Basic difference is that oa is mechanical breakdown from misuse or overuse and ra is an autoimmune disorder that causes inflammation in the joints.

You can have both. I have had OA for 15+ yrs in spots. But now RA has attacked my toes & fingers. I am getting my toes fixed in Aug. several on my right foot have twisted & I get blisters fast. I have my tendons on my left hand fixed in Nov & it was a huge success! Easy recovery too.

Update us on the toes!! My right foot is horrible !! Hoping it gets better but it’s more like hoping to win the lottery …. Probably not going to happen. I have one knee with osteoarthritis and one with regular arthritis … the regular is the most painful. I have it in my jaw tmj jaw it’s horrible !!

Osteoarthritis is all over or in most of your body and just generally arthritis, like old people get, but I started in my 30s. And RA is a concentration to the joints. My fingers are worse than any where else. The lining between your joints breaks down and your bones rub against each other.