Arthritis and osteoarthritis are often confused because of the similarity of the names. Yes, and both diseases affect the joints (for example, there is arthritis and osteoarthritis of the knee joint). The affected joints become inflamed, swollen and painful. Otherwise, these are completely different diseases. Let's try to figure out how arthritis differs from osteoarthritis?
The difference between arthritis and osteoarthritis
Arthritis is accompanied by inflammation of the articular joints, which in turn leads to impaired motor functions. The patient has discomfort, he has severe or excruciating pain, both during physical activity and at rest, especially in the morning. The skin around the joint becomes swollen, red and itchy. Body temperature often rises. Osteoarthritis is a disease in which degenerative processes occur in the articular cartilage. Modified cartilage ceases to handle the load and is gradually destroyed. The pain caused by the load usually passes during rest. The tissues around the joint become swollen and inflamed. Progressive disease causes cartilage destruction and acute deformation 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, derived from other diseases or genetically determined.
Predisposing factors for the development of osteoarthritis are:
- Overweight;
- Excessive physical activity (most often in athletes) or very low physical activity;
- Past injuries;
- Endocrine diseases.
Arthritis is inflammatory. There are such causes of the disease as:
- Various infections;
- Joint damage and recurrent light injuries;
- Metabolic disorders;
- Allergy;
- Deficiency of trace elements and vitamins.
Analysis of arthritis and arthrosis
For early diagnosis of diseases that affect the skeletal apparatus, a specialist should collect a complete history. The patient is given the following tests and defined examinations:
- Clinical blood test to determine the ESR level (with arthritis, the erythrocyte sedimentation rate increases significantly, while with arthrosis it is close to normal).
- Biochemical blood test to determine the deficiency of macro and micronutrients characteristic of arthritis.
- X-ray to determine congenital bone deformity of arthrosis and to determine the width of the joint space.
- MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), which allows you to detect cartilage changes in the early stages of the disease.
The cause of the disease
The main difference between arthritis and osteoarthritis is the origin of the disease. 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 of the joints, which leads to the destruction of the cartilage layer in the joint. Therefore, osteoarthritis is mainly characteristic of the elderly and arthritis can be infected 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 commonly, arthritis is caused by:
- Various infections;
- Allergic reactions;
- Damage to joints;
- Frequent light injuries;
- Physical stress;
- Metabolic disorders;
- Deficiency of vitamins and minerals;
- Autoimmune disorders;
- Diseases of the nervous system.
In addition, arthritis often develops as a complication of osteoarthritis, but not vice versa. Osteoarthritis is mainly the result of:
- Genetic predisposition;
- Insufficient blood supply and bone nutrition;
- Excessive stress on the joints;
- Joint injuries;
- Hypothermia.
Symptoms of joint diseases
Although both diseases are accompanied by painful sensations, these sensations arise under different conditions. With arthritis, pain occurs both during physical activity and during sleep and in the morning. With osteoarthritis, pain bothers a person only during physical activity.
Another characteristic difference between arthritis and osteoarthritis is the nature of the pain. Arthritis is characterized by sharp, intense, and excruciating pain, while arthrosis is dull and painful, accompanied by a crisis.
Arthritis most often affects the small joints and arthrosis - the large joints (especially the knee and hip). Arthritis only affects the joints. In arthritis, inflammation can spread to several joints as well as other organs. In addition, arthritis is accompanied by fever, swelling, and redness of the affected area. Sometimes with arthritis, subcutaneous rheumatic nodules appear. Over time, arthrosis causes the joints to deform, which can become thin and take strange shapes.
Diagnosis
Similar methods are used for diagnosis (X-ray, computed tomography, laboratory tests), but their results are different. In arthritis, complete blood counts show erythrocyte sedimentation rate and high concentrations of C-reactive protein, leukocytes, and seromucoids. With osteoarthritis, such an analysis will not find any deviation.
Treatment of arthritis and osteoarthritis
Various specialists are engaged in the treatment of diseases. Arthritis is treated by an orthopedic traumatologist, and in arthritis the cause of the disease is first determined, and then, depending on it, a specialist is chosen. Diseases are treated with identical methods, using medication and physiotherapy. If the disease has gone too far, then surgery - endoprosthesis or joint replacement is used. But there are also some differences in the treatment of diseases. Arthritis requires immediate and active therapy, while arthrosis requires long and thorough treatment. Arthritis treatment begins with a change in diet and lifestyle. The patient is then prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics as well as physiotherapy procedures. Osteoarthritis is treated with hormonal, anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs. Arthritis is generally completely curable, and arthrosis, which is a chronic disease, causes irreversible consequences in the joints that are incurable - it is only possible to slow down the degenerative processes.
These two diseases of consonant names are similar in that they are symptoms of rheumatism. However, do not be confused: arthritis is a mechanical disease and with arthritis the joints become inflamed. Simply put, if the painful joints are swollen, the patient has arthritis. If the pain in the joints is weak, it is arthrosis. In this article we will try to explain in different languages 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 diseases cause joint pain and discomfort, which becomes real. The symptoms of these diseases and the ways to treat them are very different.
What is the difference between arthritis and osteoarthritis?
The difference between arthritis and osteoarthritis is that arthritis inflames the joints. As a result, enzymes are released, causing them to be destroyed. They form proteins that bind them together. This is one of the causes of pain. Most often it happens when a person is asleep. With physical exertion, it calms down slightly. Weakness is felt in the morning. This disease affects the joints of the feet and hands.
Arthritis can have a variety of causes. For example, septic arthritis is caused by infection, while rheumatoid arthritis is caused by impaired immunity. Gout develops due to metabolic disorders.
Joint changes occur along with physiological changes. As a result, the skin may become warm or reddened.
How is arthritis treated?
Its cure requires relief of symptoms and restoration of joint mobility. It is recommended to try different methods for this. They can be combined if necessary. This will help you determine which one works best. Also, with these diseases, blood test results vary. With osteoarthritis, protein levels increase. If the patient has arthritis, there are no changes in the composition of the blood. When choosing a treatment to treat such problems, you need to consider the type of disease. The most commonly used for treatment are:
- Corticosteroids;
- Biological and anti-inflammatory drugs;
- Analgesics;
- Anti-irritant drugs;
- Antirheumatic drugs;
- Therapeutic methods.
Physical activity is required for healing. With the help of specialized exercises you can strengthen the joints and maintain muscle tone. Staples or debris are sometimes used for this purpose. If other methods of therapy do not help, doctors recommend removal of damaged joints. They are replaced by artificial ones. Most often, such treatment occurs on the knees. Such an operation is done to remove the discomfort and restore their activity. After this procedure, the destruction of the joints occurs slowly. In addition, surgical methods are usually performed to remove the joint tissue. At the same time, foreign particles are removed from their shells. Patients undergo such operations to straighten rough surfaces and change the pressure angle.
How is osteoarthritis treated?
In order to cure this disease, you need to reduce the risk factors. Those who are overweight are advised to eat properly. Patients should control their diet. This is especially true for those who have undergone surgery for bone structure pathology.
If the patient's condition does not improve, you can get rid of the problems by using 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 you to remove the discomfort.
You do not need to completely reduce physical activity. Exercise should be easy on your health. This should prevent weight gain. If you suspect a specific disease, do not be intimidated and do not try to treat it yourself. Timely diagnosis and properly prescribed treatment increases the chances of a speedy 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, rubbing the bones is exposed. It is mainly found in the elderly. In this case, patients point to certain characteristic features associated with joint formation. Typically, it has the following causes, which are related to injuries, abnormalities of bone structure, excess weight. Most often, it affects the pelvic and knee joints. Often damages the neck and spine joints. Unlike arthritis, arthrosis can cause significant discomfort during movement. Discomfort goes through walking, running, and so on. Sh. But in addition to the unpleasant sensations, it can not express the form of inflammation, so it is often called a "cold" disease.