What are the differences between rheumatoid arthritis and rheumatism

Rheumatoid arthritis and rheumatism are very common in clinical practice, and these two diseases are very similar. Many people cannot tell the difference between rheumatoid arthritis and rheumatism. Conceptually, rheumatoid arthritis is a manifestation of rheumatic fever, so there is a fundamental difference between the two.

1. Different causes:

Most rheumatic diseases should be called wind-cold-rheumatic joint pain. Most of the rheumatic diseases in cold areas are of this type. They do not involve the heart, do not destroy bones, and most of them are curable. From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, rheumatism belongs to cold arthritis, while rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis belong to hot arthritis. Even if there are symptoms of chills, it is true heat and false cold or internal heat and external cold. A small number of rheumatic fever patients are infected with streptococci, while rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease.

2. Different pathologies and symptoms:

Rheumatism is caused by poor blood circulation in the meridians, resulting in coldness and pain. Rheumatoid arthritis is caused by foreign objects outside the blood vessels compressing the blood vessels, causing blockage and pain. From the appearance, there is no swelling in the early stage of rheumatism, and the joints do not become deformed in the later stage.

In the early stages of rheumatoid arthritis, the small joints of the fingers and toes become symmetrically swollen, and in the later stages the joints become deformed. The pulse of rheumatic disease is often slow and deep, while the pulse of rheumatoid arthritis is often fine and rapid.

3. Different treatment principles:

Rheumatic diseases can often be cured quickly with general anti-rheumatic western medicines or Chinese medicines for dispelling wind and cold, promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis. However, rheumatoid arthritis cannot be cured with general anti-rheumatic Chinese and Western medicines, and sometimes the condition gets worse.

IV. Others

There are differences between rheumatism and rheumatoid arthritis. The affected joints and clinical manifestations are different. Rheumatism: Generally, the joints affected in the early stage are mainly large joints of the limbs; rheumatoid arthritis: mainly small joints of the limbs. Rheumatism has migratory pain, while rheumatoid arthritis has swelling and pain in the small joints of the hands and feet, morning stiffness, and is often symmetrical. Both large and small joints may be deformed. Rheumatoid arthritis is a group of connective tissue diseases caused by immune abnormalities, which mainly invade the joints of the human body. If not treated properly, it can be disabling, cause loss of labor force, and cause great harm.