Arthritis and arthrosis diseases are often confused due to the similarity of names. Yes, and both diseases are affected by the joints (for example, there is arthritis and osteoarthritis of the knee joint). The affected joints become inflamed, swollen and painful. Otherwise, they are completely different diseases. Let's try to find out how arthritis differs from arthrosis.
Difference between arthritis and arthrosis
Arthritis is accompanied by inflammation of the articular joints, which in turn leads to impaired motor functions. The patient feels discomfort, he has acute or painful pain, both during physical activity and during rest, especially in the morning. The skin around the joint swells, becomes red and tense. Body temperature often increases. Arthrosis is a disease in which degenerative processes occur in the articular cartilage. The modified cartilage ceases to deal with the load that falls on them and is gradually destroyed. Pain caused by exertion usually subsides at rest. The tissues around the joint become swollen and inflamed. The progressive disease leads to the destruction of cartilage and severe deformity of the joints. The difference between arthrosis and arthritis lies in the causes of illness. Arthrosis happens:
- primary, usually associated with old age;
- secondary, resulting from other diseases or genetically determined.
Predisposing factors for the development of osteoarthritis are:
- excessive weight;
- excessive physical activity (in most cases, in athletes) or very low physical activity;
- previous injuries;
- endocrine diseases.
Arthritis is inflammatory. There are causes of the disease such as:
- various infections;
- joint damage and repeated minor injuries;
- metabolic disorders;
- allergy;
- deficiency of trace elements and vitamins.
Analysis for arthritis and osteoarthritis
For the early diagnosis of diseases that affect the support device, the specialist needs to carry out a complete anamnesis. The patient is invited to pass the following tests and conduct the specified exams:
- A clinical blood test to determine the level of ESR (with arthritis, the rate of erythrocyte sedimentation increases markedly; with arthrosis, it is almost normal).
- Biochemical blood test to identify the lack of macro and micronutrients, characteristic of arthritis.
- X-rays to help detect bone deformity inherent in arthrosis and determine the width of the joint space.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which allows identifying changes in cartilage tissue in the early stages of the disease.
Cause of the disease
The main difference between arthritis and osteoarthritis is the origin of the diseases. Arthritis is an infectious disease that causes inflammation in the joints. Arthrosis is a degenerative process that occurs in the body as a result of the natural wear and tear of the joints and aging, which causes the destruction of the cartilage layer of the joint. Therefore, osteoarthritis is mainly characteristic of the elderly, and arthritis can be contracted at any age, even in childhood. Women are more likely to have arthritis. Osteoarthritis affects women and men who have reached old age. Most of the time, arthritis is caused by:
- various infections;
- Allergic reactions;
- joint damage;
- frequent minor injuries;
- physical stress;
- metabolic disorders;
- vitamin and mineral deficiency;
- autoimmune disorders;
- diseases of the nervous system.
In addition, arthritis often develops as a complication of osteoarthritis, but not vice versa. Osteoarthritis results mainly from:
- genetic predisposition;
- insufficient blood supply and bone nutrition;
- excessive stress on the joints;
- joint injuries;
- hypothermia.
Symptoms of joint diseases
Although both diseases are accompanied by painful sensations, these sensations arise in different conditions. In arthritis, pain appears both during physical exertion, as well as during sleep and in the morning. In arthrosis, the pain worries the person only during physical exertion.
Another characteristic difference between arthritis and osteoarthritis is the nature of the pain. Arthritis is characterized by sharp, severe and spasmodic pains, and arthrosis is opaque and painful, accompanied by clicks.
Arthritis most often affects small joints and arthrosis - large joints (especially the knee and hip). Arthrosis affects only the joints. In arthritis, the inflammation can spread to several joints and also to other organs. In addition, arthritis is accompanied by fever, swelling and redness in the affected area. Sometimes, with arthritis, subcutaneous rheumatic nodules appear. Over time, arthrosis leads to deformations of the joints, which can become thinner and take on strange shapes.
Diagnosis
For diagnosis, similar methods are used (X-rays, computed tomography, laboratory tests), but their results will be different. In arthritis, a complete blood count will show an increase in the rate of erythrocyte sedimentation and a high concentration of C-reactive protein, leukocytes and seromucoid. With arthrosis, this analysis will not detect any deviations.
Treatment of arthritis and osteoarthritis
Several specialists are involved in the treatment of diseases. Arthrosis is treated by an orthopedic traumatologist and, in the case of arthritis, the cause of the disease is first established and then a specialist is selected from it. Diseases are treated with identical methods, using medications and physical therapy. If the disease has gone too far, then surgery is used - stent or joint replacement. But there are also some differences in the treatment of diseases. Arthritis requires immediate and active therapy, and osteoarthritis requires complete, long-term treatment. Arthritis treatment begins with changes in diet and lifestyle. Next, anti-inflammatory and antibiotic drugs are prescribed to the patient, in addition to physiotherapy procedures. Osteoarthritis is treated with hormonal, anti-inflammatory and analgesic medications. Arthritis is usually completely cured and arthrosis, which is a chronic disease, has irreversible consequences on the joints that cannot be treated - it is only possible to delay the degenerative processes.
These two diseases with consonant names are similar, as they are symptoms of rheumatism. However, don't get confused: arthrosis is a mechanical disease and, with arthritis, the joints become inflamed. In simpler terms, if the aching joints are swollen, the patient has arthritis. If the joint pain is weak, it is osteoarthritis. In this article, we will try to explain in an accessible language how they differ. For those unfamiliar with medicine, it is difficult to distinguish between the two. Since both diseases are directly related to rheumatism. Both diseases cause pain and discomfort in the joints, which are immobile. The symptoms of these diseases, as well as the ways to treat them, are very different.
What is the difference between arthritis and osteoarthritis?
The difference between arthritis and arthrosis is that, in arthritis, the joints become inflamed. As a result, enzymes are released, leading to their destruction. They form proteins that unite them. This is one of the causes of pain. Most of the time, it occurs when a person is sleeping. With physical effort, it decreases a little. The weakness is felt in the morning. This disease affects the joints of the legs and arms.
Arthritis can have different causes. For example, septic arthritis is caused by infection and rheumatoid arthritis is caused by decreased immunity. Gout develops due to metabolic disorders.
Joint changes occur along with physiological changes. As a result, the skin may become hot or red.
How is arthritis treated?
To cure it, it is necessary to relieve symptoms and restore joint mobility. To do this, it is recommended to try different methods. They can be combined, if necessary. This will help to determine which works best. In addition, with these diseases, the results of a blood test are different. With arthrosis, protein levels increase. If the patient has arthritis, there is no change in the composition of the blood. When choosing a remedy used to get rid of these problems, one must take into consideration the type of the disease. Most often used for healing:
- corticosteroids;
- biological and anti-inflammatory drugs;
- painkillers;
- anti-irritant drugs;
- anti-rheumatic drugs;
- therapeutic methods.
Physical activity is necessary to heal. With specialized exercises, you can strengthen your joints and keep your muscles toned. Sometimes clamps or splints are used for this purpose. If other methods of therapy do not help, doctors suggest removing damaged joints. They are being replaced by artificial ones. Most of the time, the knees are treated this way. This operation is done to relieve discomfort and restore your activity. After this procedure, the destruction of the joints is slower. In addition, with surgical methods, it is common to perform an operation to cut the joint tissue. At the same time, foreign particles are removed from its shell. Patients undergo such operations to smooth out rough surfaces and change the pressure angle.
How is osteoarthritis treated?
To cure this disease, you need to reduce your risk factors. Those who are overweight are advised to eat properly. Patients need to monitor their diet. This is especially true for those who have undergone surgery for bone structure pathology.
If the patient's condition does not improve, you can get rid of the problems using anti-inflammatories and pain relievers. In order not to use a prosthesis, the patient should be prescribed hyaluronic acid. It will also help to relieve discomfort.
You must not completely reduce physical activity. Exercise should be beneficial to your health. This should prevent weight gain. If you suspect a specific illness, don't panic and try not to treat it yourself. Timely diagnosis and correctly prescribed treatment increase your chances of a quick recovery.
The main differences
As mentioned above, arthrosis is a mechanical disease. With it, the articular cartilage shrinks periodically until it disappears. As a result, the rubbed bones are exposed. It occurs mainly in the elderly. In this case, patients observe certain characteristic aspects associated with the appearance of the joints. As a rule, he has the following reasons associated with injuries, abnormalities in bone structure, overweight. Most of the time, it affects the joints of the pelvis and knees. It often damages the joints of the neck and spine. Unlike arthritis, arthrosis can cause significant discomfort during movement. The inconvenience disappears between walking, running and so on. But, in addition to the unpleasant sensations, it is not able to manifest itself in the form of inflammation, which is why it is often called "cold" disease.