It can also cause systemic damage to other parts of the body, including the heart, lungs, eyes, nerves and muscles. The discomfort of rheumatoid arthritis can develop over weeks or months and tends to be most severe on awakening. Rheumatoid arthritis in older people may eventually cause the hands and feet to become misshapen as muscles weaken, tendons shrink, and the ends of bones become abnormally enlarged. While there is no complete 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 to 10 percent 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. Arthritic episodes in children younger than the age of five can last for several weeks and may recur, although the symptoms tend to be less severe in recurrent attacks. Treatment is essentially the same as for adults, 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. Osteoarthritis , or degenerative joint disease, refers to the pain and inflammation that can result from the systematic loss of cartilage in the joints.