Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common chronic condition of articular cartilage degeneration with secondary bone changes causing pain, decreased function, and disability — the most common form of arthritis (~21 million Americans). Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, systemic autoimmune disease involving inflammation of the joint lining that often affects internal organs, causing progressive joint destruction, deformity, and disability (1-2 million Americans; 3x more common in women; peaks age 35-50).

Two very different diseases share the word 'arthritis.' OA is a LOCALIZED, degenerative 'wear-and-tear' cartilage disease with little inflammation. RA is a SYSTEMIC autoimmune disease driven by inflammation that destroys joints and harms organs. Getting this distinction right drives every treatment decision — analgesics for OA, disease-modifying immunosuppressants for RA.

📖 “OA: cartilage degeneration, most common arthritis (~21M). RA: systemic autoimmune, joint-lining inflammation, organ involvement (1-2M, 3x women, peaks 35-50).”