Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common type of arthritis. It gets worse with age and is caused by wear and tear over the years. This erodes the natural shock absorber, resulting in painful bone-on-bone friction, which may feel like a grinding sensation in the joints.
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is caused by the immune system attacking the joints as if they were foreign tissues. Because of this, it is classified as an autoimmune disease. It causes bone erosion and swollen joints resulting in swollen, stiff and painful joints.
Some common symptoms include:
Joint pain: Joint pain refers to discomfort, aches, and soreness in any of the body’s joints (shoulder, kneel, elbow, hips,wrist)
- Joint Stiffness: Morning stiffness is most common
- Other general symptoms include: Frequent tiredness, poor appetite, fever and sometimes weight loss