What is the difference between osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis?

Osteoarthritis is due to the general wear and tear of the joint from daily living activities. The bones grind against each other and lead to destruction of the cartilage. This wear and tear happens in everyone but can be hastened by joint injury, obesity or infection. Osteoarthritis usually affects the large joints of the body like the knee, hip or spine.

Rheumatoid arthritis occurs because of some problem with the immune system. For some unknown reason, the body’s defense mechanism starts to attack the joint structures causing inflammation, redness and swelling. Rheumatoid arthritis is also a progressive disease and can be very deforming. It tends to affect small joints and is usually bilateral and symmetrical. For example, fingers on both hands may be affected at the same time.

Neither condition is curable and all treatments only deal with the symptoms.