Presentation Date
3-2019
Abstract
Background:
- Chronic pain is recognized as pain persisting past normal healing time and that may last or recur for more than 3 to 6 months. It affects about 20% of individuals worldwide (Treede et al., 2015).
- Persons diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) identify pain as the most common reason they seek medical attention and 68-88% of persons with RA rate pain as one of their top three priorities (Lee, 2013).
- Pain for RA is often treated using a pharmacological approach involving disease modifying antirheumatic drugs, glucocorticoids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, and opioids. Among rheumatoid arthritis patients, chronic opioid use increased from 7.4% in 2002 to 16.9% in 2015 (Lee, Kremer, Guan, Greenberg, & Solomon, 2018).
- Occupational therapy has a unique opportunity and potential to address chronic pain before, or in conjunction with, pharmacological treatments for persons with RA.
WMU ScholarWorks Citation
Rudd, Danielle and Stormer, Andra, "Effective OT Interventions for Pain Management in Persons with Rheumatoid Arthritis" (2019). Occupational Therapy Graduate Student Evidenced-Based Research Reviews. 48.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/ot_posters/48