Pain is present at rest, activity becomes limited and stiffness is present even after doing limbering exercises. Rheumatoid arthritis attacks your whole body. It usually attacks joints in the fingers. Rheumatoid arthritis leads to tissue damage and pain. Joint inflammation is the main source of pain.
Joint inflammation occurs in four stages.
First, inflammation develops with swelling of the joint. Second, thickened layers of tissue develop, cover and destroy the joint area and bone. Third, scar tissue forms and fills the joint space. This causes bone to wear down and get out of place. This makes the joint look and move different from a normal joint.