Osteoarthritis vs rheumatoid arthritis

June 20, 2024
Patient Tips

Arthritis is a catch-all name for over 100 medical conditions affecting your musculoskeletal system, especially your joints (where one bone meets another). Arthritis affects nearly 4 million Australians of all ages. While arthritis is often stereotyped as an age-related disease, it’s surprisingly common in younger people too.

Here we’ll focus on two of the most common types of arthritis: osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

What is osteoarthritis?

One in 5 Australians over 45 have osteoarthritis, which is why it was often thought of as a ‘wear and tear’ disease linked to getting older. Now, though, we think OA could be the result of a joint working extra hard to repair itself.

Osteoarthritis causes

Osteoarthritis (OA) occurs when the protective cartilage that cushions the ends of your bones becomes damaged or worn down. It can affect the whole joint, causing;

Bone spurs (hard lumpy growths)
Deterioration of connective tissues that hold the joint together
Inflammation of the joint lining.

Several risk factors may increase the odds of developing osteoarthritis, including:

A joint injury, even one from years ago
Repeated joint stress, e.g. through sport
Underlying conditions like diabetes or haemochromatosis (too much iron)
Genetic influences
Bone deformities
Being female
Being overweight or obese – the extra weight increases the demand on your joints while fat tissue produces proteins that can lead to joint inflammation.

That would help to explain why OA often develops in younger people after a joint injury. Indeed, that’s what happened to England footballer, Alex Scott – she was just 26 when an ankle injury triggered osteoarthritis. Tennis player Andy Murray has a similar story involving suspected hip osteoarthritis.

Symptoms of osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis symptoms tend to start slowly and build up. Common symptoms include:

Pain, stiffness or tenderness in the affected joint
Limited range of motion
A grating sensation or popping/cracking noises when you move the joint
Swelling due to soft tissue inflammation.

Diagnosing osteoarthritis

To diagnose osteoarthritis, your doctor may:

Ask about your symptoms
Review your medical history
Examine the affected joint for tenderness, swelling, redness and flexibility
Order imaging tests like an X-ray or MRI.

Osteoarthritis treatments

Osteoarthritis treatment focuses on reducing pain and improving ease of movement. It may involve:

Medications
Physiotherapy or occupational therapy
Injections
Surgical procedures such as:
- Osteotomy – bone realignment
- Joint replacement.

What is rheumatoid arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a different type of arthritis and its symptoms can extend beyond your joint. Tennis players Danielle Collins and Caroline Wozniacki and pro-golfer Kristy McPherson all live with rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis causes

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition. It occurs when your body’s immune system mistakenly attacks and damages your own healthy tissues. With RA, the immune system targets the lining of your joints, causing inflammation and joint damage. But it doesn’t necessarily stop there. RA can also cause problems with your heart, lungs, nerves, eyes and skin.

Typically, people experience RA flare ups when their symptoms become more severe followed by periods of remission when symptoms ease for a bit.

Doctors don’t fully understand the causes of RA yet. Like other autoimmune diseases, it may involve an underlying genetic propensity that is activated by environmental factors like a virus.

Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis

RA symptoms may include:

Tender or swollen joints
Joint stiffness – often worse in the mornings
Fatigue
Fever
Loss of appetite.

RA tends to affect smaller joints first, such as those in your fingers and toes.

Diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis

To diagnose RA, your doctor may:

Check your joints
Order blood tests to check for inflammation
Order imaging tests like an X-ray or MRI.

Treatment for rheumatoid arthritis

Treatment for RA may include:

Medications
Phyiotherapy or occupational therapy
Surgery, including total joint replacement in some cases.

How can I help?

I am an experienced orthopaedic surgeon with extended expertise. Depending on your situation, I may recommend a trial of conservative treatment through a multidisciplinary team or I may recommend surgery to help restore joint function. I know these are significant decisions and I’m happy to discuss your options and answer any questions you may have.

Please make an appointment today.

Disclaimer

All information is general and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Dr Ross Radic can consult with you to determine if a particular treatment or procedure is right for you. A second opinion may help you decide on your options.