Osteoarthritis and arthritis affect the joints and have similar symptoms. Therefore, they are often confused. Even their names are consistent, however, they are completely different diseases. If arthropathy destroys the joints, then arthritis causes an inflammatory process throughout the body. This is the fundamental difference between osteoarthritis and arthritis. Now in more detail.
The most important thing about arthritis
Arthritis is a progressive disease caused by infection, immune system disorders or metabolic disorders, hormonal disorders. There are over 200 varieties. The main symptom of arthritis is inflammation in the joint area, swelling, redness of the skin. In an advanced form, the disease gives complications to the heart, kidneys and liver. People aged 25 to 40 are at risk.
Arthritis symptoms
The disease can be hidden. The first signs of arthritis are usually:
- Pain. It comes on suddenly and gets worse with movement. It is more strongly felt at night, after sleep, stiffness is felt.
- Tissue changes. Arthritis is characterized by swelling and redness of the skin, arthritis and bursitis are possible (in the first case, this is inflammation of the synovial membrane, in the second, the synovial sac).
- Temperature rise. As a rule, the temperature rises in the affected joints. A high body temperature (38-39 degrees) can also be observed.
Symptoms aggravate the manifestations of the inflammatory process:
- forfeiture?
- painful urination;
- chills;
- conjunctivitis.
If the symptoms are ignored, the disease will become chronic. As a result, the work of the internal organs will be disturbed, and the modification of the joints can lead to disability.
The most important thing about arthritis
Osteoarthritis is a non-inflammatory disease that leads to deformation and destruction of cartilage tissue. Cartilage covers the surface of the joint and prevents the bones from touching each other. When in order, the person moves freely and painlessly. The causes of the pathology can be different: heredity, deviations in the structure of the joints, injuries, excessive loads. Unlike arthritis, the disease only affects the joints.
Osteoarthritis usually develops in older people, as joint surfaces wear down with age. The disease is also found in people who, due to occupation, put a lot of strain on the joints of the hands, wrists and feet. Therefore, arthropathy is also called "athletes' disease" or "pianists' disease".
Arthritis symptoms
The disease is indolent. In the initial stage, symptoms may not appear. The first symptoms of osteoarthritis are usually the following:
- The joint is immobile after sleep or long rest, but this quickly disappears with movement.
- Crackling, rattling, clicking - all this is accompanied by a dull sound.
- Pain on movement and exertion.
In the last stages of arthropathy, the symptoms are already noticeable: the joint becomes more immobile, pain appears, and the "hard joint" syndrome also develops - the soft cartilage tissue is replaced by bony growths. The development of the disease leads to immobilization of one or more joints.
Distinctive signs of arthritis and gout
By carefully studying the symptoms and causes of arthritis and gout, you can easily see the difference. We combined the disease differences to make this difference even more apparent.
warranty |
arthropathy |
Arthritis |
affected area |
Joints, cartilage, spaces between bones |
Joints, bones, internal organs: heart, liver, kidneys |
The nature of the disease |
Degenerate, destructive. Only the joints are affected |
Inflammatory. The disease affects the internal organs |
Common causes |
Increased pressure on joints, heredity |
Serious infection, metabolic disorder |
Age |
It develops in people of mature or advanced age. Risk factor - activities associated with excessive pressure on the joints |
It develops in people from 25-40 years of age, but it also appears in teenagers and children |
Pain |
Often this is a mild pain that occurs during movement and power loads. In later stages, the pain becomes more intense. |
The pain is aggravated by movement, worse in the early morning. |
Crackling and tingling |
Deaf clicks, dry clicking or grinding are characteristic |
It doesn't belong in the features |
Deformation |
The joint is deformed, an inflammatory process is manifested |
There are seals, swelling, redness and fever in the joint area. Distortion occurs if one disease has evolved into another. |
Reduced mobility |
Arthropathy involves only the affected joint. |
Stiffness throughout the body or in a joint |
Acute symptoms |
The joint "hardens" due to the formation of bony growths. In this case, the person can no longer move their leg or toes. |
High temperature - 38-39 degrees, conjunctivitis develops, there is damage and fever |
Development of symptoms |
It develops slowly, in the initial stage it is asymptomatic |
In the initial stage, there are symptoms of inflammation in the area of the affected joint. |
Arthritis and arthritis prevention
The disease is easier to prevent than to cure. Disease prevention includes:
- Moderate physical activity - gym, swimming pool, skiing, cycling are suitable.
- Joint exercise - you can do this with an exercise therapy instructor or stretch your joints at home.
- Proper nutrition - if there is a tendency to bone disease, it is worth giving up red meat and foods with a high fat content. It is better to add more fruits and vegetables, fish and seafood to the diet. If you are overweight, you should follow a diet.
- Drink enough water - 2 liters a day. It is recommended to give up alcohol.
To reduce the risk of illness, doctors recommend wearing comfortable shoes, not sitting cross-legged, not getting cold, and not succumbing to stress.
If you are experiencing arthritis or arthritis-like symptoms, make an appointment with our Orthopedic Center. These diseases significantly reduce the quality of life, so it is important to diagnose them early and start treatment.