Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis include which of the following?

• A. Red, hot rash on the skin.
• B. Alternating fever and rash on the skin.
• C. Swollen 'boggy' joints, pain, stiffness, reduced grip strength, and deformity.
• D. Numbness in the feet at night.

Answer: (C)

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disease that primarily targets the joints. The key sign is inflammation of the joint lining (synovium), which makes the joints swell and feel boggy, tender, and painful. This inflammation leads to stiffness, especially after rest or in the morning, and it often reduces grip strength because the hands and fingers are repeatedly irritated and weakened by swollen joints. With ongoing inflammation, the joints can deform as cartilage and bone are eroded and ligaments become damaged, resulting in visible deformities. So, the combination of swollen, boggy joints with pain, stiffness, reduced grip strength, and eventual deformity best matches rheumatoid arthritis. The other options describe symptoms not typical of RA—skin rash and fever patterns or numbness at night point to different conditions.