- Osteoarthritis vs. Rheumatoid arthritis Explained - 🦴Osteoarthritis -Noninflammatory degenerative joint disorder caused by the breakdown of articular cartilage between the joints from “wear and tear” -NOT autoimmune or inflammatory -SLOW onset (years) -Pain is asymmetrical (affects ONE joint) -Pain/stiffness after weight-bearing activities (subsides within 30 minutes) -Joints affected: weight-bearing joints (knees, hips, spine) -Bony enlargements in hands 🦴Rheumatoid arthritis -Chronic infla

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) causes joint inflammation and pain. It happens when the immune system doesn’t work properly and attacks the lining of the joints, called the synovium. The disease commonly affects the hands, knees or ankles, and usually the same joint on both sides of the body, such as both hands or both knees. But sometimes RA causes problems in other parts of the body as well, such as the eyes, heart and circulatory system and/or the lungs. In the early stages, people with RA may not