Rheumatoid arthritis varies greatly from person to person, so it's hard to identify typical stages of the disease. For a small percentage of patients, RA will persist for a year or two and then seem to become inactive. Others suffer periods of inflammation, called flares, followed by symptom-free periods, called remissions. In severe cases, the disease is active most of the time, persists for years, and causes serious joint damage and disability.
RA can start in any joint, but it most commonly begins in the smaller joints of the fingers, hands, and wrists. Other joints that are commonly affected include hips, knees, ankles, feet, neck, shoulders, and elbows. Joint involvement is usually symmetrical, affecting both sides of the body equally. In addition to joint pain and inflammation, people with RA may have fatigue, occasional fevers, and a general sense of not feeling well.
http://www.everydayhealth.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/rheumatoid-arthritis-progression.aspx Bumping because this is an RA forum [QUOTE=Lynn49]Bumping because this is an RA forum Ooops! Replied on the wrong thread! That's okay, I've had days like that...