Arthritis and osteoarthritis what is the difference? How to distinguish the arthritis?

Arthritis and osteoarthritis – a disease that affects the joints. They are the cause of pain during movement, significantly reduce the quality of life. Arthritis and osteoarthritis what is the difference? To understand what is different from rheumatoid arthritis need to know the general characteristics, the flow characteristics and the risk factors for each disease.

What happens when rheumatoid arthritis?

When this disease developed an inflammatory process that affects the entire body. The causes of the development of the disease may be infection (infectious), injury (traumatic), autoimmune diseases (rheumatoid arthritis).

Rheumatoid arthritis in the body is present all the signs of inflammation:

• The increase in body temperature, fever;
• The increase in total blood proteins, immunoglobulins, c-reactive protein;
• Can accompany an inflammatory process, which were not detected previously.

What happens when osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis is a disease caused by the degradation of cartilage tissue. The inflammatory process with this, is localized only in the joint cavity, is a consequence of the deformation of the joint. In consequence of high loads on the junction, due to advanced age, after the injury can cause deformation of the bone parts, the checking of the friction between the surfaces of the joint. The result is a thinning and the deformation of the cartilage tissue.

During this disease in the body there are obvious signs of inflammation:

• The increase in the local temperature (only in the common area concerned);
• Biochemistry and the analysis of the blood in the norm;
• Occurs when the deformation of the cartilage, does not accompany the other inflammation.

The similarities and differences of the diseases.

Both diseases are like the similarities and the differences. The main similarity of the arthritis and osteoarthritis are the symptoms:

• Creaking, squeaking when the movements;
• Pain;
• Limitation of mobility;
• Swelling, redness in the afflicted area joint.

However, the difference between arthritis and arthrosis substantial similarity.

1. Age. Osteoarthritis is a disease that affects the elderly, and the elderly. Is connected with the fascia of the degradation of the cartilage in the joints. The arthritis usually affects young people, is the result of a long period of infection infection, inflammation in the body.
2. The localization of the process. Osteoarthritis develops only in the knee, under the action of risk factors (age, frequent overload, excess weight, etc.). Arthritis affects the entire body, it can cause a rise in the internal temperature of the body, the heat.
3. The sensation of pain. With osteoarthritis pain, pain in extremity occurs when movements, assumes a permanent character, with the development of the disease. Arthritis occurs in acute, constant pain.
4. Deformation of the joint. With osteoarthritis bony components of the connection are subject to deformation due to the degradation of cartilage tissue. The arthritis does not cause alterations of the articular surfaces of the bones.
5. The loss of motor function of the joint. The development of the arthritis causes limitation of motion gradually. Arthritis limits the movement only in the acute period of the disease.

The difference in the causes of arthritis and osteoarthritis, the most common causes.

To better understand what is the difference between the two diseases – arthritis and osteoarthritis – it is necessary to know the causes of their onset.

The causes of arthritis often become:

• Infection (viral, bacterial, fungal);
• Allergies, auto-immune diseases.

The basic premise of the development of osteoarthritis:

• Overload of the joint (type of activity, excess weight);
• Age degradation of cartilage tissue.

In addition, there are a number of reasons common to both diseases:

• Injury;
• Violations of the metabolic processes in the body;
• Insufficient intake of vitamins and minerals;
• The defects of the pathology of bone and cartilage.

The difference in the symptoms of the disease.

Signs of arthritis and osteoarthritis differ in nature, severity, time of onset.

The symptoms	Arthritis	Osteoarthritis
1. The increase of the temperature	The body temperature increased up to 38-39C	Perhaps the local increase of the temperature in the area of the affected joint
2. The swelling	The soft tissues around the joint swell up once	Swelling appear on the 3 stages of the disease
3. Stiffness in the morning	Occurs all over the body	Occurs only the affected connection
4. The loss of motor function	Only during the acute phase of the disease	Develops gradually, resulting in the ankylosis (total absence of joint movements)
5. The change in shape of the joint	That's not happening	Happens
6. The pain	Acute, permanent, enriched by night	Traction, stupid, occurs during the movement, is stronger in the morning.

Because of the similarity of symptoms occurs the necessity of differential diagnosis.

The diagnosis of the disease.

A correct and timely diagnosis helps how to distinguish between arthritis, osteoarthritis, and set a correct therapy. The main diagnostic techniques for diseases of the joints remain the same:

• X-ray;
• Ultrasound of the link;
• In common, the biochemical analysis of blood;
• Arthroscopy.

The disease	Diagnostics
	ULTRASOUND	X-ray	The analysis of the blood	Arthroscopy
Osteoarthritis	Reduction of the joint space, irregularity of the cartilage tissue. In the synovial fluid are there foreign bodies.	The change of the anatomical shape of the joint, the presence of osteophytes (bony protuberances), the cartilage is thin, irregular. Within the joint a fissure reduced.	The lack of signs of inflammation – the main difference of osteoarthritis arthritis.	Osteophytes, cartilage degradation, reduce the gap between bony structures connecting the.
Arthritis	Sinovialnye shell cartilage irregular, presence of exudate and inflammatory in the joint cavity (pus).	Mild osteoporosis, the softening of the bone tissue.	C-reactive protein, increased levels of alpha-, beta-immunoglobulins, the emergence of immunoglobulins in the blood, increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Increases the content of uric acid, in some cases, there is anemia (decreased hemoglobin levels).	The appearance of erosions on the cartilage and bone tissue, protrusion of the synovial membrane in the joint cavity.

Characteristics treatment of rheumatoid and osteoarthritis.

The treatment of arthritis and osteoarthritis is a little different, it consists of:

1. The removal of the pain and the inflammation.
2. Maintenance of cartilage tissue connection.
3. Recovery of motor function of the joint.
4. Prevention of relapses (repetitions).

The only difference in the treatment of arthritis is the appointment of antibiotics, antivirals and antifungals, that is not named with osteoarthritis. Doctors usually prescribe penicillins, cephalosporins and aminoglycosides.

In exacerbations of the disease need treatment in the hospital environment.To relieve the pain and inflammation are assigned anti-inflammatory drugs (diclofenac, indomethacin). Are assigned an ointment at the base of these drugs (fastum gel, voltaren, deep interactions). In the absence of the results of the treatment the FANS can be replaced in the injection of corticosteroids into the capsule connection.

Support the cartilage of joints help medications hyaluronic acid, hondroetina – hondroprotektory. Stop the degradation of the tissues of the joint, activate the processes of regeneration. The courses of their admission last 1 to 10 months, depending on the stage of the disease.

The lack of results of conservative treatment and therapy can cause the target of the operation. Often go back to the arthroscopy, during which the joint cavity to remove exudate and inflammatory, pieces of cartilage, blood clots. During the last stages of the deformation connections pass replacement (replacing the artificial joint), an attempt with the osteotomies (cutting the deformed of the bony structures).

In addition, doctors will prescribe courses of physiotherapy and physiotherapy.

• Laser, magnetic, ultrasonic therapy;
• Electrophoresis;
• Massage;
• Thermal baths (mud, salt);
• Foot reflexology (acupuncture).

Therapeutic exercise is carried out only in a hospital setting, under the supervision of a doctor-physiotherapist. Controls the degree of stress on the joints, the correct execution of the exercises.

The prevention of arthritis and arthrosis.

Protecting the joints is possible by following a few simple rules:

1. Link load must be moderate. Excess weight, workout frequently with heavy bars create danger for the link overload. In addition, the probability of injury increases many times.
2. Correct, a well-balanced diet. Daily diet should include all vitamins and minerals. With malnutrition you need to take food supplements, vitamins and minerals.
3. Women worth to abandon frequent, long wear high heel shoes. Every inch of heel increases the load on the spine, a 10-kg, on his knees on the 20.
4. Protect the joints from hypothermia. Arthritis, unlike osteoarthritis, occurs as a result of the infection, the low temperatures favour its spread in the body.

The conclusion.

Arthritis and osteoarthritis can become a serious problem in the life of a person, regardless of age. The pain and stiffness of the limbs will reduce the quality of life, are the cause of the loss of integrity, and disability. It is important to understand what are the differences between the diseases, the time to turn to a specialist – will be held on the differential diagnosis, tell you that cure arthritis and arthrosis.