Gout and osteoarthritis are diseases that not only sound very similar, but also affect the body in the same way: They affect bones, joints, ligaments and cartilage.Symptoms such as joint pain and difficulty moving also occur in both cases.However, there is quite a big difference between them.We will try to clarify these concepts.We will explain how arthritis and osteoarthritis manifest themselves, what is the difference between these diseases and how they are treated.
The difference between arthritis and osteoarthritis
Arthritis is inflammation of the joints.Osteoarthritis is an age-related change in cartilage tissue (destruction of cartilage).
Goutis a very broad term used to describe different types of conditions that cause joint inflammation.Each type of inflammation has its own name, for example rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis (arthrosis, arthrosis deformans).Gout can occur at any age.
Osteoarthritis (osteoarthritis, osteoarthritis)- one of the most common types of arthritis, which occurs when the cartilage tissue wears away.Our joints are mobile due to cartilage, its elasticity and smoothness.Its destruction results in direct contact between the bones in the joints, causing pain.Osteoarthritis is an age-related change that occurs in old age.
Gout and osteoarthritis also have differences in:
- Symptoms
- Risk factors.
- Classifications.
- Diagnostics.
- Treatment.
Symptoms
Symptoms of arthritis can also be present with osteoarthritis, but the nature of these symptoms is different.For example, joint pain is present in both cases, but pain with prolonged strain and stress is only common in osteoarthritis.
Gout
It is important to understand that the symptoms of one type of arthritis are sometimes quite different from the symptoms of another.But here are some symptoms that are commonly observed among all types of arthritis:
- Pain.It usually hurts at night and may decrease as the duration of movement increases (eg when walking during the day).
- Edema and swelling.If you have had no injuries and when you compare both knees or wrists, one of them appears to be swollen, which may indicate arthritis.
- Feelings of joint displacement.There may be a sensation that the joints are moving and pushing against each other.
- Fatigue.In any inflammatory disease, the immune system is activated and begins an active fight, this leads to a general weakening of the body and fatigue.
- Fever and loss of appetite.Inflammation not only reduces energy levels, as mentioned earlier, but can also lead to fever and loss of appetite.
- Redness and skin rash.Usually occurs near inflamed joints.
- Limited range of motion in affected joints.It goes without saying that pain makes any movement difficult.Performing simple household chores or participating in your favorite hobby becomes difficult due to acute pain in rheumatoid arthritis.
Osteoarthritis
Here are the most common symptoms of osteoarthritis:
- Pain.Pain is felt in the specific joint affected by osteoarthritis and varies depending on the degree of damage to the cartilage.The more cartilage is destroyed, the more pain a person will experience.Unlike arthritis, where pain often occurs at night or while resting, pain with osteoarthritis often occurs during the day: while walking, running, etc. Touching the skin over the painful joint can also cause pain.
- Reduced mobility.It is especially noticeable after a long period of inactivity, for example after a night's sleep.
- Crunch.When you move with osteoarthritis, you may hear specific sounds (not a light clicking sound, but a heavy, rough sound).This is the result of the breakdown of cartilage, which is designed to provide smooth, painless friction between joints.
- Deformation.With arthrosis (especially in the later stages), various deformations of bones and joints can occur: knots, growths.There is no swelling, as with gout.
Risk factors
Some factors may be the same for both diseases, while others are different.
- Age.One of the most common risk factors.As you get older, your chances of getting osteoarthritis or other types of arthritis increase tenfold.In this case, osteoarthritis mainly affects older people, and arthritis can occur at any age.
- Weight.The heavier a person is, the more pressure their joints get.This increases the chances of developing osteoarthritis and arthritis.
- Damage.The risk of osteoarthritis at a young age increases if you have previously suffered damage to bones or joints.
- Genetics.If many family members suffered from osteoarthritis, there is a high probability that you will also encounter this disease.However, your genetics do not increase your chances of getting arthritis.
- Activity.If you are constantly engaged in work that requires you to put a lot of stress on your bones, joints and cartilage, your chances of developing osteoarthritis increase.
A research group at the University of Oxford has also recently discovered a marker in the blood that can identify the risk of developing arthritis before the onset of symptoms, even at an early age (up to 16 years).
Classification
Gout
- Osteoarthritis (osteoarthritis, osteoarthritis) is the most common type of arthritis and develops due to wear and tear of cartilage and painful friction between joints.
- Rheumatoid Arthritis - This type of arthritis usually affects all joints of the body except the lower back.This is an autoimmune disease whose causes are not fully understood.A person can get sick at any age (even young children suffer from the disease).
- Ankylosing spondylitis mainly affects the spine.It develops in vertebrae and discs.This is an autoimmune disease.
- Cervical gout occurs for various reasons, but the most important is age.About 85% of people over 80 suffer from this disease.
- Gout is a rare type of arthritis that causes inflammation in various joints.This disease occurs due to increased levels of uric acid in the blood.Gout is now rare.
- Psoriatic arthritis is a type of arthritis characterized by inflammation of the skin and joints.With this disease, inflammation of the tendons and cartilage is observed;the eyes, lungs and even the aorta can also suffer.
- Reactive arthritis occurs as the body's response to an attack by bacteria and infections.The causative agents are intestinal and genitourinary infections.The disease causes swelling of the fingers and toes and lower back pain.
- Juvenile arthritis is an autoimmune disease that affects children under the age of 16.Leads to destruction of bones and joints, problems with development and growth.
- Post-traumatic arthritis - occurs as a result of previous injuries (breaks, cracks, sprains).
Osteoarthritis
There are the following types of osteoarthritis:
- Cervical arthrosis affects the neck vertebrae, occurs in old age and can be caused by stress and chronic neck diseases.Symptoms include neck pain and muscle spasms.
- Facet syndrome is most common among older adults and causes back pain, especially when the person is in an upright position.Poor posture can cause facet syndrome.
- Coxarthrosis is arthrosis of the hip joint.The hip joint is a hinge joint and is one of the strongest in the body.But in old age it wears out, and coxarthrosis is also often seen in athletes and the obese.
- Lumbar osteoarthritis affects the lower back.It can be caused by scoliosis and abdominal obesity (accumulation of fatty tissue in the upper torso).
Diagnostics
Diagnosis of both joint diseases includes:
- Vote.When the pain occurred, in which joint, the nature and duration of the pain, occupation, in which cases the pain is intensified, previous infectious diseases, injuries, etc.
- Visual inspection and palpation.Inspection for visible signs: swelling, redness, nodules.
- Analyze.
- X-ray and MRI.
What is the difference between diagnosing arthritis and osteoarthritis?Because gout is an inflammatory disease, the inflammation will be visible in a blood test.Tests for osteoarthritis are clear;X-rays or MRI are usually used for diagnosis.
Treatment
Gout
There are different treatment options depending on the severity of the disease.The main goal of treating arthritis is to eliminate the cause of joint inflammation.
- Medicines.Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis may require a combination of different medications.In addition to analgesics, your doctor may also prescribe a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, antibiotics, and hormonal medications to reduce pain.
- Lifestyle adjustments - diet and exercise to ease the pressure on the joints.It is necessary to consume foods high in calcium (to stimulate bone strength) and rich in protein (to build strong muscles).
- Surgical intervention.Operations range from minor interventions to major operations (joint replacement).
Osteoarthritis
The main goal of treating osteoarthritis is to restore damaged cartilage.The treatment includes:
- Medicines in tablets are chondroprotectors.
- Injections - corticosteroids and hyaluronic acid to reduce inflammation and increase mobility.
- Massage therapy.The following essential oils are particularly effective: orange, ginger, lavender, rosemary, sandalwood and eucalyptus.
- Therapeutic gymnastics.
- Surgery - Damaged joints can be replaced with artificial ones to reduce pain and improve mobility.
- Lifestyle adjustments - diet and exercise to ease the pressure on the joints.It is necessary to consume foods high in calcium (to stimulate bone strength) and rich in protein (to build strong muscles).
Conclusions
- Arthritis is inflammation of the joints.Osteoarthritis is an age-related change in cartilage tissue (destruction of cartilage).
- Osteoarthritis occurs in older people (50+) (can also occur at a young age, but very rarely and after a serious injury).Gout can occur at any age (even in children).
- With osteoarthritis, the joints hurt during physical activity.With gout, pain occurs at night.
- In arthrosis the pain increases with movement, in arthritis it decreases.
- Osteoarthritis most often affects knee and hip joints.Arthritis can occur in any joint;several distant joints or just one can hurt.
- Gout, as an inflammatory disease, can be diagnosed by a blood test, osteoarthritis cannot.