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

Arthritis and osteoarthritis a disease that affects the joints. They cause pain during movement, significantly reduces the quality of life. Arthritis and osteoarthritis what is the difference? In order to understand what arthritis is different from osteoarthritis need to know the common qualities, characteristics and risk factors for the disease.

What happened to the arthritis?

The disease developed inflammatory process affects the whole body. The reasons for the development of the disease can be infected (infectious), injury (traumatic), autoimmune diseases (rheumatoid arthritis).

Arthritis in the body is the presence of all signs of inflammation:

• An increase in body temperature, fever;
• Increase in total blood proteins, immunoglobulins, C-reactive protein;
• May be accompanied by another inflammatory process, has not previously been identified.

What happens in osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis – a disease which is caused by degradation of the cartilage. The inflammatory process is localized only in the joint cavity, is the result of the deformation of the joint. The result is increased strain on the joint, because of old age, after injury, can occur deformation of the bone parts, friction occurs between the surfaces of the joint. The result is a thinning and deformation of the cartilage.

In this disease the body no obvious signs of inflammation:

• Increased local temperature (only in the area of the affected joint);
• Biochemical and General blood tests is normal;
• Occurs when the deformation of the cartilage, with no other inflammation.

The similarities and differences between diseases.

The two diseases have both similarities and differences. The main similarity between arthritis and osteoarthritis is the symptoms:

• Crunching, creaking during movement;
• Pain;
• Restriction;
• Swelling, redness in the affected joint.

However, the difference between arthritis and osteoarthritis more important than the similarities.

1. Age. Arthritis – a disease that affects the elderly, the elderly. It is associated with age-related degeneration of the cartilage of the joints. Arthritis often affects young people, is the result of prolonged infection, inflammation in the body.
2. The localization process. Osteoarthritis develops only in the joint action of risk factors (age, number of overload, overweight, etc.). Arthritis affect the whole body, can cause a rise in internal body temperature, fever.
3. Pain. When arthritis pain in the extremities occurs during movement acquires a permanent sign of the disease development. Arthritis is a sharp, constant pain.
4. Deformity of the joint. Osteoarthritis, bone joint parts are bent, because the degradation of cartilage. Rheumatoid arthritis does not cause changes in the articular surfaces of bones.
5. The loss of motor activity of the joints. The development of osteoarthritis leads to limited movement gradually. Arthritis restricts the movement of only the acute phase of the disease.

Difference causes arthritis and osteoarthritis, common causes.

In order to better understand the difference between the two diseases – arthritis and osteoarthritis – it is necessary to know their causes.

Causes of arthritis are more likely to:

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

The main condition for the development of osteoarthritis:

• Overloading the joint (activity, weight);
• Age-related degeneration of the cartilage.

In addition, there are several common causes of both diseases:

• Injury;
• Disorders of metabolic processes in the body.
• Insufficient intake of vitamins and minerals;
• Congenital disorders of bone and cartilage.

The difference between the symptoms.

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

Symptoms	Arthritis	Osteoarthritis
1. The temperature rise	Increased body temperature to 38-39C	Maybe a local temperature rise in the area of the affected joint
2. Swelling	To the soft tissues around the joint become swollen	Swellings appear 3. the stage of the disease
3. Stiffness in the morning	Occur throughout the body	Occurs only in the joint
4. The loss of motor functions	Only during the acute phase of the disease	Develops gradually, which ankylosis (complete absence of movement in the joint)
5. Change the shape of the joint	Does not happen	Event
6. The nature of pain	Sharp, constant, worse at night	Nagging, dull, occurs when the movements are stronger in the morning.

Because of the similarity of symptoms, the necessary differential diagnosis.

In the diagnosis of disease.

Correct and timely diagnosis will help to distinguish between arthritis osteoarthritis and prescribe the right treatment. The basic methods of diagnosis in diseases of the joints remain the same:

• Radiography;
• Ultrasound of the joints;
• Biochemical analysis of blood;
• Arthroscopy.

Disease	Diagnosis
	Ultrasound	X-ray	A blood test	Arthroscopy
Osteoarthritis	Reduction of the joint space, irregularities of the cartilage. The synovial fluid has impurities.	The change of the anatomical shape of the joint, the presence of osteophytes (outgrowths of bone), the cartilage is thin, uneven. Inside the joint space is narrowed.	Without the signs of inflammation – the biggest difference is osteoarthritis, arthritis.	Osteophytes, the degradation of the cartilage, reducing the difference between bone structures of the compounds.
Arthritis	Sinovialnye sheath of cartilage is uneven, the presence of inflammatory exudate in the joint cavity (pus).	Mild to osteoporosis, the softening of bone tissue.	C-reactive protein, increased alpha-, beta-globulin, the appearance in the blood antibodies, increased ESR. Increases the content of uric acid, in some cases there is anemia (decreased hemoglobin).	The emergence of erosions of cartilage and bone tissue, protrusion of the synovium into the joint cavity.

Features of the treatment of arthritis and osteoarthritis.

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

1. The pain and the inflammation.
2. The maintenance of the cartilage tissue of the joints.
3. The recovery of motor skills common.
4. The prevention of relapses (repetitions).

The only difference in the treatment of arthritis is antibiotics, antiviral and antifungal medicines that are not prescribed for osteoarthritis. Doctors usually prescribe penicillins, cephalosporins and aminoglycosides.

Exacerbations of the disease need treatment in the hospital.For the treatment of pain and inflammation is prescribed non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (diclofenac, indomethacin). Ointments have been appointed on the basis of these medicinal products (Fastum gel, voltaren, deep relief). Because the results of treatment of Nsaids can replace corticosteroid injections into the capsule connection.

Support the cartilage of joints helps hyaluronic acid, hondroetina – hondroprotektory. They stop the degradation of joint tissue, promote the process of reform. Courses their admission lasts from 1 to 10 months, depending on the stage of the disease.

The lack of results of conservative treatment, and the treatment can cause the target of the action. Most often, the second arthroscopy, during which the cavity of the joint and remove inflammatory exudate, pieces of cartilage, blood clotting. In the last stages of deformation of the units to perform joint replacement surgery (arthroplasty artificial), osteotomy (resection of the deformed bone structures).

In addition, doctors prescribe physical therapy and physical therapy.

• Laser -, magnetic -, ultrasound therapy;
• Electrophoresis;
• Massage;
• Therapeutic baths (mud, salt);
• Reflexology (acupuncture).

Physiotherapy is exclusively performed in a medical facility under the supervision of a doctor-physiotherapist. It controls the degree of stress on the joints, the correct execution of the exercises.

Prevention of arthritis and arthrosis.

Protect the joints is possible, if you follow a few simple rules:

1. Load connections must be moderate. Overweight, often training with heavy weights creates a threat of joint overload. In addition, the injury probability increases many times.
2. Proper, balanced nutrition. Your daily diet should contain all the necessary vitamins and minerals. A little food should take food additives, vitamin-mineral complexes.
3. Women should abandon the frequent, prolonged wearing of high heel shoes. Every inch heel increases the load on the spine per 10 kg round 20.
4. Protects joints from hypothermia. Arthritis, unlike osteoarthritis, is a result of the infection, the low temperature contributed to its spread in the body.

Conclusion.

Arthritis and osteoarthritis can be a serious problem in the life of an active person, regardless of age. Pain and stiffness in the limbs considerably to the quality of life, causing injury, and disability. It is important to understand what are the differences between diseases in time to see a specialist – he will spend the differential diagnosis, say, than in the treatment of arthritis and osteoarthritis.