The quality of life of the patients with rheumatoid arthritis before and after balneotherapy
The quality of life of the patients with rheumatoid arthritis before and after balneotherapy

Summary/Abstract: Objective: Rheumatic diseases are the most common reasons of partial disability and the fourth leading reason of the full disability. The rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by synovium inflammation with subsequent joints harming. The complex RA treatment has several objectives — symptomatic relief, suppression of active inflammation, prevention of tissue damage, improvement of physical function, self-reliance, and improvement of the quality of life. The integral part of the therapeutic approach to patients with chronic musculoskeletal disease is a spa treatment. Spa treatment has positive impact on the quality of life improvement. Properly performed spa treatment does not only reduce the pain, but it also improves the function of musculoskeletal system and furthermore it positively affects the quality of life. Physiotherapy is an integral part of RA complex treatment, and it participates in preventive measures with patients in the initial stage of disease without major disability. The aim of the present work: Men since Ancient times used natural healing sources for diseases treatment as well as for health strengthening. „Spa treatment is one of the oldest therapy methods. It is based on the healing effects experience of some water sources, mud or climate locations. An essential part of modern spa treatment is utilization of objectified therapeutic effects of natural medicinal resources, physical medicine, rehabilitation, nutrition, psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy. The main objective of this work is the assessment of spa therapy effects on patients´ quality of life with rheumatoid arthritis. 1. Based on the SF-36 questionnaire find out the changes of quality of life evaluation with RA patients who passed spa treatment. 2. Compare the results in quality of life assessment with men and women before and after the spa treatment. Material and Methods: The investigation was created with 40 participants. The female and male ratio was balanced in the group 20 : 20. The average age was in our complete investigated group 61.95. In male group was the average 62.4 and with female group it represented 61.5. The male age variance was from 39 to 78 years of age and with female group the youngest patient was 45 and the oldest 76. Patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis completed Jáchymov Spa treatment with 21-day length. For the quality life assessment we used SF-36 questionnaire, which assesses 8 domains. Results and discussion: The quality of life index in the whole group of patients after completing the spa treatment reached higher values as before the spa treatment. Men gained in the quality of life evaluation better results both before and after the spa treatment completion in comparison with women. The result index of the quality of life with men before spa treatment was 51.6, and the spa treatment was 63.1. With women was the result index of quality of life before spa treatment 48.7 and after the spa treatment it reached 60.4. Conclusion: 1. Spa treatment is aimed at completing the healing process following the inpatient or outpatient care with a wide range of different diseases of musculoskeletal, or other types of apparatus. 2. It is complexly aimed at the whole patient personality and uses rich variety of methods such as baths, wraps, kinesiotherapy, physical therapy, etc… 3 Any disease, especially of chronic progressive character, brings deterioration in the quality of life, which is reflected in physical, psychical and social sphere. Spa treatment positively affects the quality of life of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

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