What is the difference between osteoarthritis and degenerative arthritis

In addition, occupational therapy can also help manage inflammation and slow down any deterioration. An occupational therapist can devise ways for you to do everyday tasks without putting extra stress on a painful joint. For instance, if you have osteoarthritis in your hands, using a toothbrush with a larger handle might help. If you have knee osteoarthritis, a stool in your shower can help you avoid pain when standing.

Our friendly, multilingual staff and rehabilitation therapists provide loving care and one-on-one therapies designed to help you manage arthritis and osteoarthritis. People with arthritis can benefit enormously from a convivial setting such as provided by our adult day care center.

We also offer wonderful recreational activities and medical care. Do contact us if you would like to learn more about center and how we help people with athritis. Are arthritis and osteoarthritis the same? It can be of infectious, genetic or metabolic origin. Naturally, the symptoms common to both conditions are joint pain. In osteoarthritis, pain usually occurs when the joint is moving and decreases when it is at rest.

As for arthritis, using the joint generally reduces the intensity of the pain, since it is often worse at rest during the night. Patients suffering from arthritis usually notice a warm feeling near the affected joint, as well as redness and swelling. Aging is often the main cause of osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is sometimes referred to as degenerative arthritis or degenerative joint disease. It is the most common type of arthritis because it's often caused by the wear and tear on a joint over a lifetime.

It is most often found in the hands, knees, hips and spine. In the hand, osteoarthritis most often affects the small joints of the fingers and the joint at the base of the thumb. Factors that contribute to osteoarthritis include: heredity, obesity, joint overuse and injury. Patients who already have rheumatoid arthritis are more likely to develop osteoarthritis. Learn more about the difference between rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. At the University of Michigan, we have a team of experts who provide high-quality care for people with arthritis.

We provide the full range of treatment options to fit our patients' lifestyles and needs. Although osteoarthritis has no cure, we know first hand that early treatment can reduce pain and improve joint function. Some of the symptoms of osteoarthritis overlap with rheumatoid arthritis, so it is important to schedule a consultation with a rheumatologist who can diagnose your condition correctly.

Common symptoms of osteoarthritis include:. At the University of Michigan Department of Rheumatology, our procedures for diagnosis involve a full workup to determine what kind of arthritis you have in order to determine an effective treatment plan. Both involve inflammation in the joints, but RA causes much more inflammation. Until recently, experts believed that inflammation was not a feature of OA, and researchers are still investigating the role that it plays in the illness — whether it is a cause or a result of the condition.

OA and RA share some symptoms, but RA can affect multiple joints, and it tends to develop symmetrically, on both sides of the body. OA usually affects a few joints, and it typically only develops on one side. Also, RA involves systemic inflammation and can cause a fever and other flu-like symptoms.

The symptoms of OA tend to be limited to the affected joint or joints. Below, we explore the similarities and differences between RA and OA in more detail, looking at their symptoms, causes, and treatments. Joints contain protective tissues that prevent the bones from scraping against one another. For example, cartilage sits over the bones to facilitate smooth movement in the joint.

Arthritis damages this protective tissue. But in RA and OA, the causes of joint damage are different. RA is an autoimmune disease. In the process, it releases enzymes that destroy the linings of the joints, leading to pain, swelling, and stiffness.

Other symptoms can also develop throughout the body. OA involves the protective cartilage gradually wearing down, causing the bones to rub together. This wear and tear can result from repetitive movements, such as in sports, that place pressure on the joints. Bony growths called bone spurs develop on the joints, which become stiff, painful, and harder to move.

The risks of developing OA and RA increase with age, although either condition can occur at any age. What is the difference between rheumatoid arthritis and gout?

Symptoms of both conditions tend to be worse in the morning. Both can cause stiffness in the morning or after resting, too. However, in a person with OA, the stiffness usually improves within 30 minutes.