Difference Between Osteo and Rheumatoid Arthritis

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease. It affects the joint whose cartilage has suffered significant damage. Rheumatoid arthritis is primarily an autoimmune disease. It affects the whole body. While the symptoms of osteoarthritis are contained at the affected joint, rheumatoid arthritis symptoms usually affect the whole body. Despite the difference between osteo and rheumatoid arthritis, the objective of treatment and the phases are similar. The first goal is to reduce the swelling and associated pain. Then the joint damage is attended to.

Types of Arthritis

Arthritis is an inflammation at the joints in the human body. It can be the joint in the knee, shoulder joints, wrist joints or even the joints in the jawbone. Every joint in the human body can suffer an inflammation and it can become arthritic. Osteoarthritis results from a degenerating joint condition. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition. Autoimmune diseases are caused because the body attacks its own organs or prevents itself from functioning optimally, as it should.

Osteoarthritis: Explained

Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis. The cartilage in the joints, which is essentially the cushion, is damaged, may be torn or may wear down. As the cartilage breaks down, the cushion is not there to prevent bones from rubbing against one another. As the bones get in direct contact, there is friction, this exposes small nerves and it results in pain.

Rheumatoid Arthritis: Explained

Rheumatoid arthritis is caused when the human body mistakes the soft lining or synovium around the joints as a threat. Just as the immune system would target bacteria or virus when under threat, it also targets the synovium. This leads to fluid buildup in the joint resulting in swelling, stiffness, pain and inflammation.

Difference Between Osteo and Rheumatoid Arthritis

There are many similarities between osteo and rheumatoid arthritis. Both affect women more than men. Both are more common among ageing and older people, particularly senior citizens. While osteoarthritis is more likely in older people, rheumatoid arthritis can happen at any age. Also, osteoarthritis is facilitated by diabetes, existing joint problems and gout. Rheumatoid arthritis can be genetic.

Pain, stiffness and tenderness are common in both conditions. Anyone having either osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis will also have limited range of motion. With rheumatoid arthritis, one would feel pain in various parts of the body and not just at the joints. Early symptoms include fever, fatigue for no explained reason and pain in the muscles. As rheumatoid arthritis gets worse, there may be small but hard lumps inside the skin near the joints. These are tender lumps and not particularly painful. They are known as rheumatoid nodules.

Osteoarthritis usually doesn’t have any symptoms beyond the affected joint and the immediate area around it. The pain may be bearable at times and unbearable for the rest of the time. Lumps under the skin at and around the affected joints are common but they are not exactly like the rheumatoid nodules. Excessive bone growth is also one of the symptoms of osteoarthritis. These are known as bone spurs.

Rheumatoid arthritis usually affects people regardless of age but osteoarthritis is more common as one ages. The development of rheumatoid arthritis and also its worsening is rapid. A healthy person can develop rheumatoid arthritis in a few weeks to a few months. Osteoarthritis doesn’t develop so quickly. It takes years to worsen. It is possible that someone would live for many years with diagnosable osteoarthritis and yet not experience very noticeable symptoms.

Rheumatoid arthritis will almost always cause swelling and stiffness. Osteoarthritis may not cause any swelling or stiffness in some cases. The joints will ache and would be tender. Rheumatoid arthritis affects large and small joints in hands, wrists, elbows and feet. The symptoms may not emanate from the exact place where the joints are affected. Osteoarthritis usually affects the weight bearing joints, like the joints in the knees, hips, spine and even neck. Morning stiffness is usually associated with both these types of arthritis. However, in case of rheumatoid arthritis it lasts much longer, usually longer than an hour. In case of osteoarthritis, the stiffness in the morning usually lasts less than an hour but may return later in the day.

Both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are approached in a similar way. The pain, swelling, stiffness, fatigue and range of motion are the first causes of concern. The damage needs to be limited so further wearing down of the cartilage is attended to. Anti-inflammatory medicines and corticosteroid medicines are recommended. Both these diseases are chronic in nature and they don’t have a cure. The symptoms are made manageable with a holistic approach that includes drugs, rest, exercise, diet and posture correction.

Since there is no cure and these conditions worsen easily, one must be diagnosed at the earliest possible stage. Prevention and regulating symptoms are very important.

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