Patient/caregiver was educated on the complications of unresolved rheumatoid arthritis as follows:
Damage to the joint
- Rheumatoid arthritis involves damage to the lining of many big and small joints, which eventually lead to erosion & damage to the bone and cartilage with inflammation, resulting in rheumatoid arthritis.
- Articular cartilage minimizes the friction between the joints and makes the movement easier and pain free.
- Chronic unresolved rheumatoid arthritis leads to complete damage to the articular cartilage and total shrinking of the joint space between the bone surfaces can occur, resulting in bone on bone situation, with extreme pain and tenderness.
Bone spurs
- Damaged bone ends rubbing against each other can result in formation of small, pointed, extra pieces of bone that can be felt as a lump near the joint involved.
Damage to the support structures in & around joint
- Support structures in and around the joints, such as, ligaments and tendons, contribute significantly to the strength and stability of the joint.
- Chronic unresolved inflammatory activity in the joint can weaken & damage the support structures leading to poor stability of the joint involved.
