Rheumatoid Arthritis(RA) and Osteoarthritis are the two most common types of senior arthritis. While, like many of the more common types of arthritis, they share a number of similarities, like increased risk of joint deformity, they are actually quite different as well.

There are, of course, a number of things that are still unknown about what exactly causes arthritis, but in the case of both Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis, a number of risk factors have been identified, as well as probably causes.

What Causes Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Rheumatoid Arthritis is quite different from most other types of arthritis, as it is tied to an autoimmune response in the body. In an autoimmune response, the cells in the body that would normally fight infection and disease actually end up attacking healthy cells. In the case of rheumatoid arthritis, this leads to inflammation of cartilage and, in some cases, results in damage to other organs in the body, like the kidney.

Rheumatoid arthritis can be found in people of all ages and genders, however it is most common in woman. Interestingly, there is a bit of an age gap of when it will typically show up. In most cases, the disease will present itself in people who are under thirty-five or over seventy, with the risk for it developing in-between this time frame being much lower.

Since rheumatoid arthritis is tied to an autoimmune disease, many scientists hypothesize that it is related to an infection, as this is often the cause of other autoimmune responses. However, genetics, gender, and even stress have also been found to be possible aggravating risk factors that might increase the risk for this type of arthritis.

What Causes Osteoarthritis?

Even though many of the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis are also present in those with osteoarthritis, such as joint pain and inflammation, the diseases affect the body quite differently. For example, in most instances, the inflammation is a resulting symptom of the osteoarthritis, while in those with RA, the inflammation is the actual disease. Osteoarthritis is, on the other hand, a degenerative arthritis.

People are not exactly sure what causes osteoarthritis, however most research points between a relation to wear and tear of the joints and the development of the disease.

For example, being overweight is a leading risk factor of osteoarthritis and results in a lot more stress and pressure being placed on weight bearing joints. Those who play certain high impact sports, like football, are also at an increased risk of developing this type of disease. Injuries can also play a role, as the joint is weakened and damaged, making it wear out more rapidly.

Other factors, such as age and, in some rare instances, genetics, are also thought to be involved. Age is considered to be a factor as the fluid around a joint decreases, cartilage can become weaker and more prone to breaking.

Summary

Despite there being many differences between these two types of arthritis, the end result of the diseases is often very similar. In many cases, especially when the disease is not treated, deformity will occur and in almost all cases, some amount of limited mobility will develop. Often, joint pain and inflammation will make movement of the joint much more difficult and when it is a weight bearing joint, like the hip or knee, walking and standing up can become much more difficult.