The diseases of arthritis and osteoarthritis are often confused due to the similarity of the names. Yes, and both conditions are affected by the joints (for example, there is arthritis and osteoarthritis of the knee joint). The affected joints become inflamed, swollen, and painful. Otherwise, they are completely different diseases. Let's try to understand how arthritis differs from osteoarthritis?
Difference between arthritis and osteoarthritis
Arthritis is accompanied by inflammation of the joint joints, which in turn leads to impaired motor functions. The patient feels discomfort, sharp or aching pain, both during physical activity and at rest, especially in the morning. The skin around the joint swells, turns red, and becomes tight. Body temperature often rises. Osteoarthritis is a disease in which degenerative processes occur in the articular cartilage. The changed cartilage ceases to cope with the load falling on it and is gradually destroyed. Pain from exertion usually goes away with rest. The tissues around the joint become swollen and inflamed. The progressive disease results in the destruction of cartilage and severe deformity of the joints. The difference between osteoarthritis and arthritis lies in the causes of the diseases. Osteoarthritis occurs:
- primary, usually associated with old age;
- secondary, resulting from other diseases or genetically determined.
The factors predisposing to the development of osteoarthritis are:
- excessive weight;
- excessive physical activity (most often in athletes) or very little physical activity;
- past injuries;
- endocrine diseases.
Arthritis is inflammatory. There are causes of the disease such as:
- various infections;
- repeated joint damage and minor injuries;
- Metabolic disorders;
- allergy;
- deficiency of trace elements and vitamins.
Arthritis and Osteoarthritis Tests
For the early diagnosis of diseases affecting the supporting apparatus, the specialist should collect a complete history. The patient is advised to take the following tests and perform the specified examinations:
- A clinical blood test to determine the level of ESR (with arthritis the rate of erythrocyte sedimentation increases significantly, with osteoarthritis it is close to normal).
- Biochemical blood test to identify the lack of macro and micronutrients characteristic of arthritis.
- X-ray to help detect the bone deformity inherent in osteoarthritis and to determine the width of the joint space.
- MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), which allows you to identify changes in cartilage tissue in the early stages of the disease.
Cause of disease
The main difference between arthritis and osteoarthritis is the origin of the diseases. Arthritis is an infectious disease that causes inflammation of the joints. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative process that occurs in the body as a result of the natural wear and tear of the joints and aging, which causes the destruction of the layer of cartilage in the joint. Therefore, osteoarthritis is mainly characteristic of the elderly, and arthritis can be contracted at any age, even in childhood. Women are more likely to have arthritis. Osteoarthritis affects both women and men who have reached old age. Most often, arthritis is caused by:
- various infections;
- allergic reactions;
- joint damage;
- frequent minor injuries;
- Physical stress;
- Metabolic disorders;
- vitamin and mineral deficiency;
- autoimmune diseases;
- diseases of the nervous system.
In addition, arthritis often develops as a complication of osteoarthritis, but not the other way around. Osteoarthritis mainly results from:
- genetic predisposition;
- insufficient blood supply and bone nutrition;
- excessive stress on the joints;
- joint injuries;
- hypothermia.
Symptoms of joint disease
Although both diseases are accompanied by painful sensations, these sensations occur under different conditions. With arthritis, pain appears both during physical exertion, during sleep, and in the morning. With osteoarthritis, pain worries a person only during physical exertion.
Another characteristic difference between arthritis and osteoarthritis is the nature of the pain. Arthritis is characterized by sharp, strong, jerking pains, and osteoarthritis is dull and painful, accompanied by tightening.
Arthritis most commonly affects small joints, and osteoarthritis - large joints (especially the knee and hip). Osteoarthritis only affects the joints. In arthritis, the inflammation can spread to several joints as well as other organs. In addition, arthritis is accompanied by fever, swelling and redness in the affected area. Sometimes with arthritis, rheumatic nodules under the skin appear. Over time, osteoarthritis causes deformities in the joints, which can thin and take strange shapes.
Diagnostic
For diagnosis, similar methods are used (X-rays, computed tomography, laboratory tests), but their results will be different. In arthritis, a complete blood count will show an increased rate of erythrocyte sedimentation and an elevated concentration of C-reactive protein, leukocytes, and seromucoid. With osteoarthritis, such an analysis will not detect any deviations.
Treatment of arthritis and osteoarthritis
Various specialists are engaged in the treatment of diseases. Osteoarthritis is treated by an orthopedic traumatologist, and in case of arthritis, the cause of the disease is first established, then, depending on it, a specialist is selected. Diseases are treated with identical methods, using drugs and physiotherapy. If the disease has gone too far, surgery is used - stents or joint replacement. But there are also differences in the treatment of diseases. Arthritis requires immediate and active treatment, and osteoarthritis requires extensive and long-term treatment. Treatment for arthritis begins with changes in diet and lifestyle. Then the patient is prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics, as well as physiotherapy procedures. Osteoarthritis is treated with hormonal, anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs. Arthritis is usually completely cured, and osteoarthritis, which is a chronic disease, has irreversible consequences in the joints that cannot be treated - it is only possible to slow down the degenerative processes.
These two consonant-named diseases are similar in that they are symptoms of rheumatism. However, don't be confused: Osteoarthritis is a mechanical disease, and with arthritis, the joints become inflamed. In simpler terms, if the painful joints are swollen, the patient is suffering from arthritis. If the pain in the joints is weak, it is osteoarthritis. In this article we will try to explain in an accessible language how they differ. For those unfamiliar with medicine, it is difficult to distinguish between the two. Since both diseases are directly related to rheumatism. Both ailments cause pain and discomfort in the joints, which become immobile. The symptoms of these diseases, as well as the means to treat them, are very different.
What is the difference between arthritis and osteoarthritis?
The difference between arthritis and osteoarthritis is that with arthritis, the joints become inflamed. As a result, enzymes are released, resulting in their destruction. They form proteins that stick them together. It is one of the causes of pain. Most often this happens when a person is sleeping. With physical effort, he calms down a bit. The weakness is felt in the morning. This disease affects the joints of the legs and arms.
Arthritis can have different causes. For example, septic arthritis is caused by infection and rheumatoid arthritis is caused by decreased immunity. Gout develops due to metabolic disorders.
Joint changes occur with physiological changes. As a result, the skin may become hot or reddened.
How is arthritis treated?
To cure it, it is necessary to alleviate the symptoms and restore the mobility of the joints. To do this, it is recommended to try different methods. They can be combined if necessary. This will help determine which one works best. In addition, with these conditions, the results of a blood test differ. With osteoarthritis, protein levels increase. If the patient has arthritis, there is no change in the composition of the blood. When choosing a remedy used to get rid of these problems, one should take into account the type of this disease. Most often used for healing:
- corticosteroids;
- biological and anti-inflammatory drugs;
- pain relievers;
- anti-irritant drugs;
- anti-rheumatic drugs;
- therapeutic methods.
Physical activity is necessary to heal. With specialized exercises, you can strengthen your joints and keep your muscles toned. Sometimes staples or splints are used for this purpose. If other treatment methods do not help, doctors suggest removing the damaged joints. They are replaced by artificial ones. Most often, the knees are treated this way. Such an operation is performed to relieve discomfort and restore their activity. After this procedure, the destruction of the joints is slower. In addition, with surgical methods, it is common to perform an operation to cut up joint tissue. At the same time, foreign particles are removed from their shell. Patients undergo such operations to smooth rough surfaces and change the pressure angle.
How is osteoarthritis treated?
To cure this disease, you must reduce your risk factors. It is advisable for overweight people to eat well. Patients should watch their diet. This is especially true for those who have had surgery for a pathology of the bone structure.
If the patient's condition does not improve, you can get rid of the problems using anti-inflammatory drugs and pain relievers. In order not to have to use a prosthesis, the patient should be prescribed hyaluronic acid. It will also help relieve the discomfort.
You should not completely reduce physical activity. Exercise should be gentle on your health. This should prevent weight gain. If you suspect a particular illness, don't panic and try to treat it on your own. Prompt diagnosis and properly prescribed treatment increase your chances of a quick recovery.
The main differences
As mentioned above, osteoarthritis is a mechanical disease. With it, the articular cartilage periodically shrinks until it disappears. As a result, the rubbing bones are exposed. It mainly occurs in the elderly. In this case, patients note some characteristic features associated with the appearance of the joints. As a rule, it has the following reasons associated with injuries, abnormalities in the structure of the bones, excess weight. Most often, it affects the joints of the pelvis and knees. Often damages neck and spine joints. Unlike arthritis, osteoarthritis can cause significant discomfort when moving. The disadvantage disappears between walking, running, etc. But apart from unpleasant sensations, it cannot manifest itself as inflammation, which is why it is often called a "cold" disease.