The difference between osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis mainly lies in the etiology, symptoms and treatment. 1. Etiology: Osteoarthritis is a chronic, progressive, degenerative joint disease, the specific cause of which is still unclear, and clinically considered to be related to the patient’s age, overweight, congenital joint deformities and other factors. Rheumatoid arthritis is an acute, infectious joint disease, mainly caused by group A hemolytic streptococcal infection. 2. Symptoms: Osteoarthritis patients often have mild or moderate joint pain in the early stage, which can be aggravated after activities and in cold weather, and with the development of the disease, there will be joint stiffness, joint enlargement, bone friction sound and other symptoms in the early stage. Rheumatoid arthritis patients often have fever, tonsillitis, submandibular lymph node enlargement and other symptoms in the early stage, with the development of the condition of the elbow, knee, wrist joints, redness, swelling, burning sensation, pain and other symptoms, usually about 2 weeks can subside on their own. 3. Treatment: Osteoarthritis patients can take ibuprofen, celecoxib and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the early stage of pain treatment, or through local injection of sodium vitrate and other drugs to improve the joint function, the serious cases may need to be cleaned up through arthroscopy, arthroplasty, artificial joint replacement and other surgical treatments. Rheumatoid arthritis patients take penicillins such as benzylpenicillin and other penicillins as prescribed by the doctor for anti-infective treatment, as well as aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for anti-rheumatic treatment, which can usually get better results. Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are two different types of diseases, and it is recommended that patients first consult a doctor for a checkup, and then under the guidance of the doctor to carry out the appropriate treatment after diagnosis.