How Do You Know if You Have Ra or Osteoarthritis?

• Arthritis/Osteoarthritis
• Bone and Articulation Health
• Health Topics
• Osteoarthritis

Osteo Vs. Rheumatoid Arthritis: Their Many Differences

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Both cause stiff, painful joints. Both are types of arthritis. Other than that, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis share little in mutual.

Their differences begin with what causes them. Osteoarthritis is more commonly occurs subsequently in life, after years of mechanical wear and tear on the cartilage which lines and cushions your joints. Rheumatoid arthritis, which tin can occur at most whatever age, is an autoimmune disease. That is, your body'southward immune arrangement attacks your joints.

Dr. Michael Raab explains the differences of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Click play to watch the video or read video transcript.

Here are other of import things to know about the key differences betwixt osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Disease Onset

Osteoarthritis tends to develop gradually over several years, as the joint cartilage wears away. Somewhen the bones of your joints rub against each other.

In contrast, the pain and stiffness of rheumatoid arthritis tin can develop and worsen over several weeks or a few months. In some cases, joint pain isn't the starting time sign of rheumatoid arthritis. It may as well begin with "influenza-like" symptoms, such as fatigue, fever, weakness, and small joint aches.

How Many Are Affected

Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis. It affects 27 million Americans. Rheumatoid arthritis (or RA) affects about one-tenth as many people.

In women, RA oft begins betwixt ages 30 and 60. With men, it often occurs later.

Articulation Stiffness

With osteoarthritis, balmy articulation stiffness is common in the morning and after an hour or more of inactivity during the solar day. As the joints start to be used and motility more, even subsequently just a few minutes, the stiffness and hurting improves.

In contrast, it tin take an hour or longer for the morning stiffness of rheumatoid arthritis to subside. In some cases, prolonged morning articulation stiffness is the beginning symptom of rheumatoid arthritis.

Symptoms

Osteoarthritis symptoms include:

• Articulation pain. This ranges from agonized to burning sensations to sharp pain. Osteoarthritis primarily affects the knees, hips, spine, hands, and anxiety, just can arise in other joints, likewise.
• Stiffness in the morning. This goes abroad with motion.
• Muscle weakness around the affected joint. This is mutual for the articulatio genus joint.
• Deformed joints. Especially as arthritis worsens
• Reduced range of motion and loss of joint use. Occurs equally arthritis severity progresses
• Cracking and creaking. Medically chosen "crepitus"

Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms include:

• Pain, stiffness, and swelling. Well-nigh normally in the joints of the hands, feet, wrists, elbows, knees, and ankles
• Inflammation. If not managed, inflammation can pb to permanent, irreversible joint impairment.
• Bumps or nodules. In some cases, these form over the elbows and knuckles.

Considered a systemic affliction, rheumatoid arthritis affects the unabridged torso and tin affect both sides of the trunk at the same time. For instance, while osteoarthritis may impact only the right or left knee joint, rheumatoid arthritis could simultaneously strike both knees.

In severe cases, rheumatoid arthritis may also affect the eyes, lungs, heart, nerves, or claret vessels. RA can heighten your risk of centre disease 50 per centum.

Diagnosis

Osteoarthritis diagnosis

While examining you to rule out other conditions, your doctor will ask you almost your symptoms:

• How practice you describe your pain? Burning, aching, or sharp?
• Practice you have forenoon joint stiffness? If so, how long does the stiffness last?
• Do your joints swell?

Your doc will examine you for joint tenderness and swelling, as well equally muscle weakness, to help make up one's mind whether you have arthritis. Your physician may also order X-rays to check for joint damage or claret tests to see if other conditions may be causing your hurting.

Rheumatoid Arthritis diagnosis

Timely diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis is of import. Permanent joint damage tin outset within a yr of having the affliction.

Your doctor volition conduct a physical exam to check your joints for signs of swelling or tenderness and will also ask almost your symptoms and health history.

Your md may gild blood tests, X-rays, and other tests.

Treatment

Osteoarthritis treatment

Treatment varies from one person to the side by side. Osteoarthritis is non reversible, simply the symptoms tin can be managed. Your doc will piece of work with you to determine the best treatment for you:

• Hurting medicine. Balmy pain may be treated with over-the-counter pain medicines such as acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). If these don't save your pain, your doctor may prescribe stronger medicine. Shots of medicine in the articulation help some people.
• Heat or ice. Heat may help relax the muscles around the affected articulation. Water ice can save pain and swelling after activeness or exercise. Your dr. may give you a gel or foam to help your joint pain.
• Weight loss, if you're overweight. Weight loss helps reduce stress on your joints. Every pound of torso weight lost takes 3-5 pounds of force per unit area off the lower extremity joints.
• Practise . Strengthening your muscles can reduce joint stress past offloading the joint itself. Movement is the best medicine for osteoarthritis. Talk with your doc virtually the type of activity that's best for you.
• Surgery. If other handling methods do not lessen the pain in a joint, such as your hip or knee, your doctor may recommend having surgery to replace the joint.

Rheumatoid Arthritis treatment

Treatment includes medicine, exercise, and lifestyle changes, which must continue throughout life. Seeking treatment early can control the condition and foreclose it from worsening.

Many RA medicines take side furnishings, and so regular medico checkups are important.

If your hurting and articulation office worsen later on trying medicine, exercise, and lifestyle changes, your medico may recommend surgery, such every bit total joint replacement of the hip or knee.

To improve your life with rheumatoid arthritis:

• Rest when tired.
• Use splints, canes, walkers, and devices. For instance, special kitchen gadgets or doorknobs to protect your joints.
• Eat a balanced nutrition.
• Exercise regularly.
• Maintain a healthy weight.

It's easy to get the care you need.

See a Premier Dr. Network provider near you lot.

Source:

• Michael Raab, Medico
• Premier Orthopedics

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Source: https://www.premierhealth.com/your-health/articles/women-wisdom-wellness-/osteo-vs.-rheumatoid-arthritis-their-many-differences

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