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| Differences Between Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis |
Rheumatoid arthritis and
osteoarthritis are two different diseases, despite two "sound" very
similar and both affecting the joints causing joint problems. Let's see the
differences between them.
It is logical that rheumatoid
arthritis and osteoarthritis are confused, that is why in this article we will
review the differences between these two disorders.
The term
"arthritis" is used a lot as if it was a single condition, but the
word can refer to many different types of conditions that involve joint
pain. One is degenerative - osteoarthritis (OA) - and the other is an
autoimmune condition - rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Broadly speaking, rheumatoid
arthritis is a curable disease caused by an inflammatory process in the joint,
while osteoarthritis is an irreversible disease caused by the wear and tear of
cartilage.
These two
rheumatological diseases cause pain in the areas of the body where they
develop. Knowing the differences is important, as effective and rapid detection
can be vital to prevent or slow its progression.
There are similarities
between the two conditions. For example, both cause chronic joint pain,
and both are more common in women. But they have different causes,
symptoms, treatments, and prognoses. Find out more about how to
differentiate them.
Rheumatoid arthritis and
osteoarthritis are two of the most common rheumatic diseases. Both disorders
have in common that they occur with pain and that they are more frequent in
women. However, there are many other ways in which they differ.
Here are these
differences.
1.
Damaged Tissue
The main difference between rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis (and from which all the others derive) is the tissue that is affected:
Rheumatoid Arthritis:
Rheumatoid Arthritis is
a disease in which inflammation of the joints occurs due to excess synovial
fluid. In it, the synovial membrane is damaged, a structure that is responsible
for producing synovial fluid, which works as a lubricant in the joints to allow
proper movement.
Under normal
conditions, this synovial fluid is being reabsorbed. However, with the
development of this disease, it spreads through the joint, causing the bone and
cartilage to constantly rub against each other. This leads to an erosion of
these two structures, which causes pain.
Osteoarthritis:
Osteoarthritis is a disease characterized by the degeneration of cartilage. Cartilages are
structures found in the joints and that are located between the bones,
functioning as a kind of pad that prevents these bones from rubbing against
each other.
With osteoarthritis,
these cartilages in the joints wear out in a chronic degenerative process that
ends up assuming their loss. Not having cartilage means that the bones erode
one another, which causes pain and loss of mobility of the joints.
2.
Causes
The origin of these two
diseases is also different.
Rheumatoid Arthritis:
Rheumatoid Arthritis is
a disease that can have different causes. The most common of these is an
autoimmune disorder in which the body attacks certain cells by mistake, thus
damaging the synovium and causing excess inflammatory fluid. Although it
continues to be studied, this appears to be the most common cause.
Rheumatoid Arthritis can
also be due to an infection, as there are certain pathogens (bacteria and
viruses) that are capable of reaching the joints and reproducing in them. This
causes the cells of the immune system to move to them and start the
inflammatory process, which in this case is a response to an external threat.
Another cause of rheumatoid
arthritis is trauma, as a severe contusion to the joints can cause injuries in
which synovial fluid spreads through the joint. This also explains the
inflammation and pain with which the disease occurs.
Osteoarthritis:
Osteoarthritis is a
chronic degenerative process, so it does not have the same causes as arthritis.
Osteoarthritis is usually simply related to aging since cartilage wear over
the years can end up causing it to be lost, giving rise to this pathology.
However, it is true
that there are some risk factors such as obesity because the cartilage must
support more weight than normal, it wears out more easily. Another risk factor
is being an elite athlete or any other person with a job in which there is
continuous overstressing of the joints.
3.
Affected Population and Frequency
These two diseases do
not affect the same people nor do they occur with the same frequency in the
population.
Rheumatoid Arthritis:
The main characteristic
of rheumatoid arthritis is that it can affect anyone regardless of gender or
age. Although it is usually more common in women between 30 and 50 years old,
as it is an autoimmune disease or of infectious origin, its incidence is not
understood by population groups.
Also, rheumatoid arthritis
is less common than osteoarthritis. It is estimated that it affects between
0.3% and 1% of the world population, which means that in the world there are
between 100 and 200 million people affected by this disorder. Both conditions are more common in women; 75% of
people with rheumatoid arthritis are
women.
Osteoarthritis:
Osteoarthritis
are the most common forms of arthritis, about 10 times more common than rheumatoid
arthritis. Osteoarthritis affects an
estimated 27 million Americans, while rheumatoid arthritis affects 1.3
million.
Osteoarthritis, on the
other hand, being due to a degenerative process of the cartilage, affects more
the elderly population, especially women. It usually shows symptoms from the
age of 40, although these gradually worsen as age increases.
Osteoarthritis is much
more common than arthritis. In fact, almost 50% of the population develops osteoarthritis
to a greater or lesser degree. After the age of 80, almost all people have
signs of suffering from osteoarthritis, since it is almost inevitable that
throughout life there has been no wear of the cartilage.
4.
Symptoms
Symptoms also vary
depending on the disease. Although both are characterized by joint pain and
joint stiffness, especially in the morning, there are some differences to take
into account:
Rheumatoid Arthritis:
The main sign of rheumatoid
arthritis is that the pain in the joint is greater during rest, although during
movement is also observed. Joint stiffness appears upon waking, and it can
take up to an hour to regain proper mobility.
Rheumatoid arthritis is
usually a general discomfort, although it is felt more in the joints with more
movement, especially hands, feet, knees, wrists, elbows...
In addition to this
pain that intensifies with rest, there is heat, redness, and swelling in the
joint. All these symptoms are due to inflammation caused by excess synovial
fluid.
It can be linked to
other symptoms: tiredness, fever (if there is an infection), dry mouth,
hoarseness, tingling in the extremities, etc.
Osteoarthritis:
In osteoarthritis,
unlike arthritis, the pain is greater during movement. Morning joint stiffness
does not take an hour to go away, but usually within a few minutes. Although rheumatoid
arthritis was when there was more pain, being at rest is a relief for those
affected by this disease, since there is no friction between the bones and
therefore there is no pain.
Osteoarthritis is not a
general discomfort like rheumatoid arthritis was, but rather it is
characterized by localized pain at a very specific point. Arthrosis of the
hands are the most common osteoarthritis, as it has the most susceptible joints
to be worn out, although osteoarthritis of the knees, feet, and hips is also
typical.
In osteoarthritis, as
there is no inflammatory process, there is no heat release from the joint or
redness. However, you may notice some numbness and even swelling.
5.
Diagnosis
Detecting the presence
of these two diseases early is essential to start the appropriate treatments.
Rheumatoid Arthritis:
In the case of
arthritis, the rheumatologist will observe the type of inflammation that the
patient suffers. To confirm that you have developed arthritis, blood or
synovial fluid tests are performed to see the presence of autoimmune disorders
or infective processes.
Osteoarthritis:
On the other hand, in osteoarthritis, as it is a simply degenerative process, it would not be useful
to perform blood or synovial fluid tests, since no abnormality would be
observed.
Osteoarthritis is
diagnosed by a mere physical examination and analysis of symptoms. The clinical
picture is the most important part of the detection, since taking X-rays is not
always useful, since there are times when there is osteoarthritis and the
X-rays come out well. Or vice versa, since X-rays seem to indicate signs of osteoarthritis
but the person does not have any symptoms.
6.
Treatment
Once one of the two
diseases are detected, the corresponding treatment is started:
Rheumatoid Arthritis:
Rheumatoid Arthritis is
treated with anti-inflammatory drugs, as they are designed to reduce excess
inflammation to alleviate symptoms. In addition to resting the joint to reduce
excess synovial fluid, it can be treated with antibiotics if the origin of the disorder is an infection. Ultimately, rheumatoid arthritis is a disease that
with proper treatment is curable.
Osteoarthritis:
On the other hand, osteoarthritis is a disease for which there is no cure since cartilage wear is
irreversible. Therefore, it becomes a chronic disorder with a treatment based
on preventing the degeneration from going further.
For those with mild osteoarthritis symptoms, several lifestyle changes are recommended to help manage symptoms. These include:
The therapy is focused
on using medications that reduce pain (analgesics) and improve joint mobility.
It is also advisable to avoid being overweight and doing physical activity, as
long as it does not force the affected joint.
If you're experiencing joint pain, don't self-diagnose
or just assume that you have arthritis. Make an appointment with your
primary care doctor to discuss your symptoms. If necessary, your primary
care physician will refer you to a rheumatologist, a doctor who specializes in
musculoskeletal and autoimmune diseases.
With a proactive approach to
lifestyle, making appropriate changes in the way things are done, and keeping
physically active, with medications as prescribed during regular check-ups, osteoarthritis patients can experience significant relief in pain and mood.
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