Introduction:
Fibromyalgia is an extremely disabling condition associated with chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain and reduced pain thresholds (Wolfe et al., 2010)(Kelley et al., 2011). Observational studies have shown that over a 12 month period 25% of men and women surveyed over the age of 65 will consult a primary care physician for musculoskeletal pain (Jordan et al., 2010). Overall, between 46% and 80% of people over the age of 65 report experiencing pain on a daily basis and 15% of women and 10% of men over 50 report widespread musculoskeletal pain (Soldato et al., 2007; Thomas et al., 2004). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated in xxxx that fibromyalgia patients generated $6000 per patient per year in healthcare costs where as another recent study of administrative claims found that fibromyalgia healthcare costs may exceed $18,000 per patient annually (Wolfe et al., 1997). In a population study of ten chronic diseases, fibromyalgia was highest ranked for healthcare not received in the previous year and in long-term disability, pain, and poor self-rated health by survey participants (Kasman and Badley, 2004).
Fibromyalgia is one of the most expensive chronic diseases in terms of healthcare utilization costs in part due to the severity of the functional limitations experienced by fibromyalgia patients. The clinical symptoms of fibromyalgia are complex and are accompanied by sleep disturbances, mood disorders, chronic fatigue, reduced exercise tolerance and pain exacerbations which severely limit a patient’s activities of daily living (Friedberg et al., 2012). As a result, fibromyalgia patients often adopt sedentary behaviors that reinforce preexisting physical disabilities and ultimately lead...
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...0 minutes, 5-7 days a week. Such small, gradual increases in exercise are unlikely to exacerbate baseline symptoms (Friedberg et al., 2012). Group activities with supervision may be preferable to home-based, solitary activities since it offers a social support mechanism and provides encouragement to continue the exercise regimen (Rooks, 2007). A review of exercise treatment programs in fibromyalgia patients concluded that the lowest attrition rates occurred in lower rather than higher intensity exercise programs (Hauser et al., 2010). A study by Hauser et al reported that aerobic exercise of slight to moderate intensity two to three times a week was more effective than regimens of other intensity or frequency (Hauser et al., 2010). Improvements in mood, quality of life, and physical fitness were maintained at follow-up intervals between 3 and 17 months.
A. Chronic pain signifies a developing public health issue of huge magnitudes, mainly in view of aging populations in developed countries (Russo).
Phillips, C. (2009). The Cost and Burden of Chronic Pain. British Journal of Pain, 3(1),
Fibromyalgia (FM) affects approximately 2-6 percent of the population. FM can affect anyone of any age, but it is more common in women over 50 years old. It’s a very complex disease and the cause is unknown. People who suffer from FM report symptoms which include pain, fatigue, and trouble sleeping and morning stiffness. These symptoms can interfere with a person’s daily life and can ultimately lead to physical disability which could possibly result in depression. The management of FM does not cure the disease and some may not be suitable for all patients so many patients decide to self-manage.
Because the cause of fibromyalgia is not know, there is no prevention for the disorder. There are only ways of coping with it once it is discovered.
... the 2nd most common ailment affecting the musculoskeletal system after osteoarthritis (American College of Rheumatology, 2004).Fibromyalgia may often co-occur (up to 25 to 65%) with other rheumatic conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and ankylosing spondylitis (CDC, 2009).Approximately 50% of people with fibromyalgia have difficulty with or are unable to perform routine daily activities (Health Central, 2009) .30 to 40% of fibromyalgia patients have to stop working or change jobs (Health Central, 2009). People with fibromyalgia are hospitalized about once every 3 years (CDC, 2009).
Cystic Fibrosis is an inherited disease characterized by the buildup of thick, sticky mucous that can cause severe damage to the body’s organs. Mucous is usually a slippery substance that lubricates and protects the linings of the airway, digestive system, reproductive system and other organs and tissue. Problems with digestion can lead to diarrhea, malnutrition, poor growth, and weight-loss. Due to the abnormally thick mucous it can can clog airways, leading to breathing problems and bacterial infections in the lungs. Bacterial infections can lead to coughing, wheezing and inflammation. Overtime these infections can lead to permanent damage in the lungs including the formation of scar tissue, known as fibrosis and cysts in the lungs (Genetics Home Reference, 2013). The symptoms and signs of this disease vary but mostly include progressive damage to the respiratory system and chronic digestive system problems. An individuals’ lungs who are infected by cystic fibrosis have bacteria from an early stage. This bacteria can spread to the small airways, leading to the formation of bacterial micro-environments known as biofilms. Biofilms are difficult for antibodies to penetrate, therefore the bacteria repeatedly damage the lung and gradually remodel the airways, resulting in difficultly to eradicate the infection (Welsh, 1995). Cystic fibrosis patients may even have their airways chronically colonized be filamentous fungi and/or yeasts. Most men with cystic fibrosis have congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens (CBAVD), a condition in which the tubes that carry sperm are blocked by mucous and do not develop properly. As well, women may experience complications in pregnancy. Either the c...
Pain is often overlooked and disregarded as an unimportant health issue by health care providers. However, according to the National Institutes of Health, pain affects more Americans than diabetes, heart disease, and cancer combined. It is the most common reason people seek health care, the leading cause of disability, and a major contributor to health care cost (National Institutes of Health [NIH], 2013). By managing pain, patient outcomes improve and health cost decreases because the patient is more likely to participate in activities such as mobilization and deep-breathing exercises, leading to fewer complications and earlier discharge. Organizations such as the American Society for Pain Management Nursing, the American Pain Society, and
Everything started off as expected and I felt as though I had finally found my true calling in life. Then it happened. My doctor’s appointment was scheduled the first week of class, and I was anxious to finally get the much anticipated answers to the source or cause of my pain. But the news I received left me dumbfounded. My body went numb, comparable to being thrown into a sea of ice where I had no time to react. Frozen in time, the doctor’s words drifting in mid-air, my mind would not accept these words so instead I was left watching them as if they were solid masses in front of my eyes. Fibromyalgia—a disease that doctors are still studying and many know little about. How could this happen? How did I get this disease? All these questions raced through my mind. When the doctor had no reply, the questions derailed from their thoughtful track and c...
Tomlinson, C. A., & Archer, K. R. (2015). Manual Therapy and Exercise to Improve Outcomes in Patients with Muscle Tension Dysphonia: A Case Series. Physical Therapy, 95(1), 117-128.
Secondly, it is a well-known belief that moderate exercise helps to ward off depression and improve mood. During periods of moderate exercise, endorphins are produced by an individual’s pituitary gland and central nervous system. Endorphins, when secreted into the body trigger a reduction in an individual’s perception of pain and produce positive feelings. Adults suffering from MS who exercise on a regular basis, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, were found to have fewer depressive symptoms in a study of forty-three research articles which was published in The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness in 2015. Thirdly, specially designed yoga programs have been found to enhance bladder control. Bowel and bladder control also improved in individuals with MS who participated in a 15-week regime of of aerobic exercises conducted by Dr. Jack Petajan. Additionally, individuals with MS benefit from weight-bearing exercise routines which strengthen bones. Bone strength is essential because they are susceptible to falls when experiencing balance issues. They also have a greater likelihood of developing osteoporosis
While cystic fibrosis (CF) is not a new disease, there is still a lot to learn about it. In 1938 a pathologist, Dr Dorothy Andersen, provided the first clear description of cystic fibrosis. Before this time there had been reports of people that had the symptoms of someone with CF. During the seventeenth century children with the symptoms of CF were thought to be bewitched and their life expectancy was very short. Dr Dorothy Andersen gave this disease its name because cystic fibrosis refers to the scarring that is found on the pancreas. People with CF also have associated diseases like salt-loss syndrome, obstructive azoospermia, and gastrointestinal abnormalities. CF is inherited from one’s parents, making it a genetic disease. CF is caused by mutations in a certain gene that produces the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) protein. This gene was first discovered in 1989 on chromosome pair 7. Cystic fibrosis is a recessive disease meaning both parents have to be a carrier. Whenever two CF carriers have a child together, there’s a 1 in 4 chance that their child will inherit the CF mutation. Although CF produces coughing it cannot be transmitted any other way than hereditary.
In cystic fibrosis, a genetical condition that has a high population of young patients with multiple medical treatment requirements, it is of clinical importance to ensure compliance to their treatments in order to avoid a premature death. Behavioural economics can help here by addressing how we improve motivation with and perceived value of medical treatments – to improve overall patient compliance. In treatment compliance with children, up to 70% of patients with chronic illnesses have poor adherence (Haynes RB, 2002). Poor adherence to cystic fibrosis therapies may result in increased disease symptoms, decrease physical functioning, increased time in hospital, morbidity rates and mortality, as such an increased healthcare costs (Vibeke Bregnballe, 2011). Therefore the more compliant the more cost-effective treatments become, and the healthier the patients stays. It is also important to note that for every drug skipped represents a financial loss. Capgemini group reported in 2013 that the worldwide cost of non-adherence to be estimated at 564 billion dollars. So, if we get childre...
A small group that is highly stigmatized, despite its size, is people with chronic or “invisible” illness. Fibromyalgia is an example of one of the types of diseases that plague people in this category. As someone with Fibromyalgia, I have heard many hurtful stereotypes aimed at people, like me, who suffer with an illness that others can’t outwardly see. While I live every day with a diagnosed disease, for many people, that isn’t evidence enough that what I have is very real. I’ve been told I’m lazy, a drug addict, a liar, a hypochondriac, and even that I’m flat out crazy. I believe these stereotypes are rooted in the fact that people don’t really understand what they can’t see or feel for themselves. It seems implausible that someone can
Neurofibromatosis (NF) is a genetic disorder of the nervous system. This can cause tumors to form on the nerves anywhere in the body at any time. Neurofibromatosis affects all races, all ethnic groups and both sexes equally. NF if one of the most common genetic disorders in the United States. NF has three genetically distinct forms are NF1, NF2 and Schwannomatosis.
Tarakci, E., Yeldan, I., Huseyinsinoglu, B. E., Zenginler, Y., & Eraksoy, M. (2013). Group exercise training for balance, functional status, spasticity, fatigue and quality of life in multiple sclerosis: a randomized controlled trial. Clinical Rehabilitation, 27(9), 813-823.