difference between RA and OA

When I started having arthritis signs and symptoms, GP took bloods for a test which differentiates. Luckily, mine is OA, not RA.
It might be worth asking GP to diagnose as there are differences in treatment and disease progress.

Fanny DD has been told that she has to have a blood test as the Dr. is concerned at the speed that the OA is affecting her hands, the knees have been a problem for some years, but the hands have gone from ok to awful just this Past year.
It’s a worry, hopefully it isn’t a virus and that you can both be helped.

I too have swollen finger joints and have been told it is OA. I have been told it is wear and tear and nothing can be done for it.
RA is an autoimmune disease. My mother has this alongside OA and is on immunosuppressants for it. It is incredibly painful.

Oopsadaisy I'm in the same predicament as your daughter.
The HCPs say that the level of wear and tear is what you may see in one 30 years my senior.
It was diagnosis at the start of the year and I'm deteriorating at a worrying rate
I'm waiting to get the results of an MRI on my spine.

DD2 has OA and is in a lot of pain, apart from surgery on her knees ( whenever that will happen) there is very little they can do about her hands, apart from pain killers which knock her out.

It’s very hard to watch her trying to cope as she is only in her 40s.

I tend to say that as you age, it's osteoarthritis which hits a lot of us because the cartilage and ligaments between joints wears down in time thus causing pain as the " cushion " thins out creating bone to bone contact, with swelling too.

Ice packs or heat packs are usually applied to affected areas which are within reach, knees/elbows/ base of spine.

RA is an autoimmune disease- OA is wear and tear of your joints.

I would say that you have OA. There is obviously a lot more to both but that is it in a nutshell.