Bones and Joints Health Center

Arthritis is inflammation of one or more of your joints. The main symptoms of arthritis are joint pain and stiffness, which typically worsen with age. The most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis   What are the early signs of arthritis? Early Signs of Rheumatoid Arthritis Fatigue You may feel unusually tired well before any other symptoms become obvious. Fatigue can come before the onset of other symptoms by weeks or months. It may come and go from week to week or day to day. Fatigue is sometimes accompanied by a general feeling of ill health or even depression. Morning stiffness Morning stiffness is often an early sign of arthritis. Stiffness that lasts for a few minutes is usually a symptom of a form of arthritis that can worsen over time without proper treatment. Stiffness that lasts for several hours is generally a symptom of inflammatory arthritis and is typical of RA. You may also feel stiffness after a

Is It Rheumatoid Arthritis? The Differences Between RA and OA Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) vs. osteoarthritis (OA) Arthritis is an umbrella term used to describe inflammation of the joints. However, there are different kinds of arthritis, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA). Although RA and OA both affect your joints, they’re very different forms of the same broader condition. RA is an autoimmune condition, while OA is primarily a degenerative joint condition. Autoimmune disorder vs. degenerative disorder RA is an autoimmune disorder, which means your body attacks itself. If you have RA, your body interprets the soft lining around your joints as a threat, similar to a virus or bacteria, and attacks it. This attack causes fluid to accumulate within your joint. In addition to swelling, this fluid buildup also causes: pain stiffness inflammation around your joints OA, the most common form of arthritis, is a degenerative joint d