Osteoarthritis vs Rheumatoid Arthritis
Arthritis means inflammation in joints. The suffix (the ending letters) “itis” denotes the inflammation. Even though both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis cause pain in the joint, the causes and clinical symptoms are different. Basically osteo arthritis occurs in large joints where the weight bearing and tearing occur. The obese people can develop osteoarthritis. Overuse of the joints and destruction cause inflammation of the joints. Inflammation has five characters; pain, heat, swelling, redness, and loss of normal function. The pain is maximum in the evening or after a severe work to joint.
Rheumatoid arthritis is caused by antibodies attacking the joint membranes (joints have a bag and lubricants to reduce friction). This synovial membranes, when inflamed, the signs and symptoms of inflammation will commence. The anti bodies are deposited in night so the pain in rheumatoid arthritis is more in the morning. Joint stiffness will be there. However with the movement, pain will reduce or vanish. When antibodies destroy small joints, the inflammation will be more prominent.
The deformity occurs with time. Usually, Non Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs (NSAID) and disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD) are given to control the disease progression.
Compared to rheumatoid arthritis, the osteoarthritis is treated mainly with simple pain killers (Paracetamol) and the patients are adviced to reduce the weight.
Rheumatoid factor, which may be found in the blood, may help to diagnose the rheumatoid arthritis, but it is not present in all rheumatoid arthritis. With the absence of the factor, it called sero negative arthritis.
As rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic disease (may affect the other part of body); other diseases related with antibodies are present.
Usually, family history plays a role in developing the disease.
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