Osteoarthritis is a deterioration of cartilage and overgrowth of bone often due to "wear and tear". Rheumatoid arthritis is the inflammation of a joint's connective tissues, such as the synovial membranes, which leads to the destruction of the articular cartilage.
Review Date: 7/27/2007
Reviewed By: Steve Lee, DO, Rheumatology Fellow, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.