Patient/caregiver was educated on the complications of unresolved rheumatoid arthritis as follows:   Increased fall risk Damage to the support structures around the joint from chronic inflammatory activity in the joint can result in poor stability of the joint. This can contribute to increased risk for falls and accidents. Nerve damage Inflamed joints can exert pressure on the nerves running close to the joint involved, leading to neuropathy. Individuals can present with signs and symptoms [...]

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 [...]

Patient/caregiver was educated on the signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis as follows: Morning stiffness Morning stiffness is a hallmark sign of rheumatoid arthritis. Individuals experience stiffness in the joints when they wake up in the morning or after prolonged periods of inactivity. The stiffness progressively resolves as the day progresses and activity builds up. The duration of stiffness can vary depending on the severity of inflammation. In severely inflamed joints, the stiffness could last [...]

Patient/caregiver was educated on the signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis as follows: Pain and tenderness Rheumatoid arthritis is an arthritis due to production of autoantibodies. The autoantibodies produced attack and damage the lining of many big and small joints, which eventually lead to erosion & damage to the bone and inflammation, resulting in rheumatoid arthritis. White blood cells, which are protective and fight against any infecting organisms, increasingly migrate to the affected joint as [...]

Patient/caregiver was educated on the pathophysiology of rheumatoid arthritis as follows: Usually antibodies attack and destroy any foreign tissues in your body but are protective against native tissues and do not harm them. The protective immune system in some individuals can occasionally go into overdrive, get poorly regulated, and lead to production of autoantibodies. The cause or stimulation for this overdrive of immune system is poorly understood. The autoantibodies thus produced can identify native tissues [...]