Understanding Arthritis - the Basics

The Major Types of Arthritis continued...

rheumatoid arthritis in some people may eventually cause the hands and feet to become misshapen as muscles weaken, tendons shrink, and the ends of bones become damaged.

Though there is no cure, treatment begun at the onset of the disorder relieves symptoms in most people. With early treatment, the likelihood of permanent disability is reduced in all but 5%-10% of sufferers.

juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, or Still's disease, is characterized by chronic fever and anemia. The disease can also have secondary effects on the heart, lungs, eyes, and nervous system. The disease is characterized by persistent arthritis in one or more joints for at least six weeks and after other possible illnesses have been ruled out. Treatment is essentially the same as for adult rheumatoid arthritis, with heavy emphasis on physical therapy and exercise to keep growing bodies active. Permanent damage from juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is now rare, and most affected children recover from the disease fully without experiencing any lasting disabilities.
The cause of rheumatoid arthritis is not fully understood, though most research shows that it is an autoimmune disorder, meaning that the body's immune system is wrongly attacking the cartilage. rheumatoid arthritis is not contagious and cannot be spread from one person to another. Some people may have a genetic or inherited factor that makes them more likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis.

Infectious arthritis refers to various ailments that affect larger arm and leg joints as well as the fingers or toes. It is caused by a bacterial or viral invasion of the joints and typically comes on the heels of another disease, such as staph infection, tuberculosis, gonorrhea, or Lyme disease. It can also be a complication of injury.

Infectious arthritis is much less common than arthritic conditions that come on with age. Because the symptoms may be masked by the primary injury or illness, infectious arthritis may go unnoticed and, if left untreated, can result in permanent disability.

Other arthritic conditions include ankylosing spondylitis (arthritis of the spine), bone spurs (bony growths on the vertebrae or other areas), gout (crystal arthritis) and systemic lupus (inflammatory connective-tissue disease).

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