Rheumatoid arthritis is an auto-immune disease. It occurs when the immune system attacks healthy tissue in the joints, mistaking it for an infection. It is a chronic inflammatory disease that can affect anyone at any age and often gets worse with age. Especially when it combines with osteoarthritis, which occurs naturally with the wear and tear placed on joints. Having both can make doing just about anything with the joints painful and difficult, if not impossible.
If your loved one has rheumatoid arthritis, her symptoms can include the following:
- Swollen joints that are warm and tender to the touch. Your loved one may find gloves no longer fit or that a slight bump causes more pain. She may ask her companion care at home provider to help with tasks such as opening jars or turning the key in the door.
- Joints that are stiffer in the morning after waking up or after resting. Her joints may hurt more after resting for a long time, such as sleeping or sitting. Your loved one may struggle to get ready in the morning with buttoning her shirt or tying her shoes. A companion care at home provider can be an early morning partner for personal tasks if needed.
- A loss of appetite, combined with fatigue and fever. The immune system’s response to a false infection can cause the body-wide fatigue of a real infection.
Rheumatoid arthritis usually affects the smaller joints as it begins – fingers and toes might feel the effects listed above. When the disease is flaring, assistance with tasks that require detailed finger-work can be helpful from a companion care at home team. They can help with personal care tasks, as well as kitchen tasks, such as preparing meals or prepping food for later.
As the disease progresses, your loved one may start to feel larger joints being affected, such as her hips, shoulders, and knees. It might also begin to affect other areas of the body that aren’t related to the joints at all. These can lead to other complications as the disease develops.
Common complications can include:
- Dry eyes and mouth. Sjogren’s syndrome, a disorder that decreases the amount of moisture in the eyes and mouth, can develop in those with rheumatoid arthritis.
- Increased infections. Because rheumatoid arthritis affects the immune system, your loved one may suffer more infections or become worse from common conditions, such as COVID-19, influenza, and pneumonia. Keeping up with vaccinations is the best way to prevent this.
- Heart conditions. The disease can inflame the sac that surrounds the heart and cause arteries to harden, putting your loved one at risk for heart problems.
- Lung disease. Because rheumatoid arthritis can scar and inflame lung tissue, it may cause shortness of breath.
Keep your loved one on regular checkups with her physician, so that you can help her deal with any complications due to her rheumatoid arthritis.
Aviva In-Home Care provides compassionate and skilled in-home care. We are the Bay Area’s premier provider of in-home care services.
If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring professional Companion Care at Home in Belmont, CA, call the caring staff at Aviva In-Home Care. Call today: (415) 795-2203
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