Acute pain in patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) was a common problem caused by chronic inflammatory processes in the joints and could lead to limited activity, joint stiffness, and decreased quality of life. One of the non-pharmacological interventions that could be used to help reduce pain was an electric warm compress. This case study aimed to describe the effectiveness of the application of an electric warm compress in reducing acute pain intensity in patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis in the working area of Puskesmas Lembeyan.
The method used was a case study on one patient with a medical diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis and an acute pain nursing problem. The patient experienced pain in the knees, elbows, and wrists with an initial NRS pain scale of 5–6 (moderate), accompanied by joint stiffness and limited activity. The main intervention in the form of an electric warm compress was administered for five days through a home visite approach with a duration of ±20 minutes using a temperature of ±40–45°C. Supporting interventions included observation of vital signs, deep breathing relaxation exercises, light Range of Motion (ROM) exercises, joint protection education, and collaborative pharmacological therapy in the form of Diclofenac Sodium and Prednisone.
Pain assessment was conducted using the PQRST approach and periodic monitoring of vital signs to evaluate the patient’s response to therapy. The results of the case study showed a gradual decrease in pain from NRS 5–6 on the first day to NRS 4 on the second day, NRS 3 on the third day, NRS 2 on the fourth day, and NRS 1–2 on the fifth day. The patient also reported reduced joint stiffness, increased comfort, improved sleep quality, and improved mobility and daily activity abilities. The improvement in the patient’s condition was related to the mechanism of heat therapy, which increased vasodilation of blood vessels, improved circulation, reduced muscle tension, and helped decrease pain perception in inflamed joints.
These results showed that electric warm compresses were a safe, easy-to-apply, and effective non-pharmacological intervention in helping reduce acute pain in patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis. This intervention could be used as part of evidence-based pain management in nursing practice and could help improve patient comfort and quality of life.