Pathophysiology of rheumatoid arthritis

Understanding the pathophysiologic joint changes of rheumatoid arthritis will help the nurse practitioner educate clients in therapeutic modalities such as drugs, exercise, rest, heat and cold, and splints. Uncontrolled inflammation of the affected joints is the client's worst enemy. If inflammation could be controlled early in the disease process and thus limited to synovial tissue without pannus formation and subsequent cartilage destruction, normal joint function could be more optimally maintained. But once fibrotic tissue has formed, the resulting damage to the cartilage and joint destruction cannot be reversed. The earlier treatment is initiated and the sooner the client is educated, the less advanced and crippling this disease could be physically, psychologically, emotionally and socially.