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Arthritis is among the common chronic diseases afflicting populations. However, the most common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis. The condition happens on the long-term wearing of the protective cartilage responsible for cushioning the end of the bones.
However, osteoarthritis commonly targets or affects the joints around the spine, hips, knees, and hands. Such affected joints are the ones that people typically use in their daily lives. Getting osteoarthritis will likely impair a person’s ability to manage their daily roles as usual.
Cartilages on joints are a coating of slippery and smooth tissues that are tough and vital in promoting easy movements of bones against each other. When the cartilage is worn out, out of things will result. Book our expert tutors for reliable osteoarthritis nursing assignment help to assist you in handling your osteoarthritis.
Body changes in developing osteoarthritis
Though scientists and researchers are yet to identify clear causes of osteoarthritis, they reveal that on the development of the condition, arthritis can damage several body parts, such as;
- The knee meniscus
- Bone
- Synovium
- Ligaments
- Tendon
- Cartilage
Continuous movements of the bones or joints affected by the condition predispose them to increased damage. However, the damage slowly wears out the soft tissues cushioning against the joints. Hence, a person starts to experience loss of joint motion, swelling, and pain in the affected parts. Experiencing joint pain renders one less active to evade the resulting pain from moving up and down or engaging in certain activities.
However, the result is muscle weakness, and the joint loses shape. With time, one may experience the growth of osteophytes or small bone growths at the edges of the joint. In this case, the shape of the bone is also likely to change. Increased joint damage among people with osteoarthritis may also result from the breaking off and floating of cartilage or bones, which end up floating within the joint space.
Cartilage description and importance
When you want to understand osteoarthritis as a degenerative condition of the joints, you need to understand various body parts affected, including cartilage. In normal joints, cartilages are firm, rubbery, and flexible connective tissues that help to cover the end of bones. Cartilage comprises proteins and water. Its primary role is acting as a shock absorber, minimizing joint friction.
Normal cartilage can effectively absorb shock based on its good flexibility that enables them to change shape anytime they undergo compression supported by its high water content characteristic. The main elements that makeup cartilages are matrix and chondrocytes. Matrix consists of proteoglycans and collagen, and water. Chondrocytes are the cells that are found within cartilage.
Proteoglycans
They are complex molecules made up of sugar combinations and proven interwoven within the cartilage matrix. Proteoglycans help trap significant water amounts in cartilage that help change shape when compressed to display good shock-absorbing characteristics.
Collagen
In the cartilage, collagen is a protein compound available in the bones and tendons. They strengthen cartilages while also creating a framework for other components.
Chondrocytes
Our online team of osteoarthritis nursing assignment helpers considers chondrocytes as highly complex and multifunctional cartilage cells. The primary role of chondrocytes is to synthesize and maintain the extracellular matrix of cartilage.
Risk factors of osteoarthritis
Several risk factors increase the likelihood of a person developing osteoarthritis. Awareness of the predisposing factors may help people change certain habits or practices to minimize their chances of developing osteoarthritis.
Genetic factors
Osteoarthritis is a condition that can be passed on from one generation to the other. A family with a person with the condition or other related bone diseases is at risk of developing osteoarthritis.
Obesity
Obese individuals are always vulnerable to various health conditions, including osteoarthritis. Overweight people are more likely to suffer osteoarthritis, mainly afflicting the knee joints. In this case, good weight management practices are very important to reduce the risk of developing the condition. If you are obese and need extra tips on staying away from osteoarthritis, seek our osteoarthritis nursing assignment help online and get sorted.
Certain diseases
There are various health conditions that, when one suffers, increase their risk of developing osteoarthritis. Some of the conditions are hyperlipidemia and diabetes. Hyperlipidemia is characterized by having high cholesterol or lipid levels, which results in an inflammatory response in the body.
High cholesterol levels also increase amounts of free radicals within the body, which may surpass cartilage resilience on the cellular level. According to our osteoarthritis nursing assignment help experts, lipids oxidation may result in the formation of cartilage deposits that disrupts the blood flow of subchondral bone hence causing atherosclerosis which increases one’s risk of developing osteoarthritis.
Reduced estrogen levels
Hormonal changes among women, at times, have negative health implications. For instance, post-menopausal women suffer reduced estrogen levels, increasing their risk of developing osteoarthritis.
Symptoms of osteoarthritis
There are specific symptoms that whenever one experiences, there is a high chance they might be suffering from osteoarthritis. However, it is essential to consult with a doctor to perform various tests to confirm the condition before understanding the necessary precautions to take in managing the disease. Failure to consult a medical practitioner may make one seek over-counter medications to manage their symptoms while the condition worsens.
Based on our osteoarthritis nursing homework doers, some of the symptoms of osteoarthritis are; swelling resulting from joint inflammation. Besides, one may experience pain in the affected joint areas after some slight movement involving the joints. Joint stiffness is also prevalent among people suffering from osteoarthritis. Other common symptoms include;
- Bone spurs
- Grating sensation
- Loss of flexibility
- Tenderness
Such symptoms are prevalent among older adults. People who commonly suffer from osteoarthritis are the ones 55 years and above. Most of the affected population are women whose conditions are attributed to reduced estrogen.
Diagnosis of arthritis
For any person suspect to be having osteoarthritis, it is essential to get an accurate diagnosis. Based on Essay For All professionals, osteoarthritis diagnosis depends on various aspects, including the severity of the symptoms and the impact on a person’s life and daily activities. There are multiple diagnoses and tests performed to ascertain the presence of osteoarthritis in a person.
For instance, a doctor may perform laboratory tests. In this case, it entails extracting blood samples or joint fluids. The healthcare giver can also get a complete history of the symptoms experienced by a person while also examining the patient’s joints. If other tests fail to prove the cause of underlying pain in the joints, x-rays become vital. Magnetic resonance imaging also helps offer an improved view of the cartilage and other joint parts in case of any damage resulting from osteoarthritis.
Magnetic resonance imaging applies in rare cases and exceptional circumstances, such as when suspecting the tearing of cartilage and the surrounding ligaments. Since various diagnoses are used for the condition, seek our online osteoarthritis nursing homework to help understand the application of the different tests.
Treatment of osteoarthritis
Prevention of osteoarthritis is always essential as there is no cure for the condition. However, when experiencing disease symptoms, a healthcare giver can recommend non-pharmacologic or pharmacologic treatments.
Pharmacologic options
It is a form of treatment that uses medications to manage the symptoms of osteoarthritis. Due to the pain resulting from the condition, using pain-relieving drugs like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs becomes critical. Besides, a patient may use topical medications like sprays, rubs, creams, and analgesic patches for pain-relieving purposes on the affected parts.
An osteoarthritis nurse needs to advise patients to avoid over-counter drugs because of some of their side effects. For instance, staying away from narcotic pain medications is essential following the chronic nature of osteoarthritis. Besides, narcotic medications can lead to addiction. Other pains and anti-inflammatory drugs to manage osteoarthritis symptoms are;
- Corticosteroids
- Counterirritants
- Antidepressants
- Platelet-rich plasma
- Analgesics
Non-pharmacologic treatments
Not all symptoms of osteoarthritis need the use of medications. Some nondrug therapies can be used. From our osteoarthritis nursing assignment help notes, such treatments include;
- Supportive devices like a walker, cane, shoe inserts, orthotics, and braces are used.
- Healthy eating options
- Weight loss for the obese
- Use of intermittent hot and cold packs
- Performing balance exercises, strengthening, and cardio exercises
- Intra-articular injection therapies
- Healthy lifestyle
- Control blood sugar levels
Alternative medicine that can be used on osteoarthritis patients
The increased use of alternative and complementary medicine has effectively addressed various health complications. Patients can now use complementary and alternative medicine to manage the symptoms of osteoarthritis. Some of the approaches are;
Omega-3 fatty acids
They are readily available in fish oil supplements and in fatty fish
Avocado-soybean unsaponifiable’s
It is a nutritional supplement that has proven effective in treating hip and knee osteoarthritis. It mainly serves as an anti-inflammatory and can delay or stop joint damage.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture, based on Essay For All tutors, is a traditional Chinese medicine that inserts thin needles through the skin at specific body parts to treat pain. Therefore, people with osteoarthritis experiencing pain from joint inflammation can rely on the technique for pain relief.
Chondroitin and glucosamine
Nutritional supplements also help osteoarthritis patients manage the condition’s symptoms, including chondroitin and glucosamine.
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