Some people do not have pain right at the joint but rather in another close area and that area may be numb or tingly rather than painful. Rheumatoid arthritis attacks many different systems of the body. It usually attacks joints in the fingers. Rheumatoid arthritis leads to tissue damage and pain. Joint inflammation is the main source of this 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 bones to wear down and get out of place. This makes the joint look and move different than a normal joint.