Severe Arthritis

Arthritis is a painful disorder but in some individuals it progresses and causes severe deformities. The majority of individuals with severe rheumatoid arthritis will have deformities of their fingers. The deformity may also occur in the wrist joint due to a loss of cartilage and with time, it may be impossible to move the wrist joint. Other problems with severe arthritis include entrapment of the nerve in the wrist leading to the carpal tunnel syndrome. With time these fingers will have diminished sensation, loss of muscle and one may not be able to use the fingers.

Infectious arthritis is another severe form of arthritis. It presents with sudden onset of chills, fever and joint pain. The condition is caused by bacteria elsewhere in the body. Infectious arthritis must be rapidly diagnosed and treated promptly to prevent irreversible and permanent joint damage.

Psoriasis is another very severe type of arthritis. With psoriasis, most individuals develop the skin problem first and then the arthritis. The typical features are of continuous joint pains, stiffness and swelling. The disease does recur with periods of remission but there is no cure for the disorder. A small percentage develop a severe painful and destructive form of arthritis which destroys the small joint in the hands and can lead to permanent disability and loss of hand function.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthritis