How does rheumatoid arthritis differ from osteoarthritis?

My mother has osteoarthritis in her knees from age, and her pain gets worse at the end of the day after walking. My cousin has rheumatoid arthritis, and her hands are stiffest first thing in the morning. They both use totally different medications, so it is really a doctor's job to figure it out.

Think of osteoarthritis as your joints rusty from years of service, like an old bicycle. RA is more like an over-enthusiastic security guard inside your body attacking the joint by mistake. Either way, don't worry, the doctors have great tools to fix both!

The main difference is that rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic autoimmune disease affecting the lining of your joints, often accompanied by fatigue. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease limited to the cartilage, usually worse after physical activity. It is important to get a blood test like RF or anti-CCP to confirm RA.

Had to study this for my sports rehab class. Osteoarthritis is mechanical, meaning the cartilage wears down over time. RA is autoimmune, so your body's defense system is causing the inflammation. If you are experiencing symmetrical pain in both hands, that points more toward RA.

With osteoarthritis, you pay the price for all the heavy lifting you did in your youth. With rheumatoid arthritis, your immune system just decides to pick a fight with your joints for no good reason. Ah well, at least we have good rheumatologists to keep both in check!