Jack is a playful 7 year old boy who is active on his baseball team and enjoys riding his bike after school. He looks and acts just like all the other kids, but Jack is living with Juvenile idiopathic arthritis or JIA. Diagnosed within just the last year, he has found that this disease can be controlled and his active lifestyle is not affected.
At 26 years old, Jill finally talked to her doctor about her worsening joint pain and inflammation in her hands and wrists. Having noticed symptoms for the last few years, she was shocked to learn her symptoms were the result of an autoimmune disorder known as Rheumatoid Arthritis, or RA. With no other medical history, she also has taken the steps to ensure a healthy lifestyle.
Jack and Jill are not alone. It is estimated that one of every thousand children will develop JIA (Abramson, 2013), and more than 1.3 million American are living with RA (Ruderman & Tambar, 2012). There are significant advancements in these diseases in the promotion of health and wellness across the lifespan and in the roles and responsibilities of medical staff as well as patients living happy and healthy lives with arthritis. This paper will compare and contrast the different aspects of these diseases in relation to age, diagnostic processes, risk factors, and treatment with the support of scientific evidence.
The difference in age
Like many children his age, Jack’s day begins in a classroom setting with crayons, markers, and scissors. For a school aged child, making projects to take home can be all part of the day, but one rough day due to stiffness and pain, can make the use of scissors just about impossible. Last year he often refused to use his scissors and appeared to be defiant with completing his ...
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Works Cited
Abramson, L. (2013). Arthritis in children. American College of Rheumatology. Retrieved from http://www.rheumatology.org/practice/clinical/patients/diseases_and_conditions/juvenilearthritis.asp
Arthritis Foundation. (2013). National arthritis action plan. Retrieved from http://www.arthritis.org/about-us/naap/
Hahn, Y. & Kim, J. (2010, November 30). Pathogenesis and clinical manifestations of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Korean Journal of Pediatrics. 53(11). doi: 10.3345/kjp.2010.53.11.921
National Arthritis Action Plan. (1999). Arthritis Foundation. Retrieved from http://www.arthritis.org/files/images/Delia/NAAP_full_plan.pdf
Ruderman, E., & Tambar, S. (2012). Rheumatoid arthritis. American College of Rheumatology. Retrieved from http://www.rheumatology.org/practice/clinical/patients/diseases_and_conditions/ra.asp
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis, affecting more than 27 million Americans (LeMone, Burke, Bauldoff, 2011). It is caused when the cartilage in the joints breaks down, causing the bones of the joint to rub against one another. This causes pain, stiffness, and loss of motion in the joint. Osteoarthritis is most prevalent in those 65 and older, but can affect those of any age. In addition, African Americans and Hispanics report a higher incidence of arthritis than Caucasians (LeMone, Burke, Bauldoff, 2011). Although the cause is unknown, it is believed that the increasing age of the population, prevalence of obesity and injuries add to the progression of the condition. Osteoarthritis can affect any joint in the body; however, those of the hand, hip, and knee are often the most common. This condition may be asymptomatic, or may present symptoms including soreness, stiffness and pain. The symptoms are more common in the older population, those with limited activity levels, and those who are obese. Joint cartilage thins over time, causing an increased risk for symptoms in the elderly, and obesity puts extra pressure on the joints during activity. Osteoarthritis is commonly diagnosed with the use of a physical assessment along with results of radiology testing such as X-Ray and MRI.
Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (JRA), or sometimes called juvenile chronic arthritis, is a disease that affects children causing joint inflamation which makes the joints stiff and painful. This Disease affects about one in one thousand children ages sixteen and younger. Doctors have also found that the more joints affected the more serious the disease and symptoms are less likely to go into full remission.
Arthritis affects people of all age groups. More than 100 types of arthritis are known. Among these osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis having the highest incidence. One of the major causes of chronic debilitation in industrialized nations is Osteoarthritis which results from damage to the joints, which may be due to trauma, infection, or age-related wear. Rheumatoid arthritis is encountered less frequently than osteoarthritis and is estimated to affect around one per cent of the world’s population. Amongst patients of Rheumatoid arthritis, women are three times more likely to be affected by this condition than men. This condition is caused by an inflammatory process where the body starts attacking itself. Rheumatoid arthritis also affects several joints, with inflammation sometimes seen in and around the lungs, the heart, the eyes and the skin. The most commonly reported complaint by arthritis patients is pain. The pain might be from the joint itself and be a result of inflammation, damage from the disease, or through daily wear and tear. Muscle pain is also common and is caused by having to force movements against stiff and painful joints. Although range of movement in the affected joint may be limited and uncomfortable, physical exercise has been shown to benefit those with arthritis. Physical therapy has been shown to significantly improve function, decrease pain in the long term and delay the need for surgery in advanced cases. The majority of arthritis cases occur among theelderly, however the disease can occur in children as well. Over 70% of the population that get affected by arthritis in North America are over the age of 65 (4). The disease occurs more commonly in females than males in all races, age groups, and ethn...
Arthritis is very common and yet it is not well understood. Arthritis is not a single disease, but instead is an informal way of referring to more than 100 different types of joint pain and/or related conditions (“What is Osteoarthritis?”). Sometimes called degenerative joint disease or degenerative arthritis, osteoarthritis is the most common chronic condition of the joints, affecting approximately 27 million Americans (“What is Osteoarthritis?”). For a long time osteoarthritis was believed to be caused by the “wear and tear” of joints over time, however, scientists now view it to be a disease of the joint (“What
Rheumatoid arthritis affects around 400,000 individuals within the UK, it is the most relentless chronic form of arthritis, and for adults it is the second most common form in patients (1). “RA is more prevalent among women than men, and usually develops in the fourth to fifth decades of life” (A). Rheumatoid arthritis is severe as it is a form of autoimmune disease, this is where the body’s immune system attacks and damages working tissue, due to the failure to recognise the difference between foreign cell and normal cells. For example it damages the synovial membrane surrounding the knee, and bone erosion begins. This damage to the working tissue triggers an inflammatory response causing fluid to build around the knee (2). However it can happen in any joint, this is why it’s such a large problem as you simply can’t inhibit the effects of the immune system, as it would leave you extremely vulnerable to more life threatening diseases. If effective treatment isn’t applied it could be disabling to patients, the inflammation causes pain, stiffness, muscle ache, rheumatoid nodules (lumps of tissue) and tiredness (3).
What is Arthritis? Arthritis is inflammation of a joint bringing such symptoms as chronic joint pain, stiffness, and swelling. The Arthritis Society states that approximately 4.6 million Canadians are currently living with arthritis; by 2036 this number will increase to 7.5 million (1 in 5). Health care costs and loss of productivity amount to $33 billion, by the year 2031 this number is expected to double. (The Arthritis Society, 2014). According to Aging in Contemporary Canada, arthritis and rheumatism is the most common chronic health problem of Canadian seniors affecting 47%. (Chappell, McDonald, & Stones, 2008, p. 221). With over 100 types of arthritis varying from mild to severe the most common age related form is osteoarthritis (OA) affecting 1 in 10 Canadians. Approximately 13% of Canadians suffer with OA. Joint damage from OA accounts for 80% of hip replacement surgery and over 90% of knee replacement surgeries. (The Arthritis Society, 2014). Severe cases of OA can restrict the ability to participate in activities and consequently affect a person’s quality of life. At this time there is no cure for OA without a joint replacement. Although OA can affect all ages the purpose of this paper is to focus on the impact this disorder has on the daily activities and functioning on the aging population. Discussion will also highlight the origin and manifestations of this disorder and will examine current and future treatment options available.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory and an autoimmune disease that occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s tissue (Rheumatoid arthritis, 2017). This disease affects the entire body, which is called a systemic (means entire body) disease. Arthritis is derived from the word part arthr-, which means “joint,” and -itis, which means “inflammation,” so altogether it means “inflammation of the joints.” It creates inflammation that causes the tissue that lines the inside of joints (synovium) to thicken. About 1.5 million people in the U.S. are affected. It affects all races, but it affects three times as many women than men (What is Rheumatoid Arthritis, n.d.). Overtime, rheumatoid arthritis causes painful swelling that can potentially result in bone erosion or joint deformity, which leads up to physical disabilities. RA can affect more than just your joints, but can spread to body systems, skin, eyes, lungs, heart, blood vessels, e.t.c (Rheumatoid arthritis, 2017).
Arthritis is one of the most prevalent diseases, and is the leading cause of disability in the U.S (What is Arthritis, n.d). Moreover, the susceptibility to arthritis enhances with age, approximately half the population that reaches 65 years of age has arthritis (What is Arthritis, n.d). Essentially, arthritis refers to hindrance to the joint such as pain, swelling and reduced range of motion (What is Arthritis, n.d). There are over 100 types of arthritis, one to be noted for this paper is rheumatoid arthritis (What is Arthritis, n.d). This form of arthritis is an autoimmune disease, where the joints are targeted by the body’s immune system, resulting in inflammation (What is Arthritis, n.d). Consequently, due to its frequency
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that attacks the joints and connective tissue. Autoimmune diseases are illnesses that occur when the bodys tissue is mistakenly attacked by its own immune system. The immunes system is primarly organized to look for infections and destroy them, patients with rheumatoid arthritis have antibodies in their blood which target their own tissue which leads to inflammation. RA is basically a chronic syndrome that is characterized by inflammation of the peripheral joints, but it may also involve the lungs, the heart, the blood vessels and eyes.
Imagine being diagnosed with a condition that flares in and out of control repeatedly every year. Your doctor has told you that the cause could be genetic, or it could be directly related to previous toxins or illnesses you may have been exposed to, leaving you frustrated and looking for answers. None of your family members have ever had any trouble with their joints, but yours have been so painful and tender lately that even getting out of bed in the morning seems like a chore. Turns out, you have an autoimmune disease that affects about 1.3 million people in our country every year. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic rheumatic disease that directly attacks your body’s joints and their surrounding tissues, causing pain, inflammation, and damage.
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis affecting at least 20 million Americans with its prevalence expected to double in the next 2 decades (12.) (9). OA was once believed to be a consequence of aging, which still holds true, but is now believed to involve a multitude of biological and pathological processes influenced by several factors, including genetics, age, gender, obesity, joint injury, estrogen, diabetes and muscle strength with age and weight being the predominating factors. OA is a multifactorial disease that may progressively affect the structure of all joint tissue leading to joint pain and inflammation. The pathogenesis of OA has yet to be clearly defined but is is characterized by progressive hyaline
“Always remember to be an internist, my dear.” This was an invaluable piece of feedback I received on a rheumatology rotation in my first year of internal medicine residency. Truly, I have never learned so much about medicine as I did during this first rotation in rheumatology. I became fascinated by the subtle presentations and cases that posed a diagnostic challenge to multiple subspecialties. I have been inspired by rheumatology as a field where multisystem disease is encountered on a daily basis and rheumatologists must use both general medicine and subspecialty skillsets to diagnose and treat patients. The academic challenges in rheumatology initially attracted me to the field however my subsequent experiences with patients, mentors, and research have made me passionate about pursuing rheumatology as my specialty.
Bibliography: Arthritis Foundation, Understanding Arthritis (1986); Kelley, William N., et al., eds., Textbook of Rheumatology, 2d ed., (1985); McCarty, Daniel F., ed., Arthritis and Allied Conditions, 11th ed. (1988); Moll, J. M. H., Rheumatology in Clinical Practice (1987).
It is still unknown what the cause of Rheumatoid Arthritis is but there are some theories that have not been proven. The oldest theory states that viruses and bacteria are the cause of Rheumatoid Arthritis. Now with all the research being done, scientists believe that Rheumatoid Arthritis is hereditary. Specific genes have been found to make people more likely to get Rheumatoid Arthritis. Some scientists also think that some environmental factors and infections might cause the immune system to attack. Contributing factors are smoking and being exposed to silica metal. So although the exact causes are unknown, the result is that the immune system is ready to make the joins and tissues inflamed by activating immune cells.
OA is a musculoskeletal disease that causes chronic joint pain and reduced physical functioning (Laba, brien, Fransen, & jan, 2013). Osteoarthritis (OA) is a non-inflammatory disorder of synovial joints that results in loss of hyaline cartilage and remodeling of surrounding bone. OA is the single most common joint disease, with an estimated prevalence of 60% in men and 70% in women later in life after the age of 65 years, affecting an estimated 40 million people in the United States (Goodman & Fuller, 2009). Women are more commonly affected after the age of 55, almost everyone has some symptoms by the age of 70 (Tan, Zahara, Colburn & Hawkins, 2013, p.78). Osteoarthritis can be described radiological, clinical, or subjective. It commonly affects hands, hips, knees, shoulders, and the spine (Walker, 2011, p. 14). Osteoarthritis is an intrinsic defect in the joint cartilage. Caused by slowly progressive deterioration of articular cartilage that is accompanied by degenerative bony changes, including thickening of the subchondral bone cyst, and formation of large bony protrusions (osteophytes) at the joint margins. Osteoarthritis usually occurs in the large weight bearing joints such as the knees and hips, as well as some of the smaller joints in the hands and feet (Ciccone, 2007,p. 229). ). It is predicted by 2020 to become the fourth leading cause of disability globally (Laba et al., 2013, p.2). According to Juby and Davis (2011), these changing demographics with the aging of the “baby boomer” generation will likely result in an increase in the prevalence of both degenerative and inflammatory arthritis, and timely access to appropriate care and maximization of therapeutic interventions will be vital to maintain indepe...