Once upon a time, there existed a havoc which called itself Osteoarthritis (OA).
It boasted that it was the most dreadful form of arthritis.
It felt pride in spreading the worst pain among the human race.
It passed through the crowd with a sense of pride and ego.
Then one day it got acquainted with something it had never heard or thought of before.
This disease was known as Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA).
Both of them had two things in common: they produced immense pain and both were primary forms of arthritis.
But certainly they were different in a number of ways.
The former was worried after the latter's arrival.
Since RA was more dreadful.
In order to prove itself worthy OA challenged its new rival to a debate.
And people had to judge.
And then both the opponents started expressing themselves.
During this competition people started gaining knowledge about the two diseases.
Osteoarthritis introduced itself as the most common arthritis characterized by progressive deterioration and loss of cartilage in one or more joints.
It became sure that osteoarthritis was either the result of some trauma to the joint, some infection of the joint or due to the age.
The other disease called itself a chronic, progressive systemic inflammatory autoimmune disease which initially affects the synovial joints.
It became sure that rheumatoid arthritis was an autoimmune disease in which the body attacked itself and was most destructive to the joints.
Although both diseases produced pain, but the characteristics of pain were different in each case.
Pain associated with RA was found to be worse in the morning and patient felt stiffness.
In the beginning RA patients felt no symptoms during morning hours.
Pain was not a typical feature among elder and children suffering from RA, since the toddler does not like to move its limbs and the elder patient cannot move it due to the age.
OA boasted of spreading pain that is chronic, sharp ache with crepitations during movement.
Further in the debate both argued about their etiology and diagnosis.
Every body was convinced that rheumatoid arthritis was more dreadful than the osteoarthritis.
Since RA is a systemic inflammatory autoimmune disease it has many complications and manifestations from articular, cutaneous to nervous, vascular, pulmonary and many more.
The complications of this disease include a variety of deformities like swan neck deformity which is combination of the hyperextension at the proximal interphalangeal joint and hyperflexion at the distal interphalangeal joint.
Boutonniere deformity is the inverted form of swan neck deformity.
The differential diagnosis of both diseases is possible by X-ray examination and specific blood tests since RA can be distinguished by performing immunological study such as Rheumatoid factor.
Another new serological test is performed nowadays which determines the presence of anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA).
The ACPA is more specific in comparison to the RF test.
One such fact that makes RA a dreadful disease is that it is not curable.
OA is an irreversible process but the option for pain relief and function of the joint can be improved by various treatments and even surgery which may include joint replacement, conservative treatment, and pain relief by the use of acetaminophen, narcotics, NSAIDS, and dietary supplements like glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate.
The management of RA is done by using DMARDS (disease modifying anti rheumatic drugs) like azathioprine and cyclosporine.
Analgesics are used for pain relief.
Now its upon you to decide which of the two disease is a danger