Understanding Differences Between Osteoarthritis vs Rheumatoid Arthritis

Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are both conditions that impact joint health. But the way they progress and their treatment offers diverge. This post highlights important differences between rheumatoid arthritis vs osteoarthritis.  

RA and OA: What You Need to Know

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease; if affected, your immune system will attack your joint linings. The disease can enter remission with treatment. However, osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic and progressive disease that develops when due to prior injury or aging you experience a breakdown of the cartilage between your joints. This results in pain and possible deformity of the affected joints and bones.  

Key Differences between Osteoarthritis vs Rheumatoid Arthritis

One key rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis difference is what causes joint damage in each condition. As an autoimmune disease, RA develops due to malfunction in the immune system that causes your body to attack its own joint linings. In contrast, OA joint damage is typically due to wear and tear, progressing slowly with time instead of with the periods of flares and remission that are typical for RA sufferers.

Rheumatoid Arthritis vs Osteoarthritis Symptoms

OA sufferers typically notice symptoms in joints that are widely used, meaning the onset of knee osteoarthritis may be the first sign of a problem. Symptoms typically include swelling and joint dysfunction, along with pain and stiffness, or cracking, popping and grinding sounds that manifest with joint movement.

RA sufferers often experience pain in the smaller joints of the hands and feet. Plus, with RA, you may also experience fatigue, loss of appetite, a low-grade fevers, skin lumps known as nodules and stiffness with waking.

Diagnosis and Treatment Options

Identifying your disease risk factors and seeking prompt medical attention can help you receive an accurate diagnosis. Risk factors for OA include age; a history of joint injuries; overuse of joints; obesity; and family history. RA risk factors are less clear, though weight and family history do seem to play a role. However, when it comes to osteoarthritis vs rheumatoid arthritis, being a woman, smoking or certain chemical exposures increase your RA risk, while these factors do not seem to play a significant role in OA risk.

Now, both OA and RA are incurable, and existing damage to your joints can’t be reversed. However, with medications and lifestyle modifications, you should be able to enter RA remission. Some patients with OA may find symptom relief by taking pain medications such as acetaminophen or non-steroidal anti-inflammatories. But many may also require a medical intervention such as the genicular artery embolization (GAE) procedure to get relief. But what is GAE? In short, it’s a minimally invasive procedure that provides OA knee pain relief by interrupting the flow of blood flow to the knee joint lining. While not an option for everyone, you can request a consultation request a consultation request a consultation with the Texas Knee Institute to learn more about this procedure and explore your candidacy.