Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease. It starts with inflammation in a few joints, typically involving in the wrist and metacarpophalangeal joints (Wasserman et al., 2011). Synovitis, inflammation of the membrane lining the joints, may be visible. Disability is significant with RA; refer to figure 2 for a further explanation. Clinical arthritis symptoms may spread to multiple other joints in the body as RA progresses. Additionally, RA is a systemic disease and an autoimmune condition. The immune system mistakes the body's tissue and joints as aggressors, which results in the immune system attacking itself (Mayo Clinic, 2025). Extra-articular manifestations of RA include attacking the following organ systems: cardiac, eye, hematologic, nervous system, pulmonary, and the skin (Wasserman et al., 2011). Fatigue, weight loss, low grade fevers, morning joint stiffness >30 minutes are some systemic symptoms (Wasserman et al., 2011). Risk factors that are incorporated to developing this disease are the female sex, genetics, smoking, and older age (Wasserman et al., 2011). As there is no cure to the disease, the goal for maintaining quality of life is therapy. Therapy is to minimize arthralgia, reduce erosion, and control extra-articular manifestations (Wesserman et al., 2011). Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) are the most common RA therapy, but NSAIDs and physical therapy are viable therapies that support minimizing RA. 

Gout is a common type of crystal arthritis, that can be both acute or chronic. Gout is characterized by hyperuricemia, which is caused by an excess of uric acid in the blood (Sudoł et al., 2020). Hyperuricemia creates monosodium urate (MSU), which are crystals that reside in the kidneys, bone, cartilage, soft tissue, and synovial membrane and fluid --- that then creates inflammatory responses (Sudoł et al., 2020). The body creates uric acid to break down purines, which are common within the human body and within diets. Purines exist in foods such as: red and organ meat, anchovies, sardines, mussels, scallops, tuna, trout, and alcoholic beverages (Mayo Clinic, 2022). So, hyperuricemia occurs when trying to break down purines. Compared to OA and RA, gout has sudden symptoms, such as arthralgia, inflammation, ROM, and tenderness that typically occur overnight (Mayo Clinic, 2022). Gout tends to form in the big toe most commonly. Diet, weight, preexisting medical conditions, medications, genetics, age, the male sex, recent trauma and surgery, or even vaccinations can all risk forming gout (Mayo Clinic, 2022). Managing gout attacks would include NSAIDs and corticosteroids (Mayo Clinic, 2022).