When a patient has arthritis, the type of arthritis with which they are diagnosed can make a major difference in how it's dealt with both at a personal and medical level. Experience with arthritis shows up in the form of painful joints, but there are many symptoms that can distinguish one condition from others.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis. It's often called degenerative joint disease and tends to be more common in older adults. However, osteoarthritis can still appear in younger people, when it is normally the result of injury, a hereditary disorder or metabolic problem.

With osteoarthritis, there is a wearing away of the smooth cartilage of the bone, resulting in exposed ends forming new bone. The overgrowth of this bony material is a confirmation on the diagnosis. It is often accompanied by pain when there is a shifting of joints along with and a sensation of grating known as "joint crepitus." This is where the bone ends that are both exposed and dry begin to rub against each other. Inflammation is not typically connected with Osteoarthritis.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is very different from osteoarthritis. With this form of the disease, the immune system malfunctions, causing the synovial joints to inflame. However, though inflammation is a common response of the immune system, the body is unable to control it. This inflammation and swelling weakens the ligaments and the joints.

Rheumatoid arthritis can not only lead to deformity, but it can also be very painful. When a patient is experiencing an inflammation, simple tasks like opening a bottle or using a pen can be extremely painful and almost impossible. Rheumatoid arthritis will either worsen or often stay stable for a number of years before deteriorating further.

The disease is often diagnosed in 5 stages. Stage 1 has no visible or apparent symptoms other than those that can be detected through lab analysis. Stage 2 is accompanied by small amount of stiffness (usually in the mornings) and some swelling.

Stage 3 causes the synovial membrane to proliferate, and drug treatments are often required. During Stage 4, this disease continues to spread to the cartilage and joint swelling becomes more pronounced. At Stage 5, irreversible destruction has been caused and the patient is typically under high duress.

Rheumatoid arthritis is typically identified during Stage 2 or Stage 3 and after the patient has exhibited one or all of the following symptoms for a number of weeks - joint stiffness, swelling in the joints, swelling around the joints or swelling on either side of the joints.

Spondyloarthropathies

Spondyloarthropathies are a grouping of disorders which attack the spine and include psoriatic arthritis, Reiter's syndrome, ankylosing spondylitis, ankylosing spondylitis (causing a fusing of the bones in the spine), and intestinal arthropathy. Spondyloarthropathies affects over two and-a-half million adults in the U.S. and is the third most common type of arthritis.

If you think you have an arthritis type of any of the kind listed above, then you should talk to your doctor about testing and obtaining possible treatment. The earlier arthritis is diagnosed, the better the patient's long term quality of life.