Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTypes of ArthritisHow Symptoms DifferDiagnosisTreatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Types of Arthritis
How Symptoms Differ
Diagnosis
Treatment
The termsarthrosisandarthritisare sometimes used interchangeably, but they are not the same thing.
Each type of arthritis has distinctive characteristics that differentiate it from the others, including the underlying cause and the pattern of joint involvement. Lab and imaging tests can help differentiate arthrosis from other types so that the correct treatment is prescribed.
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Arthrosis and Other Types of Arthritis
In addition to OA, many other conditions fall under the larger umbrella of arthritis, each of which has a different set of causes and risk factors.
As a disease entity, arthrosis/OA is different from most other forms of arthritis in that it’s largely non-inflammatory in the early stages. As the disease progresses to where joint deformity and othercomplicationsoccur,inflammationcan develop due to the body’s natural response to any injury in the body.
The same cannot be said for the other types of arthritis, for which inflammation is a defining feature at all stages of the disease, most especially episodic flares seen with gout and autoimmune forms of arthritis.
Other features can help distinguish the different types of arthritis include:
How Is Arthritis Diagnosed?
Your provider will perform a physical exam to look for joint swelling or redness and evaluate how your joint moves.
Lab Tests
Blood and urine tests can help diagnose different types of arthritis along with an analysis of fluid taken from the joint, calledsynovial fluid.
Examples include:
What Are Psoriatic Arthritis Blood Tests?
Imaging Tests
Imaging tests can include:
Treatment for arthritis, such as arthrosis, can include medications, physical therapy, and in severe cases, surgery.
Medications
Various medications help treat symptoms of arthritis.
Physical Therapy
Physical therapy can help relieve symptoms of arthritis and improve mobility and overall quality of life.Physical therapytreatments can include:
Surgery
Some types of arthritis lead to severe joint damage, which may require surgery. It is especially common with advanced cases of arthrosis.
Procedures can include:
Summary
Arthritis is an umbrella term for conditions that cause joint pain and stiffness. This includes conditions like osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and septic arthritis.
13 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Osteoarthritis basics.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Arthritis basics.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Osteoarthritis (OA).National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Ankylosing spondylitis.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Psoriatic arthritis.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Juvenile idiopathic arthritis.Earwood JS, Walker TR, Sue GJC.Septic arthritis: diagnosis and treatment.Am Fam Physician. 2021;104(6):589-597.National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.6. Inflammatory arthritis. In:Selected Immune Disorders and Disability. Washington, DC: National Academies Press; 2022.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Arthritis diagnosis.Hospital for Special Surgery.Imaging for osteoarthritis: a common joint disorder.Arthritis Foundation.Medications for arthritis.Arthritis Foundation.Physical therapy for arthritis.Arthritis Foundation.Understand your joint surgery options.
13 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Osteoarthritis basics.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Arthritis basics.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Osteoarthritis (OA).National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Ankylosing spondylitis.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Psoriatic arthritis.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Juvenile idiopathic arthritis.Earwood JS, Walker TR, Sue GJC.Septic arthritis: diagnosis and treatment.Am Fam Physician. 2021;104(6):589-597.National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.6. Inflammatory arthritis. In:Selected Immune Disorders and Disability. Washington, DC: National Academies Press; 2022.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Arthritis diagnosis.Hospital for Special Surgery.Imaging for osteoarthritis: a common joint disorder.Arthritis Foundation.Medications for arthritis.Arthritis Foundation.Physical therapy for arthritis.Arthritis Foundation.Understand your joint surgery options.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Osteoarthritis basics.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Arthritis basics.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Osteoarthritis (OA).National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Ankylosing spondylitis.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Psoriatic arthritis.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Juvenile idiopathic arthritis.Earwood JS, Walker TR, Sue GJC.Septic arthritis: diagnosis and treatment.Am Fam Physician. 2021;104(6):589-597.National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.6. Inflammatory arthritis. In:Selected Immune Disorders and Disability. Washington, DC: National Academies Press; 2022.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Arthritis diagnosis.Hospital for Special Surgery.Imaging for osteoarthritis: a common joint disorder.Arthritis Foundation.Medications for arthritis.Arthritis Foundation.Physical therapy for arthritis.Arthritis Foundation.Understand your joint surgery options.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Osteoarthritis basics.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Arthritis basics.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Osteoarthritis (OA).
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Ankylosing spondylitis.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Psoriatic arthritis.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
Earwood JS, Walker TR, Sue GJC.Septic arthritis: diagnosis and treatment.Am Fam Physician. 2021;104(6):589-597.
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.6. Inflammatory arthritis. In:Selected Immune Disorders and Disability. Washington, DC: National Academies Press; 2022.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Arthritis diagnosis.
Hospital for Special Surgery.Imaging for osteoarthritis: a common joint disorder.
Arthritis Foundation.Medications for arthritis.
Arthritis Foundation.Physical therapy for arthritis.
Arthritis Foundation.Understand your joint surgery options.
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