ICY COMFORT: EFFECTIVENESS OF CRYOTHERAPY IN MANAGEMENT OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS PAIN

Main Article Content

Jeena Thomas
Jeeva George
Sonia Raj

Keywords

Cryotherapy, Pain, Rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract

Rheumatoid Arthritis affects an estimated 10million Indians. ¾ of them are women. It is a long term disease that causes inflammation of joints and its surrounding tissues resulting in pain, swelling and stiffness. Currently there is no curative therapy for RA therefore patients are subjected to various lifelong adjustments and treatment modalities. Cryotherapy embraces vast varieties of uses like pain reduction, reduce swelling and promote healing. This study aimed to assess the pain level of the patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis pre and post cryotherapy. The study had adopted a quantitative approach with a  quasi experimental study includes patients with RA between age group of 30 to 65yrs who visited orthopaedic centre  for a period of three months. Pretest of levels of pain assessed with Mc Caffery numerical rating Scale of Pain Assessment. This test was done for 20min.Consecutive 5days of Cryotherapy was administered and post-test was done on the 6th day of pre-test. Among samples 30% were between the age group of 46-50 yrs. Out of 100%,30% were males and 70% were females.80% of patients were with 3-4 year of disease,73.3% were with 3-4year of treatment. Majority 77% of patients had pretest pain score >8, Post test pain score <3 is found for 87% of patients after cryotherapy. Thus, cryotherapy is found effective in reduction of pain in 73.3% of patients with RA. The present study assessed effectiveness of Cryotherapy in reducing pain among patients with RA. The overall findings leads to necessity to enhance education regarding the effective use of cryotherapy in pain management among patients with RA. Potential risk in Cryotherapy is minimal, it is considered to be the best technique in effective management of pain. Adequate knowledge and guidance should be imparted to the patients about cryotherapy.  

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