What is the difference between osteopenia and osteoarthritis

It can affect your neck and, to a lesser degree, the shoulders. Shoulder pain is usually NOT OA unless you have advanced impingement syndrome and have developed rotator cuff damage over the years. OA does not affect the elbow or ankle unless there are other circumstances such as prior fracture or flat feet.

OA is a joint problem, not a systemic problem. It is possible to have more than one affected joint but there is no symmetry as in rheumatoid arthritis. An old injury or smaller repetitive injuries can lead to a degenerative joint such as the knee or spine.

Carrying extra body weight will accelerate the damage and symptoms of osteoarthritis. There is little inflammation in osteoarthritis compared to rheumatoid arthritis. It is possible to have a swollen joint at times but it is usually not long lasting. Swelling tends to occur with joint overuse or exertion and will subside with rest.

Blood tests for blood inflammation will prove negative because the inflammation is not in the blood but instead local in a joint. Arthritis blood tests will also be negative. Diagnosis is usually confirmed by history, examination and plain x-rays. X-rays will reveal the joint narrowing and bone spurring but history often leads the physician to the appropriate diagnosis. Caution to those whose physicians do not listen, do not perform a physical examination or take x-rays and say, "Oh, you have arthritis" or "What do you expect?

You are getting older. Although you do have to find ways to be comfortable, there are plenty of ways and specific options to help you live actively and fully. Every condition has a "course or path of treatment".

This means there is a limited set of treatments based on your diagnosis and its severity which is more reason why I emphasize the importance of knowing 1 your diagnosis, 2 its severity, and 3 options available.

Medical professionals begin with the least and add more as you go along to find the most effective treatment. It is not always easy finding the best combination of treatments. Never be passive and never believe your doctor is untouchable. Doctors appreciate your involvement and do better with your help.

If you have concerns, express them, if you have questions, ask them and if you are not satisfied with your treatment, speak up or seek additional help with a second opinion. Also realize there are many specialists that treat specific types of problems.

Currently there is no medication that slows the progression or damage of osteoarthritis. In all cases, medications are designed to control symptoms. Simply treating osteoarthritis with medication can make you more comfortable and active but remember it's important to rehabilitate painful joints so they remain functional.

We also now know that the best way to SLOW arthritis progression is through strength. Strength that surrounds a joint unloads the joint's stresses and changes the load as it transfers to the muscles. Once you know the correct exercises for your problem, a home exercise program can be excellent in the long-run.

Joints and the spine do better when we maintain a desired weight. Bowles David A. Brcka Tuan L. Bui Snehal C. Dalal Ethan W. Dean Mark S. Duffield Donald E. Fowler Eric I. Francke Timothy N. Ghattas Matthew B. Jaffe Richard B. Johnston Virginia M. Jones Susan S. Jordan Douglas B. Kasow Keith A. Lamberson Yong S. Lee William J. Lichtenfeld Ryan W. Lirette Travis W. Littleton Richard R. Maguire J. Ryan Mahoney M. Jonathan Mathers Michael A. McHenry Wesley H. Lack of physical activity.

Excessive alcohol intake. Arthritis Arthritis is a general term for conditions that affect the joints and surrounding tissues. Osteoarthritis OA is a painful, degenerative joint disease that often involves the hips, knees, neck, lower back, or small joints of the hands.

OA usually develops in joints that are injured by repeated overuse from performing a particular task or playing a favorite sport or from carrying around excess body weight. Eventually this injury or repeated impact thins or wears away the cartilage that cushions the ends of the bones in the joint. As a result, the bones rub together, causing a grating sensation. Joint flexibility is reduced, bony spurs develop, and the joint swells. Usually, the first symptom of OA is pain that worsens following exercise or immobility.

Rheumatoid arthritis RA is an autoimmune inflammatory disease that usually involves various joints in the fingers, thumbs, wrists, elbows, shoulders, knees, feet, and ankles. An autoimmune disease is one in which the body releases enzymes that attack its own healthy tissues. In RA, these enzymes destroy the linings of joints. This causes pain, swelling, stiffness, malformation, and reduced movement and function.

People hear these terms and often mix them up. Osteoporosis and osteopenia less severe — are conditions of decreasing bone density. You should be within 2. If your t score is Osteoarthritis, sometimes called degenerative joint disease or degenerative arthritis, is the most common chronic condition of the joints, caused by mechanical wear and tear on joints. What are the differences between osteoarthritis and osteoporosis? Osteoporosis does not have any symptoms. Osteoporosis is a bone disease that occurs when the body loses too much bone, makes too little bone, or both.

Osteoporosis is simply talking about the strength of the bones — how strong is the bone? Can it withstand the pressure we put on our bodies everyday? Osteoarthritis is where two bones come together at a joint and the cartilage breaks down, causing pain, swelling and problems moving the joint. In normal joints, a firm, rubbery material called cartilage covers the end of each bone.

Cartilage provides a smooth, gliding surface for joint motion and acts as a cushion between the bones. How can someone tell if they are predisposed to osteoarthritis or osteoporosis?

One of the biggest modifiable risks to osteoarthritis is weight loss.