Arthritis and osteoarthritis: learn to tell the difference
Arthritis and osteoarthritis are both members of the rheumatic family, yet they are two very different diseases. Although they both affect the joints and sometimes cause severe pain, arthritis is an inflammation of one or more joints, whereas osteoarthritis (also known as “osteoarthritis”) is a chronic, “mechanical” joint disease. Here’s how it works.
Arthritis, a joint inflammation
Arthritis is a general term that encompasses any form of tissue inflammation, acute or chronic, affecting one or more joints. The joints most affected are those of the hands and feet, but also the wrists, elbows, shoulders, knees, lower back and hips. Arthritis must be kept under control to avoid causing significant, even permanent, damage to the areas concerned. Pain is felt mainly at rest, and may diminish with physical activity.
Visit The first symptoms are swelling, pain and stiffness in one or more joints; they may be mild, moderate or severe, and appear intermittently. Another sign is reduced range of motion. Even if they are of equal intensity for years, symptoms can also progress or worsen over time to become chronic pain, as the inflammation gradually destroys the joint. Arthritis cannot be cured, but it can be treated.
Visit Treatments are determined by the type of arthritis: infectious (septic arthritis), immune (rheumatoid arthritis) or metabolic (gout). If you think you have arthritis, or are looking for relief from arthritis pain, consult your doctor as soon as possible to obtain a diagnosis and the treatment you need to preserve your joint function, mobility and quality of life.
Osteoarthritis, a “mechanical” disease
Osteoarthritis is a chronic degenerative joint disease, caused by premature and gradual wear of the cartilage covering the ends of the bones. The cartilage is then unable to absorb the forces of movement, resulting in mechanical alteration of the joint. Osteoarthritis often results from injury or excess weight. Unlike arthritis, osteoarthritis causes pain on movement.
The very first symptom is intermittent pain during sustained activity, which may be accompanied by swelling, redness and sometimes even deformation of the joint. Over time, this pain may become more frequent. The first signs of osteoarthritis usually occur around the age of fifty. Other symptoms include stiffness and crackling. Hips and knees are often affected, but the neck, lower back and hands can also be affected. In addition to cartilage wear and tear, age, injury and obesity, other factors can contribute to osteoarthritis, such as stress caused by repetitive movement on the same joints (at work or in sport), muscle weakness and heredity.
Several treatments are available and vary according to the case: analgesics, physical therapies, cortisone injections, etc. To restore lubrication and shock-absorbing properties, you may also be offered treatment with viscosupplementation (injections of hyaluronic acid directly into the affected joints to provide pain relief). Consult your doctor at the first sign of symptoms to get a diagnosis and find out the best treatment option for you.
