If your joints feel sore and swollen for weeks, and you’re especially stiff in the morning, it’s a good idea to see a doctor. He or she may suspect you have rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Unlike osteoarthritis, which usually develops from age or from injury to a joint, RA is a problem with your immune system. If you don’t diagnose and treat it in time, it could harm your joints. In fact, most people with RA do have some sort of joint damage. Most of it happens in the first two years.