gov
Wednesday August 18 2021
Let’s begin by defining a few terms. Arthritis is an umbrella term that describes the inflammation of joints. Osteoarthritis is also known as degenerative joint disease. So, in simple terms, there is no difference between osteoarthritis and degenerative arthritis.
However, there is another form of arthritis called rheumatoid arthritis. Although osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are both forms of arthritis characterised by similar symptoms, the main difference between them is what causes these symptoms.
Here, we’re clearly defining osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, the similarities and differences between them, and how you can treat both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
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How To Know If You Have Osteoarthritis Vs Rheumatoid Arthritis
Osteoarthritis often develops when one or more joints have been subjected to some form of long-term overexertion. This can happen in a few different ways, including the result of a monotonous movement pattern, previous injuries , or if a person affected is overweight. Being overweight means that the body weight a person is carrying is greater than the muscles can manage to bear. We also know that there is a hereditary form of osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis develops at different rates in different individuals, with its symptoms very often emerging in a stealthy manner.
Common symptoms for rheumatoid arthritis generally include painful joints and long-term stiffness in the body, mainly in the morning. Heredity is a common factor with rheumatoid arthritis. Therefore, it is important for anyone who has close relatives who suffer from the disease to rigorously report any symptoms to a doctor so that any action can be taken at an early stage. If RA is treated early, it is possible to slow down the symptoms and prevent any long-term damage to the joints.
Difference Between Arthritis And Osteoarthritis
Arthritis vs Osteoarthritis
Arthritis is inflammation of joints. Arthritis is a blanket term which includes all types of arthritis like osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, Psoriatic arthritis, and gout.
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is a very common joint condition. Women are more prone to symptomatic osteoarthritis than men. Females get it three times more commonly than males. It usually sets in around 50 years of age. Osteoarthritis occurs due to wear and tear. When it sets in spontaneously, without any previous joint disorders, it is called primary osteoarthritis. When it occurs as a result of another joint disease it is called secondary osteoarthritis. Joint injuries and diseases like hemochromatosis give rise to secondary osteoarthritis.
Osteoarthritis usually starts with a single joint. There is pain on movement. The pain becomes worse in the evenings. There is a dull aching pain while the joint is at rest and a sharp pain on movement. The range of motion is limited, and there is joint tenderness. Bony swellings called Heberdens nodes occur. Joints become stiff in the morning and become more mobile with movement. Joints are unstable and prone to dislocations and ligament injuries. Osteoarthritis progresses to involve multiple joints overtime. Most commonly affected joints in multiarticular osteoarthritis are distal inter-phalangeal joints, thumb metacarpo-phalangeal joints, cervical spine, lumbar spine, and knees.
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What People Mean By Rheumatism
Rheumatism is a term that people often used in the past when describing pain and other symptoms affecting the muscles and joints.
Healthcare professionals do not use this term, but they use similar ones, such as rheumatoid and rheumatology. Rheumatologists are doctors who specialize in dealing with diseases of the joints and connective tissues. Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory autoimmune condition that leads to swelling in the joints. It may also cause a fever and other symptoms.
When people use the word rheumatism, they often mean rheumatoid arthritis. When people use the word arthritis, they are sometimes referring to osteoarthritis.
diseases and other health conditions.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that more than 54 million adults in the U.S. have arthritis. This is 23% of the adult population.
Arthritis often affects older people, but it can develop at any age. In fact, 60% of arthritis cases affect people aged 1864 years, the CDC estimate. Juvenile arthritis , also known as pediatric rheumatic disease, affects around 300,000 children in the country. JA is not a well-defined condition, but it usually involves inflammation and autoimmune factors.
The two most common forms of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.