What Is the Difference Between a Sore Muscle & Arthritis?

When a person is in pain it is important to understand the source of the discomfort. Understanding the difference between a sore muscle and arthritis is necessary to ensure that the patient gets proper treatment for their condition.

Muscles vs. Joints

• Arthritis is a disease that affects the joints of the body, not the muscles.

Temporary Issue

• Sore muscles are temporary and often avoidable. They will heal with proper treatment.

Permenant Issue

• Arthritis is a chronic condition. While arthritis pain can be treated, there is no known cure.

Cause of Sore Muscles

• Sore muscles result from an injury or strain from recent use. For example, Wrongdiagnosis.com tells site visitors that muscle pain can be caused by too much exercise or exercising incorrectly.

Causes of Arthritis

• The cause of arthritis depends upon which form of the disease the patient has. For example, MayoClinic.com tells us that osteoarthritis is caused by years of use of the joints. ArthritisToday.org reports that rheumatoid arthritis is a result of an autoimmune disease most likely caused by genetics.