Rheumatic diseases: arthritis and arthrosis, what are the differences?
Arthritis and arthrosis fall into the broader category of rheumatic diseases, both affect the joints and both are characterised by pain accompanied by stiffness and restricted movement in the affected joints
It is precisely these similarities that sometimes lead to confusion between arthrosis and arthritis, which are sometimes mistaken for each other
Yet they are two very different diseases that differ on several points.
First and foremost, the nature of the disease and the age of those affected: arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease of autoimmune origin that can develop in people of any age, including children, while arthrosis is a degenerative disease that mainly occurs after the age of 50.
Arthritis is manifested by joint inflammation
It is characterised by swelling, swelling, redness, stiffness, increased temperature in the affected area, and pain, which also leads to loss of mobility in the affected joints.
The most severe forms can deform the joints, impairing the ability to perform even the simplest daily tasks.
People of all ages can be affected, and the inflammation tends to worsen over the years if not recognised and treated properly.
There are different types of arthritis, including rheumatoid arthritis (even in its juvenile form), gout, and arthritis within connective tissue diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus.
Arthrosis, unlike arthritis, is not an inflammatory disease, but a chronic degenerative form
It mainly affects older people because it is linked to wear and tear of the joints.
The joint structures most frequently affected are those most stressed by weight and activity, including the knees, hips, shoulders, hands, feet and spine.
The degenerative process of osteoarthritis leads to a thinning of the joint cartilage and then to bone deformities that cause the pain and symptoms specific to osteoarthritis, particularly evident in the distal phalanges of the hands, for example.
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