Arthralgia vs. Arthritis — What's the Difference?

Pain in the joints without inflammation or damage.

Treatment may involve medication, surgery, and lifestyle modifications.

Can occur in multiple joints simultaneously.

Can be categorized into types like osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Managed primarily through lifestyle changes and pain relief.

A chronic condition characterized by inflammation, pain, and joint deformity.

A symptom often associated with excessive use or trauma.

Symptoms often worsen over time without treatment.

Does not necessarily lead to arthritis.

Often involves autoimmune mechanisms.

Arthralgia (from Greek arthro-, joint + -algos, pain) literally means joint pain. Specifically, arthralgia is a symptom of injury, infection, illness (in particular arthritis), or an allergic reaction to medication.According to MeSH, the term "arthralgia" should only be used when the condition is non-inflammatory, and the term "arthritis" should be used when the condition is inflammatory.

Arthritis is a term often used to mean any disorder that affects joints. Symptoms generally include joint pain and stiffness.

Neuralgic pain in a joint or joints.

Any of several diseases of the joints, such as osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, characterized by pain, swelling, and often stiffness, and usually involving inflammation.

Pain in a joint, especially when not caused by arthritis.

Inflammation of a joint or joints causing pain and/or disability, swelling and stiffness, and due to various causes such as infection, trauma, degenerative changes or metabolic disorders.

Pain in a joint or joints

Any inflammation of the joints, including the gout. A variety of forms of arthritis are recognized, some of which (such as rheumatoid arthritis, also called arthritis deformans and arthritis nodosa) are chronic and progressive, and lead to incapacitation and deformity.

Inflammation of a joint or joints

Yes, children can develop juvenile arthritis, which affects their growth and requires specialized treatment.

Treatments for arthralgia include pain relief methods and physical therapy.

Arthralgia can precede arthritis but does not necessarily develop into it unless there is underlying inflammation.

Arthritis is diagnosed through clinical evaluation, imaging tests like X-rays, and blood tests for inflammatory markers.

Arthralgia is simply joint pain without inflammation, whereas arthritis includes inflammation and can cause joint damage.

High stress levels can increase the perception of pain in both arthralgia and arthritis and may trigger flare-ups in arthritis due to stress-induced inflammation.

Many patients report that cold and damp weather can exacerbate the symptoms of arthritis and sometimes arthralgia, possibly due to changes in barometric pressure.

Yes, controlled exercise is recommended for arthritis patients to maintain joint function and reduce stiffness, but it should be tailored to individual capabilities and conditions.

Diet can influence both conditions; a balanced diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods may help manage symptoms of arthritis and, to a lesser extent, arthralgia.

Genetics can play a significant role, especially in autoimmune types of arthritis like rheumatoid arthritis, where genetic predispositions contribute to the risk of developing the condition.