Week 9 Arthritis & other Musculoskeletal Conditions

Question 1

Arthritis

Answer 1

inflammation of the joints, causing pain and stiffness that can worsen with age
Rheumatic disorders: diseases of the muscles, joints, and bones

Question 2

Pathophysiology of osteoporosis

Answer 2

Osteoporosis (metabolic disorder causing loss of bone mass) - Imbalance of osteoblasts that form new bone & osteoclasts that reabsorb

Question 3

Pathophysiology of Paget’s disease

Answer 3

Paget’s disease (excessive metabolic activity skeletal disorder) - excessive osteoclastic bone resorption and excessive osteoblastic bone formation

Question 4

Pathophysiology of Gout

Answer 4

Gout (metabolic disease stemming from inflammation in response to high levels of uric acid or hyperuricaemia)

Question 5

Clinical manifestations of arthritis

Answer 5

• Pain in the joints, fingers, hands, muscles, neck, wrists
• Pain can be intermittent or sharp
• Decreased muscular range of motion, walking, muscle weakness
• Stiffness, tenderness, swelling
• Fatigue

Question 6

Osteoarthritis care

Answer 6

• Deterioration of the articular cartilage that covers and protects the ends of the bones in joints. There is no balance between cartilage production and breakdown, rather degeneration exceeds regeneration
• Alters mobility, increases fatigue, can affect body image with functional decline, reduce quality of life, difficulties with ADLs
• Interventions to attain self management (OT, PHYS)
• Exercise for psychological and physical benefits
• Pharmacological options - Adelina to reduce pain and maintain optimal mobility
• Non pharmacological options - physical therapy, joint protection, heat and cold therapy, acupuncture, nutrition and weight reduction, aquatics

Question 7

Nursing care for arthritis

Answer 7

• Currently no cure, however
• Health promotion - prevent or slow arthritis through increased calcium intake especially before the age of 35, exercise, avoid smoking, excessive alcohol consumption and caffeine intake
• Assessment - health history (age, risk factors, diet, smoking hx, menstrual history including menopause, exercise level, lower back pain), physical examination (height, spinal curves)
• Health seeking - education on importance of calcium intake, maintaining a regular schedule, weight bearing exercise
• Implement safety precautions such as referrals to physio and ot
• Pain management - NSAIDs, corticosteroids, disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) for inflammatory forms of arthritis
• Pain management - simple analgesia such as Panadol, opiates for severe pain
• Prevention of injury