Difference

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tonesp
tonesp Member Posts: 844
edited 30. Oct 2011, 12:23 in Living with Arthritis archive
Could someone please tell me the difference between Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis I know before my hip replacement that I had the former
However rheumatoid seems to be much more virulent and harder to control
There seems to be a fix for knees and hips BUT??

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  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    RA, PA, AS etc are caused by an over-active immune system: as I see it it gets bored so attacks the body to keep itself amused. The drugs involved in the treatment of this sort aim to switch off the immune system to stop this happening: think sledgehammer/nut and you get the general concept! Joint replacements can result if the joint damage is sufficient. OA, on the other hand, results from age, 'wear and tear' to joints, after an accident or trauma to the joints etc - it is not an immune-system based sort. That is why GPs deal with that, and rheumatologists the other. Does that help? DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • valval
    valval Member Posts: 14,911
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    dd got it spot on could not add anything to such a good discription val
    val
  • hileena111
    hileena111 Member Posts: 7,099
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Yep....as usual :grin: DD is right :grin:
    RA is auto immune disease and OA is wear and tear
    GP's and poss orthos if surgery is needed for OA
    Rheumys for RA

    Love
    Hileena
  • julie47
    julie47 Member Posts: 6,041
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Spot on dd :grin:

    Juliepf x
  • tonesp
    tonesp Member Posts: 844
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Thanks DD It certainly does. Is there any evidence as to whether either one is genetic? I got in touch with a long lost cousin on my Father's side(Never saw him after the age of 5) and she said that OA was rife on that side of the family They couldn't all be squash and badminton players like I was
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    There is evidence that RA etc have a genetic link - the most obvious proof of that being they run in families - but there are some who begin RA etc without having any previous instance of it in either side of the family. As for OA there is no evidence of a genetic link but as it is classified as the 'wear and tear' version perhaps there does not need to be. We are not only living longer but also being more acitve into later ages - and bone renewal slows with age. There are ten million or so arthritics in the UK and most of those have OA - and as it's an aging population there will be more along soon! DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
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