Rheumatoid arthritis is a breed of autoimmune diseases that occurs in the various joints of the body, like the knees. Like many other diseases, certain symptoms can be seen that help a person catch the problem quickly and get treated. The early signs of rheumatoid arthritis in the legs and knees are as follows.

Inflammation of the knees
One of the main symptoms of these autoimmune diseases is the swelling that takes place in the knee joints. The immune system by mistake damages the ligaments between the joints by sending antibodies to attack them. This causes the synovial membrane found in the joints of the knees to begin swelling. Visiting a doctor is very important if the problem persists to get a second opinion.

Stiffness
One of the early signs of rheumatoid arthritis in the knees is the feeling of the stiffness of the limbs. This occurs due to the synovial membrane which fills up and causes swelling in the legs. As a result, the area gets stiff, and movement becomes restrictive and painful. Small amounts of exercises are helpful in this matter.

Twin pain in the parallel limbs
If the joints in one leg or knees, e.g. left, get swollen and feel difficult to move, the pain is felt in the opposite limb as well, i.e. in the right side. This symptom helps the doctors to diagnose if the person has incurred rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis. In the case of osteoarthritis, joint pain is felt in only one of the legs.

Fever
One of the early signs of rheumatoid arthritis is fever. The attack of the immune system on the ligaments leads to inflammation of the joints. Because of this, the body suffers due to various factors like swelling and stiffness which results in a slight spike in temperature. The person also feels groggy and tired in this scenario. Though, this type of fever does not cause a very high temperature. In case a person feels high fever, the chances of it being related to rheumatoid arthritis are slim.

Warmth around the knees
The swelling of the knees is accompanied by a feeling of warmth and tenderness in the joints. This takes place in partnership with the swelling of the joints. The joints appear red in appearance and can feel very uncomfortable.

Fatigue
Fatigue is one of the early signs of rheumatoid arthritis. The swelling of the joints and the consequent discomfort makes the person feel tired and uncomfortable. This feeling comes periodically ranging from day to day or week to week. Of all the symptoms, this is the one that appears in the earliest. A person suffering from rheumatoid arthritis also catches themselves feeling down or depressed. The discomfort and pain felt by the patient also cause stress to the body, therefore increasing the feeling of tiredness.

You can see various signs in the areas affected by rheumatoid arthritis in human beings. The disease can cause permanent damage to the joints if left untreated, and thus identifying the symptoms at an early stage is important.