Introduction: Pain is the basic and the most disturbing problem of a patient with rheumatoid arthritis. The intensity of pain can vary greatly but is present all the time and prevents the patient from leading a normal life. When treating patients with chronic pain occupational therapists use different strategies in order to try and reduce the pain and at the same time increase the patients' skills for carrying out daily activities and thus deterring attention from their pain. Purpose: The aim of this study is to explore and describe chronic pain in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: the location of the pain, how they feel it, where in every day's life it hinders them the most. We wanted to find out how patients control their pain and which strategies they use. Methods: In our qualitative research we carried out 6 semi-structured interviews with the patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. With their permission we recorded the interviews, then we copied them word-for-word, and finally analysed them according to the method of qualitative thematic analysis. Results: Patients with rheumatoid arthritis experience pain every day, mostly in the morning (muscle stiffness), but also in the evening and during the night. The pain is experienced especially in the small joints of hands, ankles, knees, shoulders. The pain strongly affects all areas of their life. It affects the family life, the social and professional life of the individual, which can also lead to various psychological sufferings. To control the pain in the initial phase the following can help: rest, merge into pain, visualization and therapy with warmth and cold. Outdoor activities and recreation, the change of diet and socializing can help in the remission phase. Prevention strategies include: saving energy, protection and security of joints, adjustments of home, use of disability equipment. Discussion and conclusion: Occupational therapy helps the patient obtain control over the disease and on the other hand it can help understand it. Also it improves and maintains functional abilities as well as it prevents the development of the disease. Furthermore it helps to improve the quality of life by enabling the patient to join the most important daily activities, and thus improves the quality of life. Occupational therapy strategies which help control the pain are suitable for everybody who suffers from chronic rheumatoid disease. They can help in maintaining functional abilities, maintain independance, build up health and good condition. Unfortunately, in Slovenia many patients with pain which is the consequence of rheumatoid and other chronic diseases are not referred to occupational therapy. Therefore, we believe that much more attention should be paid to the holistic treatment and such treatment should be enabled to all patients.
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