Arthritis and osteoarthritis diseases are often confused because of the similarity of names. Yes, and both conditions affect the joints (e. g. arthritis and osteoarthritis of the knee joint). Affected joints become inflamed, swollen, and painful. Otherwise, they are completely different diseases. Let's try to find out how arthritis is different from osteoarthritis.
Difference Between Arthritis and Osteoarthritis
Arthritis is accompanied by inflammation of the joint joints, which in turn leads to impairment of motor functions. The patient feels uncomfortable, has acute or painful pain, both during physical activity and at rest, especially in the morning. The skin around the joint swells, becomes red and tight. The body temperature often rises. Osteoarthritis is a disease in which degenerative processes occur in the articular cartilage. The changed cartilage can no longer cope with the load falling on it and is gradually destroyed. Pain caused by exertion usually goes away with rest. The tissue around the joint swells and becomes inflamed. The progressive disease leads to the destruction of the cartilage and severe deformities of the joints. The difference between osteoarthritis and arthritis lies in the causes of diseases. Osteoarthritis happens:
- primary, usually associated with age;
- secondary, due to other diseases or genetic.
The predisposing factors for the development of osteoarthritis are:
- excessive weight;
- excessive physical activity (mostly in athletes) or very little physical activity;
- previous injuries;
- endocrine diseases.
Arthritis is inflammatory. There are such causes of the disease as:
- various infections;
- Joint damage and repeated minor injuries;
- Metabolic disorders;
- Allergy;
- Lack of trace elements and vitamins.
Analyzes for arthritis and osteoarthritis
For the early detection of diseases that affect the supporting apparatus, the specialist must collect a complete anamnesis. The patient is asked to pass the following tests and perform the specified exams:
- A clinical blood test to determine the level of ESR (in arthritis the rate of erythrocyte sedimentation increases significantly, in osteoarthritis it is almost normal).
- Biochemical blood test to determine the lack of macro and micronutrients characteristic of arthritis.
- X-rays to identify the bone deformity inherent in osteoarthritis and determine the width of the joint space
- MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), which allows you to see changes in cartilage tissue in the early stages of the disease.
Cause of the disease
The main difference between arthritis and osteoarthritis is the origin of 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 natural wear and tear on the joints and aging, which causes the destruction of the cartilage layer in the joint. Therefore, osteoarthritis is mainly characteristic of the elderly, and arthritis can occur at any age, including 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 reaction;
- Joint damage;
- frequent minor injuries;
- physical strain;
- Metabolic disorders;
- Lack of vitamins and minerals;
- Autoimmune diseases;
- Nervous system disorders.
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 load on the joints;
- Joint injuries;
- Hypothermia.
Symptoms of joint disease
Despite the fact that both diseases are accompanied by painful sensations, these sensations appear in different conditions. In arthritis, pain occurs both during physical exertion and during sleep and in the morning. With osteoarthritis, pain worries a person only during physical exertion.
Another distinctive difference between arthritis and osteoarthritis is the type of pain. Arthritis is characterized by sharp, severe, and twitching pain, and osteoarthritis is dull and painful, accompanied by a crunch.
Arthritis most commonly affects small joints and osteoarthritis - large joints (especially knees and hips). Osteoarthritis only affects the joints. In arthritis, inflammation can spread to multiple joints as well as other organs. In addition, arthritis is associated with fever, swelling, and redness in the affected area. Sometimes subcutaneous rheumatoid nodules appear in arthritis. Osteoarthritis causes deformation of the joints over time, which can become thinner and take on strange shapes.
diagnosis
Similar methods are used for diagnosis (X-rays, computed tomography, laboratory tests), but the results are different. In arthritis, a complete blood count shows an increase in the rate of erythrocyte sedimentation and a high concentration of C-reactive protein, leukocytes, and seromucoid. In the case of osteoarthritis, such an analysis will not reveal any deviations.
Treatment of arthritis and osteoarthritis
Various specialists deal with the treatment of diseases. Osteoarthritis is treated by an orthopedic traumatologist, and for arthritis, the cause of the disease is first determined and 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 performed - arthroplasty or joint replacement. But there are also some differences in the treatment of diseases. Arthritis requires immediate and active therapy, and osteoarthritis requires long-term and thorough treatment. Treatment for arthritis begins with diet and lifestyle changes. 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, in general, is completely cured, and osteoarthritis, a chronic disease, causes irreversible consequences in the joints that cannot be treated - it is only possible to slow down degenerative processes.
These two consonant name diseases are similar in that they are symptoms of rheumatism. Don't be confused, however: osteoarthritis is a mechanical disease, and arthritis causes the joints to become inflamed. In simpler terms, when sore joints are swollen, the patient has arthritis. If the pain in the joints is weak, then it is osteoarthritis. In this article we will try to explain in accessible language how they differ. For those unfamiliar with medicine, it is difficult to distinguish between the two. Because both diseases are directly related to rheumatism. Both ailments cause pain and discomfort in the joints that become immobile. The symptoms of these diseases, as well as the methods of treatment, vary widely.
What is the difference between arthritis and osteoarthritis?
The difference between arthritis and osteoarthritis is that arthritis causes the joints to become inflamed. As a result, enzymes are released, which leads to their destruction. They make proteins that hold them together. This is one of the causes of pain. Most often, it occurs when a person is sleeping. It subsides a little with physical exertion. Weakness is felt in the morning. This disease affects the joints of the legs and arms.
Arthritis can have a number of 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 along with physiological changes. As a result, the skin can become warm or reddened.
How is arthritis treated?
To cure it, it is necessary to relieve symptoms and restore mobility to the joints. To do this, it is recommended that you try different methods. They can be combined if necessary. This will help determine which one works best. The results of a blood test also differ for these complaints. Protein levels rise with osteoarthritis. If the patient has arthritis, the composition of the blood does not change. When choosing a drug that will be used to get rid of such problems, it is necessary to take into account the nature of this disease. Most Commonly Used for Healing:
- Corticosteroids;
- biological and anti-inflammatory drugs;
- Analgesics;
- anti-irritant drugs;
- Anti-inflammatory drugs;
- therapeutic methods.
Physical activity is required to heal. With special exercises, you can strengthen your joints and tone your muscles. Sometimes staples or splints are used for this purpose. If other therapy methods don't help, doctors recommend removing the damaged joints. They are being replaced by artificial ones. Mostly knees are treated like this. Such an operation is performed to relieve discomfort and restore their activity. After this process, the destruction of the joints is slower. In addition, it is common in surgical procedures to perform an operation to excise the 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?
In order to cure this disease, you need to reduce your risk factors. It is recommended that people who are overweight eat properly. Patients need to monitor their diet. This is especially true for those who have undergone surgery for bone structure pathology.
If the patient's condition does not improve, then you can get rid of the problems with anti-inflammatory drugs and analgesics. In order not to have to use a prosthesis, the patient should be prescribed hyaluronic acid. It will also help relieve discomfort.
You shouldn't cut back on physical activity completely. Exercise should protect your health. This should prevent weight gain. If you suspect a specific disease, don't panic and try not to treat it yourself. Timely diagnosis and properly prescribed treatment will increase your chances of a speedy recovery.
The main differences
As mentioned above, osteoarthritis is a mechanical disease. This causes the articular cartilage to periodically shrink until it disappears. This will expose the friction bones. It mainly occurs in the elderly. In this case, patients note certain characteristic features associated with the appearance of the joints. Usually the following causes related to injuries, abnormalities in bone structure, obesity. The joints of the pelvis and knees are most commonly affected. Often damages the joints of the neck and spine. Unlike arthritis, osteoarthritis can cause significant discomfort when moving. The discomfort disappears between walking, running and so on. However, apart from unpleasant sensations, it cannot manifest itself in the form of inflammation, which is why it is often referred to as "the common cold".