Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsKey ComparisonsSymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatmentsFAQ
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Key Comparisons
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatments
FAQ
Osteoarthritis(OA)is the most commontype of arthritis, with an OA diagnosis believed to affect more than 32 million people in the United States.Rheumatoid arthritis(RA), a more rare but disabling type of arthritis, affects an estimated 1.5 million people in the U.S.
OA and RA: Key Comparisons
Osteoarthritis typically begins in a single joint or a few joints and is more common with age.
The less-common rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory,autoimmune diseasethat primarily targets the lining of the joint (synovium), but it can also affect the organs throughout your body. Multiple joints are usually involved as well.
RA disease onset is most common in people between 30 and 60. Assigned females are two to three times more likely than males to have the disease, and assigned males tend to get it later in life.
Symptoms of OA and RA
OA and RA have some symptoms in common. However, each condition also has several symptoms that are different from the other.
Commonsymptoms of osteoarthritisinclude:
Rheumatoid arthritis symptomsinclude:
Osteoarthritis pain tends to start slowly with joint pain and gradually increase in symptoms through the months and years. RA may start with symptoms like fatigue, fever, and weakness. The joint pain may get worse over a few weeks or months.
Some symptoms of RA and OA are similar but present differently. For example, both conditions include morning stiffness. However, with OA, it tends to last for a shorter time than RA.
Joints Affected With OA
Since OA is more likely to arise with age and develop over time, it tends to affect joints like knees and hips that have seen a lifetime of use. It also may affect joints that have been injured, or subject to repetitive motion and overuse, like hands and wrists.
Keep in mind that because OA is a degenerative disorder, it also can affect other joints. Pain in your back, for example, may be due to OA affecting the joints in your spine.
Joints Affected With RA
You may first notice rheumatoid arthritis in the knee, where symptoms are common, but RA can affect multiple joints throughout the body.A 2022 study of 1,458 people with an RA diagnosis (two-thirds of them women) found the symptoms often affected the wrist and ankle as the disease progressed, while also affecting hips and elbows.
Keep in mind that because RA is an autoimmune disorder, it also can affect other systems and organs, including:
Effects of Rheumatoid Arthritis Throughout the Entire Body
Risk Factors
There are some similarities among risk factors for OA and RA. For example, genetics can play a role in RA.Genetics also can contribute to the risk of developing OA.In both types of arthritis, though, afamily historyof diagnosis does not necessarily mean you’ll eventually have either type.
Additional risk factors for RA also can include:
Additional risk factors for OAinclude:
Certain jobs that lead to joint strain or repetitive motion injury also can contribute to developing OA, as can an underlying illness likediabetes.
Pictures of Rheumatoid Arthritis in Knees, Hands, and More
OA and RA have different causes, although the theories behind both are still under scientific investigation.
Osteoarthritis Causes
In addition, it’s been discovered that the water content of cartilage initially increases with osteoarthritis while the protein composition of cartilage steadily degenerates. This is believed to be due to an imbalance in your body’s ability to repair cartilage as it deteriorates. Thus far, the cause of this imbalance is unknown.
Rheumatoid Arthritis Causes
Thecause of RAis less understood. Researchers have worked for years to find the cause of the abnormal autoimmune response associated with the disease but have yet to find a single clear cause. Common theories point to a genetic predisposition combined with other possible triggers, such as smoking or obesity.
If you’re experiencing any arthritis symptoms, make an appointment with your healthcare provider. They can help you determine whether they’re signs of osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis.
The diagnostic processes for OA and RA have a fair amount of overlap. Test results, a physical examination, and your medical history are all taken together to determine a diagnosis.
Laboratory tests that are commonly ordered to helpdiagnose (or rule out) rheumatoid arthritis, as well as other inflammatory or autoimmune diseases, include:
A proper diagnosis is essential to finding the right treatments.
How Osteoarthritis Is Diagnosed
OA and RA are treated very differently.
OA Treatment Options
Treatment options for osteoarthritisfocus on pain relief and restoring function to the affected joint. Common medications for reducing pain and inflammation include:
Other treatment options are:
RA Treatment Options
RA treatment aims to decrease inflammation, which decreases symptoms (pain/discomfort and stiffness), and lessens the risk of joint damage. By limiting joint damage, disability is reduced.
The primarytreatment for rheumatoid arthritisis medication to reduce immune system activity and inflammation. Five categories of drugs commonly used to treat rheumatoid arthritis are:
For both conditions,steroid injectionsmay help with inflammation and pain in your joints.
Managing weight may also help with reducing strain on your joints in both RA and OA. Staying at a healthy weight can also help reduce inflammation in autoimmune diseases such as RA.
For serious cases of either condition, the last-resort treatment option is surgery. This includesarthroscopy,arthrodesis(fusion), andarthroplasty(joint replacement).
Summary
Symptoms can be similar, but there are differences between RA and OA. While OA tends to start with joint pain, RA may start with other symptoms like fatigue and fever. It is also possible to have both OA and RA, which requires treating both at the same time.
Treatment for OA tends to focus on pain relief. Treatment for RA includes several different medications to treat this autoimmune disease. Talk to your healthcare provider about your symptoms to get an accurate diagnosis and learn about your treatment options.
Frequently Asked QuestionsRheumatoid arthritis is thought to be more disabling because of the severe inflammation, joint damage, and deformity it can cause. However, advances in treatment have helped patients to reduce that damage, lessen pain, and improve quality of life.It’s possible, but there are some key differences to distinguish them. Osteoarthritis develops gradually, while rheumatoid arthritis can worsen over several weeks or months. They both may affect the hands, but typically only osteoarthritis affects the joint near the tip of the finger.The symptoms may seem similar, but your healthcare provider can help you determine which condition you have.It might, depending on how far the conditions have progressed. For rheumatoid arthritis, an X-ray may show the progression of bone damage.With osteoarthritis, an X-ray may show narrowing of joint space because of the loss of cartilage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Rheumatoid arthritis is thought to be more disabling because of the severe inflammation, joint damage, and deformity it can cause. However, advances in treatment have helped patients to reduce that damage, lessen pain, and improve quality of life.
It’s possible, but there are some key differences to distinguish them. Osteoarthritis develops gradually, while rheumatoid arthritis can worsen over several weeks or months. They both may affect the hands, but typically only osteoarthritis affects the joint near the tip of the finger.The symptoms may seem similar, but your healthcare provider can help you determine which condition you have.
It’s possible, but there are some key differences to distinguish them. Osteoarthritis develops gradually, while rheumatoid arthritis can worsen over several weeks or months. They both may affect the hands, but typically only osteoarthritis affects the joint near the tip of the finger.
The symptoms may seem similar, but your healthcare provider can help you determine which condition you have.
It might, depending on how far the conditions have progressed. For rheumatoid arthritis, an X-ray may show the progression of bone damage.With osteoarthritis, an X-ray may show narrowing of joint space because of the loss of cartilage.
When You Have Both Osteo and Rheumatoid Arthritis
23 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.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Osteoarthritis.MedlinePlus.Rheumatoid arthritis.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Overview of osteoarthritis.Horiuchi AC, Pereira LHC, Kahlow BS, Silva MB, Skare TL.Rheumatoid arthritis in elderly and young patients.Rev Bras Reumatol Engl Ed. 2017;57(5):491-494. doi:10.1016/j.rbre.2015.06.002Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Network.RA symptoms: how do you diagnose rheumatoid arthritis?.Harvard Health Publishing.Explain the pain—is it osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis?.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Osteoarthritis.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Arthritis of the knee.Zhao SS, Nikiphorou E, Young A, Kiely PDW.Large joints are progressively involved in rheumatoid arthritis irrespective of rheumatoid factor status-results from the early rheumatoid arthritis study.Rheumatol Int. 2022 Apr;42(4):621-629. doi: 10.1007/s00296-021-04931-2.Radu AF, Bungau SG.Management of rheumatoid arthritis: an overview.Cells. 2021;10(11):2857. doi:10.3390/cells10112857.Zhu M, Ding Q, Lin Z, Fu R, Zhang F, Li Z,et al.New targets and strategies for rheumatoid arthritis: from signal transduction to epigenetic aspect.Biomolecules. 2023;13(5):766. doi:10.3390/biom13050766Arthritis Foundation.Slowing osteoarthritis progression.Vina ER, Kwoh CK.Epidemiology of osteoarthritis: literature update.Curr Opin Rheumatol. 2018;30(2):160-167. doi:10.1097/BOR.0000000000000479Man GS, Mologhianu G.Osteoarthritis pathogenesis—a complex process that involves the entire joint.J Med Life. 2014;7(1):37-41.Centers for Disease Control.Rheumatoid arthritis.Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Network.RA blood tests: what lab tests show rheumatoid arthritis?.Sinusas K.Osteoarthritis: diagnosis and treatment.Am Fam Physician.2012;85(1):49-56.Perlman A, Fogerite SG, Glass O, et al.Efficacy and safety of massage for osteoarthritis of the knee: a randomized clinical trial.J Gen Intern Med.2019;34(3):379-386. doi:10.1007/s11606-018-4763-5Joplin S, Van der Zwan R, Joshua F, Wong PK.Medication adherence in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: the effect of patient education, health literacy, and musculoskeletal ultrasound.Biomed Res Int. 2015;2015:150658. doi:10.1155/2015/150658Arthritis Foundation.Weight loss benefits for arthritis.American College of Rheumatology.Rheumatoid arthritis.Arthitis Foundation.Imaging tests for rheumatoid arthritis.Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center.Osteoarthritis: Signs and symptoms.
23 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.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Osteoarthritis.MedlinePlus.Rheumatoid arthritis.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Overview of osteoarthritis.Horiuchi AC, Pereira LHC, Kahlow BS, Silva MB, Skare TL.Rheumatoid arthritis in elderly and young patients.Rev Bras Reumatol Engl Ed. 2017;57(5):491-494. doi:10.1016/j.rbre.2015.06.002Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Network.RA symptoms: how do you diagnose rheumatoid arthritis?.Harvard Health Publishing.Explain the pain—is it osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis?.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Osteoarthritis.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Arthritis of the knee.Zhao SS, Nikiphorou E, Young A, Kiely PDW.Large joints are progressively involved in rheumatoid arthritis irrespective of rheumatoid factor status-results from the early rheumatoid arthritis study.Rheumatol Int. 2022 Apr;42(4):621-629. doi: 10.1007/s00296-021-04931-2.Radu AF, Bungau SG.Management of rheumatoid arthritis: an overview.Cells. 2021;10(11):2857. doi:10.3390/cells10112857.Zhu M, Ding Q, Lin Z, Fu R, Zhang F, Li Z,et al.New targets and strategies for rheumatoid arthritis: from signal transduction to epigenetic aspect.Biomolecules. 2023;13(5):766. doi:10.3390/biom13050766Arthritis Foundation.Slowing osteoarthritis progression.Vina ER, Kwoh CK.Epidemiology of osteoarthritis: literature update.Curr Opin Rheumatol. 2018;30(2):160-167. doi:10.1097/BOR.0000000000000479Man GS, Mologhianu G.Osteoarthritis pathogenesis—a complex process that involves the entire joint.J Med Life. 2014;7(1):37-41.Centers for Disease Control.Rheumatoid arthritis.Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Network.RA blood tests: what lab tests show rheumatoid arthritis?.Sinusas K.Osteoarthritis: diagnosis and treatment.Am Fam Physician.2012;85(1):49-56.Perlman A, Fogerite SG, Glass O, et al.Efficacy and safety of massage for osteoarthritis of the knee: a randomized clinical trial.J Gen Intern Med.2019;34(3):379-386. doi:10.1007/s11606-018-4763-5Joplin S, Van der Zwan R, Joshua F, Wong PK.Medication adherence in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: the effect of patient education, health literacy, and musculoskeletal ultrasound.Biomed Res Int. 2015;2015:150658. doi:10.1155/2015/150658Arthritis Foundation.Weight loss benefits for arthritis.American College of Rheumatology.Rheumatoid arthritis.Arthitis Foundation.Imaging tests for rheumatoid arthritis.Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center.Osteoarthritis: Signs and symptoms.
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.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Osteoarthritis.MedlinePlus.Rheumatoid arthritis.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Overview of osteoarthritis.Horiuchi AC, Pereira LHC, Kahlow BS, Silva MB, Skare TL.Rheumatoid arthritis in elderly and young patients.Rev Bras Reumatol Engl Ed. 2017;57(5):491-494. doi:10.1016/j.rbre.2015.06.002Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Network.RA symptoms: how do you diagnose rheumatoid arthritis?.Harvard Health Publishing.Explain the pain—is it osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis?.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Osteoarthritis.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Arthritis of the knee.Zhao SS, Nikiphorou E, Young A, Kiely PDW.Large joints are progressively involved in rheumatoid arthritis irrespective of rheumatoid factor status-results from the early rheumatoid arthritis study.Rheumatol Int. 2022 Apr;42(4):621-629. doi: 10.1007/s00296-021-04931-2.Radu AF, Bungau SG.Management of rheumatoid arthritis: an overview.Cells. 2021;10(11):2857. doi:10.3390/cells10112857.Zhu M, Ding Q, Lin Z, Fu R, Zhang F, Li Z,et al.New targets and strategies for rheumatoid arthritis: from signal transduction to epigenetic aspect.Biomolecules. 2023;13(5):766. doi:10.3390/biom13050766Arthritis Foundation.Slowing osteoarthritis progression.Vina ER, Kwoh CK.Epidemiology of osteoarthritis: literature update.Curr Opin Rheumatol. 2018;30(2):160-167. doi:10.1097/BOR.0000000000000479Man GS, Mologhianu G.Osteoarthritis pathogenesis—a complex process that involves the entire joint.J Med Life. 2014;7(1):37-41.Centers for Disease Control.Rheumatoid arthritis.Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Network.RA blood tests: what lab tests show rheumatoid arthritis?.Sinusas K.Osteoarthritis: diagnosis and treatment.Am Fam Physician.2012;85(1):49-56.Perlman A, Fogerite SG, Glass O, et al.Efficacy and safety of massage for osteoarthritis of the knee: a randomized clinical trial.J Gen Intern Med.2019;34(3):379-386. doi:10.1007/s11606-018-4763-5Joplin S, Van der Zwan R, Joshua F, Wong PK.Medication adherence in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: the effect of patient education, health literacy, and musculoskeletal ultrasound.Biomed Res Int. 2015;2015:150658. doi:10.1155/2015/150658Arthritis Foundation.Weight loss benefits for arthritis.American College of Rheumatology.Rheumatoid arthritis.Arthitis Foundation.Imaging tests for rheumatoid arthritis.Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center.Osteoarthritis: Signs and symptoms.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Osteoarthritis.
MedlinePlus.Rheumatoid arthritis.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Overview of osteoarthritis.
Horiuchi AC, Pereira LHC, Kahlow BS, Silva MB, Skare TL.Rheumatoid arthritis in elderly and young patients.Rev Bras Reumatol Engl Ed. 2017;57(5):491-494. doi:10.1016/j.rbre.2015.06.002
Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Network.RA symptoms: how do you diagnose rheumatoid arthritis?.
Harvard Health Publishing.Explain the pain—is it osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis?.
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Osteoarthritis.
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Arthritis of the knee.
Zhao SS, Nikiphorou E, Young A, Kiely PDW.Large joints are progressively involved in rheumatoid arthritis irrespective of rheumatoid factor status-results from the early rheumatoid arthritis study.Rheumatol Int. 2022 Apr;42(4):621-629. doi: 10.1007/s00296-021-04931-2.
Radu AF, Bungau SG.Management of rheumatoid arthritis: an overview.Cells. 2021;10(11):2857. doi:10.3390/cells10112857.
Zhu M, Ding Q, Lin Z, Fu R, Zhang F, Li Z,et al.New targets and strategies for rheumatoid arthritis: from signal transduction to epigenetic aspect.Biomolecules. 2023;13(5):766. doi:10.3390/biom13050766
Arthritis Foundation.Slowing osteoarthritis progression.
Vina ER, Kwoh CK.Epidemiology of osteoarthritis: literature update.Curr Opin Rheumatol. 2018;30(2):160-167. doi:10.1097/BOR.0000000000000479
Man GS, Mologhianu G.Osteoarthritis pathogenesis—a complex process that involves the entire joint.J Med Life. 2014;7(1):37-41.
Centers for Disease Control.Rheumatoid arthritis.
Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Network.RA blood tests: what lab tests show rheumatoid arthritis?.
Sinusas K.Osteoarthritis: diagnosis and treatment.Am Fam Physician.2012;85(1):49-56.
Perlman A, Fogerite SG, Glass O, et al.Efficacy and safety of massage for osteoarthritis of the knee: a randomized clinical trial.J Gen Intern Med.2019;34(3):379-386. doi:10.1007/s11606-018-4763-5
Joplin S, Van der Zwan R, Joshua F, Wong PK.Medication adherence in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: the effect of patient education, health literacy, and musculoskeletal ultrasound.Biomed Res Int. 2015;2015:150658. doi:10.1155/2015/150658
Arthritis Foundation.Weight loss benefits for arthritis.
American College of Rheumatology.Rheumatoid arthritis.
Arthitis Foundation.Imaging tests for rheumatoid arthritis.
Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center.Osteoarthritis: Signs and symptoms.
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