Rheumatism or Rheumatic Joint Pain

          Rheumatism is a form of arthritis affecting the large joints of the extremities.

Water Treatments:
1.  Heating compress on the affected joints, every night.
2.  Fomentation on the joints, once a day.
3.  Hot compress on the joints, once or twice a day for severe cases.
4.  Rest the extremity if there is severe pain and swelling.
5.  After swelling is gone, patient may do mild non-weight-bearing exercises.

Procedure (heating compress):
a.  Soak cloth with tap water. Wring and put around the neck or joint twice. Be sure the wet cloth is neither too wet to drip nor too dry. If medicated compress is applied, rub area with prescribed medication or ointment. Do not wet the cloth with water but wrap the cloth is applied. (In applying a plain heating compress, wet cloth is applied without medication).
b.  Apply compress smoothly and quickly to avoid chilling.
c.  With the piece of flannel cloth, wrap compress snugly to exclude air and pin securely on the side of the neck or joint.
d.  Leave compress on overnight or at least for 6-8 hours.
e.  Take care that the compress is not too tight so it does not interface with circulation and joint movements.
f.  Rub the area with a cloth wrung out of cold water (tap water) immediately after removing the compress in the morning or after 6-8 hours.
g.  Dry the area thoroughly. Compress may be applied once or twice a day.

Note:  It is best to apply a heating compress at night just before retiring.

Procedure (fomentation):
a.  Remove patient’s clothing and cover with sheet or blanket.
b.  Have basin of the ice water and compress at bedside of the patient.
c.  Close windows near patient’s bed avoid drafts.
d.  Cover area to be treated with one bath towel.
e.  Wring out one bath towel from boiling water.
f.  Spread the dry towel on the table and wrap the hot towel.
g.  Apply the hot towel to the body area to be treated, over the dry towel.
h.  Apply cold compress to the patient’s head. Change it three times during theapplication of each fomentation.
i.  Give three changes of hot fomentation, drying the treated area quickly between applications. Change fomentation every 5 minutes or till it gets warm or cool. Don’t wait till towel gets cold before removing it.
j.  Have hot towel ready before used hot towel is removed from the treated area.
k.  After the last fomentation, rub the area quickly with cold compress wrung from the ice water.
l.  Dry thoroughly and give sponge or warm bath if desired.
m.  Let patient rest after the treatment.

Procedure (hot compress):
a.  Boil water or guava leaves if compress is for infected wound.
b.  Apply baby oil on the forehead and eyelids if compress is to be applied on the eyes.
c.  Wring compress from hot water or hot solution. Partially twist the compress cloth holding it on both ends. Dip the compress into the hot water or solution and twist it lightly, pulling the two ends apart, thus squeezing the water out.
d.  Apply compress directly on the area to be treated without pressure.
e.  Compress must be changed frequently at least every 3 minutes. In case of infected wound, discard the used compress cloth or gauze. Use it only once. Do not dip the used compress the second time.
f.  Continue compress for 15-20 minutes, renewing it every 3 minutes. Keep the water or solution hot at all times during the treatment.
g.  At the end of treatment, remove hot compress and dry treated area.
h.  Apply medication or ointment as ordered by physician in cases of infected wound, boils and ulcers.
i.  Apply sterile dressing and keep dry.