Arthritis and arthritis are diseases that are not only very similar, but also affect the body in the same way: they affect the bones, joints, ligaments and cartilage.Symptoms such as joint pain and difficulty moving also occur in both cases.However, there is quite a big difference between them.We will try to give some clarity to these concepts.We will explain how arthritis and arthritis manifest themselves, what is the difference between these diseases and how they are treated.
Difference between Arthritis and Arthritis
Arthritis is inflammation of the joints.Osteoarthritis is an age-related change in cartilage tissue (cartilage destruction).
Arthritisis a very broad term used to describe different types of conditions that cause joint inflammation.Each type of inflammation has its own name, for example, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis (arthrosis, arthrosis deformans).Arthritis can occur at any age.
Arthritis (osteoarthritis, osteoarthritis)- one of the most common types of arthritis, which occurs when cartilage tissue wears away.Our joints are mobile due to cartilage, its elasticity and smoothness.Its destruction results in direct contact between the bones in the joints, causing pain.Arthritis is an age-related change that occurs in old age.
Arthritis and arthritis also differ in:
- Symptoms
- Risk factors.
- Classifications.
- Diagnostics.
- Treatment.
Symptoms
Symptoms of arthritis may also be present with arthropathy, but the nature of these symptoms is different.For example, joint pain is present in both conditions, but pain with prolonged exertion and stress is common only with arthropathy.
Arthritis
It is important to understand that the symptoms of one type of arthritis are sometimes completely different from the symptoms of another.But here are some symptoms commonly seen in all types of arthritis:
- Pain.It usually hurts at night and may subside as the duration of movement increases (for example, when walking during the day).
- Swelling and edema.If you have had no injuries and when you compare both knees or wrists, one of them appears to be swollen, this may indicate arthritis.
- Feelings of displacement of the joint.There may be a feeling that the joints are displaced and pressed together.
- Fatigue.With any inflammatory disease, the immune system is activated and begins an active battle, this leads to general weakening of the body and fatigue.
- Fever and loss of appetite.Inflammation not only lowers energy levels, as mentioned earlier, but can also lead to fever and loss of appetite.
- Redness and skin rash.They usually appear near inflamed joints.
- Limited range of motion in the affected joints.It goes without saying that pain makes any movement difficult.Performing simple household tasks or engaging in your favorite hobby becomes difficult due to severe pain in arthritic joints.
Arthritis
Here are the most common symptoms of arthritis:
- Pain.The pain is felt in the particular joint affected by arthropathy and varies according to the degree of cartilage damage.The more cartilage that is destroyed, the more pain a person will experience.Unlike arthritis, where pain often occurs at night or while resting, arthropathy pain often occurs during the day: while walking, running, etc.Touching the skin over the painful joint can also cause pain.
- Reduced mobility.It is especially noticeable after a long period of inactivity, for example after a night's sleep.
- Crunching.When you move with your joints, you can hear certain sounds (not a light clicking sound, but a heavy and rough sound).This is the result of the breakdown of cartilage, which is designed to provide smooth, painless friction between joints.
- Deformation.With arthropathy (especially in the later stages), various deformations of bones and joints may appear: nodules, growths.There is no swelling, as is the case with arthritis.
Risk factors
Some factors may be the same for both diseases, while others are different.
- Age.One of the most common risk factors.As you get older, your chances of developing osteoarthritis or other types of arthritis increase tenfold.In this case, arthropathy mainly affects older people, and arthritis can occur at any age.
- Weight.The heavier a person is, the more stress their joints experience.This increases the chances of arthritis and gout.
- Damage.The risk of osteoarthritis at a young age increases if you have suffered previous bone or joint injuries.
- Genetics.If several family members suffered from arthritis, there is a high chance that you will also face this disease.However, your genetics do not increase your chances of getting arthritis.
- Activity.If you are constantly engaged in tasks that put a lot of stress on your bones, joints and cartilage, your chances of developing osteoarthritis increase.
Incidentally, a research team at the University of Oxford recently discovered a marker in the blood that can identify the risk of developing arthritis before symptoms appear, even at a young age (up to 16 years).
Classification
Arthritis
- Osteoarthritis (osteoarthritis, osteoarthritis) is the most common type of arthritis and develops due to cartilage wear and painful friction between the joints.
- Rheumatoid arthritis - This type of arthritis usually affects all joints in the body except the lower back.It is an autoimmune disease, the causes of which are not fully understood.A person can get sick at any age (even young children suffer from the disease).
- Ankylosing spondylitis mainly affects the spine.It develops in the vertebrae and discs.This is an autoimmune disease.
- Cervical arthritis occurs for a number of reasons, but the main one is age.About 85% of people over the age of 80 suffer from this disease.
- Gout is a rare type of arthritis that causes inflammation in various joints.This disease occurs due to increased levels of uric acid in the blood.Gout is now rare.
- Psoriatic arthritis is a type of arthritis characterized by inflammation of the skin and joints.With this disease, inflammation of the tendons and cartilage is observed.the eyes, lungs and even the aorta can also suffer.
- Reactive arthritis occurs as the body's response to an attack by bacteria and infection.The causative factors are infections of the intestine and the genitourinary system.The disease causes swelling in the fingers and toes, and pain in the lower back.
- Juvenile arthritis is an autoimmune disease that affects children under the age of 16.It leads to bone and joint destruction, growth and development problems.
- Post-traumatic arthritis - occurs as a result of previous injuries (fractures, cracks, sprains).
Arthritis
There are the following types of joints:
- Cervical arthropathy affects the cervical vertebrae, occurs in old age and can be caused by stress and chronic neck conditions.Symptoms include neck pain and muscle spasms.
- Facet syndrome is more common among the elderly and causes back pain, especially when the person is standing.Poor posture can cause face syndrome.
- Coxarthrosis is the arthropathy of the hip joint.The hip joint is an articulated joint and is one of the strongest in the body.However, in old age it wears down and coxarthrosis also often occurs in athletes and overweight people.
- Lumbar arthropathy affects the lower back.It can be caused by scoliosis and abdominal obesity (accumulation of fatty tissue in the upper torso).
Diagnostics
Diagnosis of both joint diseases includes:
- Poll.When did the pain appear, in which joint, the nature and duration of the pain, the occupation, in what cases the pain intensifies, past infectious diseases, injuries, etc.
- Visual inspection and palpation.Check for visible signs: swelling, redness, nodules.
- Analyzes.
- X-ray and MRI.
What is the difference between diagnosing arthritis and arthritis?Because arthritis is an inflammatory disease, the inflammation will be visible in a blood test.Arthritis tests are clear.X-rays or magnetic resonance imaging are usually used for diagnosis.
Treatment
Arthritis
There are different treatment options depending on the severity of the disease.The main goal of arthritis treatment is to eliminate the cause of joint inflammation.
- Medicines.Treatment for rheumatoid arthritis may require a combination of different medications.In addition to pain relievers, your doctor may also prescribe a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, antibiotics, and hormonal drugs to reduce pain.
- Lifestyle adjustments - diet and exercise to relieve stress on joints.It is essential to consume foods rich in calcium (to boost bone strength) and rich in protein (to build strong muscles).
- Surgery.Surgeries range from minor to major surgery (joint replacement).
Arthritis
The main goal of treating arthropathy is to restore the damaged cartilage.Treatment includes:
- Medicines in tablets are chondroprotective.
- Injections - corticosteroids and hyaluronic acid to reduce inflammation and increase mobility.
- Massage therapy.The following essential oils are particularly effective: orange, ginger, lavender, rosemary, sandalwood and eucalyptus.
- Therapeutic exercise.
- Surgery - Damaged joints can be replaced with artificial ones to reduce pain and improve mobility.
- Lifestyle adjustments - diet and exercise to relieve stress on joints.It is essential to consume foods rich in calcium (to boost bone strength) and rich in protein (to build strong muscles).
conclusions
- Arthritis is inflammation of the joints.Osteoarthritis is an age-related change in cartilage tissue (cartilage destruction).
- Arthropathy occurs in older people (50+) (it can also occur at a young age, but very rarely and after a serious injury).Arthritis can occur at any age (even in children).
- With arthropathy, the joints hurt during physical activity.With arthritis, the pain occurs at night.
- With arthropathy, pain increases during movement, with arthritis it decreases.
- Osteoarthritis most commonly affects the knee and hip joints.Arthritis can occur in any joint.several distant joints or only one may hurt.
- Arthritis, as an inflammatory disease, can be diagnosed with a blood test, arthropathy cannot.