Symptoms & Causes
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease. Over time, as the cartilage wears off, bone friction increases causing pain.
Causes: Obesity, Injury, joint overuse and hereditary factors are commonly responsible for OA.
Diagnosis: Onset of OA can be determined by an x-ray.
Rheumatoid arthritis:
Autoimmune disorder involving multiple joints causing pain and structural deformity in advance cases.
It usually manifests bilaterally, affecting joints on both sides of the body. Rarely, RA may affect the skin, eyes, lungs, heart, blood, nerves or kidneys. The disease onset, progression and duration vary significantly among those affected.
Causes: It is widely believed that it is an autoimmune disorder. A faulty immune response in which the immune system attacks the joints and organs causes RA. Viral affection and numerous environmental, hormonal, emotional and genetic factors are considered as triggers of the immune system. There are millions people who have RA with a higher incidence among women.
Diagnosis: A combination of factors indicates RA as individual symptoms and Laboratory results vary significantly.
- Symmetrical affection of joints
- Joint stiffness on waking
- X-rays indicating RA type degeneration
- Positive Rheumatoid Factor (RF) in blood tests
- Presence of nodules under the skin called rheumatic nodules
Anemia, increased ESR may also be detected in a person with RA.