How is OA different from rheumatoid arthritis?
Both arthritic conditions may have similar symptoms and may affect the same joints. In their severe forms, the two can be quite disabling and result in joint destruction and deformities. The key distinguishing feature is that rheumatoid arthritis is an “inflammatory” arthritis. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis generally will have multiple visibly swollen, warm, and tender joints. They are particularly stiff in the morning and this stiffness can last for more than one hour. Osteoarthritis, on the other hand, is a “degenerative” arthritis and although patients can have joint swelling and morning stiffness, the severity of these symptoms are much less than that of individuals with rheumatoid arthritis.
