What are the signs and symptoms of rhumatoid arthritis?

The most typical symptoms are symmetric swelling of the proximal joints of the fingers with pain and stiffness in the morning. Other than that, rheumatoid arthritis may present with various manifestations. If joints are involved, they are usually symmetric. Sometimes it has quite atypical presentation such as rash, skin lesions, lung disease. I had one patient with the first symptom as leg edema.

RA is an inflammatory arthritis often with prolonged pain in the mornings or after inactivity. It attacks the finger joints closest to the knuckles and these may swell and cause erosions of those joints which become tender. Frequently the patient,more often a woman,is tired and anemic.Discomfort may affect other joints, the back and muscles. There are different types of RA also.