Rheumatoid Arthritis - Chronic Pain Nursing Care Plan

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a "chronic inflammatory disorder that most typically affects the small joints in your hands and feet." Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most widespread diseases in the world and it affects male and female, young and old. Arthritis can occur in men and women of all ages. About 37 million people in America have arthritis of some kind, which is almost 1 out of every 7 people.

Causes of arthritis are oftentimes difficult to determine because there are many factors that contribute to the development of this common disease.

Other types or cause of arthritis include:

• Rheumatoid arthritis (in adults)
• Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
• Viral arthritis
• Gonococcal arthritis
• Reiter's syndrome (reactive arthritis)
• Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (in children)
• Psoriatic arthritis
• Ankylosing spondylitis
• Gout
• Adult Still's disease
• Scleroderma
• Other bacterial infections (non-gonococcal bacterial arthritis )
• Tertiary Lyme disease (the late stage)
• Tuberculous arthritis
• Fungal infections such as blastomycosis

The symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis are more prevalent in women than men. Often mistaken as an old person's disease, it can actually strike young adults as well. If you are feeling some pain in your wrists, shoulders, hand, fingers or feet it may be the first sign of the disease. Be aware that if you do not treat it right away the pain will gradually worsen. It may attack other body parts, such as the elbows, mouth, hips and neck.

Many of these symptoms are short term as they come and go, but some simply will not go away and you will have them in more frequency throughout your entire life. If this sounds terrifying, you will be glad to know that there are natural treatments that you can seek to help deal with the disease.

Treatment focuses primarily on relieving pain, slowing disease progression and restore damaged by surgery. Early detection of disease with the help of modern tools can significantly reduce the harm that can be inflicted joints and other tissues.

An occupational therapist can help you maximize independence and analyze where you are stressing your joints unnecessarily and show you a better way to accomplish the tasks. Here are some specific services an occupational therapist may provide for individuals:

1. Help design a program of exercises to maximize flexibility and strength
2. Provide a customized therapy program following hand surgery for arthritis
3. Design custom hand splints for rest and support
4. Design a work simplification and energy conservation program in all areas of your life
5. Design strategies to help reduce pain, reduce stress on the joints, and ultimately prevent further deformity
6. Evaluate your home or workplace and make specific recommendations

Here are other suggestions to help you feel better:

1. Walking, cycling, swimming, and light weight training done three times a week for 30 minutes can offer these benefits, but check with your doctor to make sure they are safe for you.
2. Don't exercise when joints are inflamed; take a break if you feel pain; and alternate positions periodically when performing tasks such as gardening or cooking. A physical therapist, exercise physiologist, occupational therapist, or personal trainer can help tailor a stretching program for your needs.
3. It is best to avoid heavy weights and beginning with short periods of exercise until you know how a workout will make you feel. If you have pain for more than an hour afterward, you've overdone it.
4. Moist heat in particular seems to penetrate well and provides relief from rheumatoid arthritis pain. It is nice to take a warm bath or shower.
5. People with RA tend to feel stiffer in the morning than at other times of the day, so take a shower to warm up your joints, and then stretch to help loosen you up for the rest of the day.
6. Maintaining flexibility and use of resistance band exercises has been well documented in many clinical studies to be a safe and effective method of improving flexibility and strength.