Difference between Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis

Written by Lv Yao

Orthopedics

Updated on September 20, 2024

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Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis have clear differences. Osteoarthritis refers to the rupture, loss, and fissuring of joint cartilage caused by degeneration in old age, which can lead to knee pain, and in severe cases, deformity. Rheumatoid arthritis, however, refers to the destruction of joint cartilage caused by rheumatism, which includes the proliferation of synovium, swelling, migratory pain, morning stiffness, among other symptoms. Diagnosis can be confirmed through laboratory tests, such as the rheumatoid factor test, making it quite easy to distinguish between the two.

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Written by Guan Jing Tao

Orthopedics

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How to maintain osteoarthritis?

Arthritis primarily requires avoiding cold exposure. For middle-aged and older individuals, it is advised to reduce or avoid mountain climbing and excessive weight-bearing activities, as well as excessive walking and running. These can exacerbate the symptoms and severity of osteoarthritis, and may even cause local pain and swelling in later stages, further aggravating osteoarthritis, leading to bone proliferation, worsening degeneration of bone joints, and even resulting in an inability to move around. Therefore, in addition to the precautions mentioned above, it is also recommended for the middle-aged and older population to appropriately supplement with bone peptides and some drugs that nourish joint cartilage annually, such as amino acids and glucosamine, all of which help in the maintenance and relief of osteoarthritis symptoms.

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Written by Wang Cheng Lin

Orthopedics

54sec

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Is moxibustion okay for osteoarthritis?

Moxibustion for osteoarthritis is feasible; it can alleviate local symptoms of pain and swelling in osteoarthritis. Currently, there are two methods of treatment for osteoarthritis: The first is conservative treatment, which includes physical therapy, rehabilitation, moxibustion, acupuncture, oral medication, and injections of sodium hyaluronate, all of which can relieve symptoms of joint pain, swelling, and discomfort during movement. The second method is surgical treatment, which is considered when conservative treatment is ineffective, or when symptoms worsen after conservative treatment. Presently, there are two approaches to surgical treatment: The first involves arthroscopic minimally invasive cleaning of the joint, followed by further cleaning of the meniscus and synovium; the second method is joint replacement, with total knee replacement being the most common.

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Written by Kuang Tao

Orthopedics

46sec

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How to reduce swelling in osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis often presents with swelling, most commonly seen in knee osteoarthritis. The swelling occurs because of inflammation. For example, if knee arthritis is accompanied by synovitis, it will become swollen and the local temperature will be relatively high. To reduce swelling, the first measure is immobilization, meaning you should avoid bearing weight or moving, and lie in bed without bending the joint, which can help decrease the swelling. Second, you can apply heat, using a hot water bottle or heated salt for heat therapy. Third, if there is fluid accumulation in the joint cavity, draining this fluid can also reduce swelling. Fourth, physical therapy, acupuncture, and massage can all help reduce swelling.

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Written by Guan Jing Tao

Orthopedics

1min 20sec

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How to treat effusion in osteoarthritis?

General treatment methods are mainly divided into two categories. First, conservative treatment, which is non-surgical and includes rest, immobilization, localized physical therapy such as heat application, acupuncture, etc. Physical therapy includes techniques like spectrum therapy, infrared, and diathermy. For some patients with mild osteoarthritis and minor effusions, these can gradually be absorbed over one to two weeks, and symptoms of pain and swelling can be alleviated. This can be combined with oral intake of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as celecoxib or ibuprofen. For patients with recurrent episodes, or those who are middle-aged and above with severe osteoarthritis and degeneration, and have substantial effusion, conservative treatments are generally not very effective. Therefore, we can try aspirating the effusion in the knee joint and appropriately administer intra-articular sodium hyaluronate injections to promote the recovery of osteoarthritis and delay the degeneration of bone proliferation. If conservative treatment still does not bring significant relief, then arthroscopic debridement and corresponding surgical treatments for the knee joint may be considered.

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Written by Li Jie

Orthopedics

1min 38sec

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Osteoarthritis exercise time

We say that all exercise must have a limit, and it should be within the patient’s tolerance. Walking exercises for osteoarthritis are permissible, but we do not advocate excessive exercise. Instead, it is best to focus primarily on rest. We say that life depends on movement, but joints rely on stillness. What does this mean? We do not advocate excessive activity in the joints. What is considered excessive activity? For example, if an osteoarthritis patient finishes a day of walking exercise and feels no pain, swelling, or discomfort in the joints, then the degree and amount of exercise they undertook are acceptable. However, if the patient finishes exercising and experiences significant pain, swelling, or discomfort in the joints by the evening, this indicates that the exercise was too much, and it was not suitable for them. They must rest and avoid such intense activities, indicating that walking exercises are not suitable. Thus, whether walking exercises are appropriate for patients with arthritis needs a balanced view, especially for patients in the acute phase of osteoarthritis. The mindset of exercising through the pain, regardless of discomfort, is absolutely incorrect. During the acute phase of osteoarthritis, we recommend resting as much as possible. During the remission phase of osteoarthritis, whether and how much walking exercise one should engage in also needs to be determined based on the severity of the patient’s condition and their subjective feelings. It cannot be generalized.