Rheumatoid Arthritis

There are over 100 forms of arthritis affecting Americans today and one of the most known, but not necessarily the most common, is Rheumatoid Arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis or RA, is a form of inflammatory arthritis and an autoimmune disease, meaning the body's immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue. This form of arthritis can not be cured, making it a chronic disease. In some people the disease is continuously active and gets worse over time while others enjoy long periods of remission were they experience no disease activity or symptoms at all. No one fully understands why in rheumatoid arthritis the immune system – which is designed to protect our health by attacking foreign cells like viruses and bacteria – instead attacks the body’s own tissues. It specifically attacks the synovium, a thin membrane that lines the joints. As a result of the attack, fluid builds up in the joints, causing pain in the joints and inflammation that can occur throughout the body. Many would love to know how this form of arthritis forms so they can stop it but what causes RA are unknown. Doctors and researchers  have said it had something to do with ones genes but not everyone with these specific genes have RA.

What is astonishing about Rheumatoid arthritis is the common people who get it. An estimated 1.3 million people in the United States have RA. People of every race and ethnic group, men, women, and children get RA. There are of course some people who are more likely to get it than others like, females, native Americans, smokers, people between the age of 30 and 50, and people related to people with RA. Researchers have also found many other possibilities like obesity, a history of blood transfusions, a short fertile period in women, and making to much or too little of certain hormones. Although RA is not curable, treatment is still necessary. The reason for treatment is to reduce joint inflammation and pain, maximize joint function, and prevent destruction and deformity. It is necessary to get treatment because it improves function, it stops damage at the joints and most importantly prevents work disability. Treatment for this RA involves a combination of medications, rest, joint-strengthening exercises, joint protection, and patient education. All treatments are different because it goes according to many factors like, disease activity, the types of joint involved, general health, age, and patients occupation. There are two classes of medications: fast acting "first-line drugs" and slow acting "second-line drugs". RA can be destructive but it varies among affected individuals. Some can manage it with rest plus pain control and anti-inflammatory medications alone and in some cases with severe joint deformity, surgery may be necessary.

References

 

"Rheumatoid Arthritis - PubMed Health." A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia., 2011. Web. 27 Nov. 2011. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001467/>.

"Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms, Causes, Treatment - How Is Rheumatoid Arthritis Treated on MedicineNet." Www.medicinenet.com. Ed. Melissa Conrad Stoppler. William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR, 27 Nov. 2011. Web. 27 Nov. 2011. <http://www.medicinenet.com/rheumatoid_arthritis/page4.htm>.

 "What Is Rheumatoid Arthritis?" Arthritis Foundation | Symptoms Treatments | Prevention Tips | Pain Relief Advice. Arthritis Foundation, 2011. Web. 27 Nov. 2011. <http://www.arthritis.org/types-what-is-rheumatoid-arthritis.php>.

 

Bone Fractures

Types of Bone Fractures

 Our bones can be fractured in various ways but how you break your bone determines what type of fracture you get. There are several ways to classify a bone fracture, which is important to know because it gives us certain information about the fracture and the treatment needed. A general classification involves displaced bone fracture, undisplaced bone fracture or hairline fracture, pathological bone fracture, and compound bone fracture. Displaced bone fracture is when the broken ends of a fracture move away from each other and a gap is between them. Undisplaced bone fracture or Hairline fracture is when the bone breaks and a crack is made. This type of fracture typically stays in place and remains without a gap. A pathological bone fracture occurs when a disease (cancer or osteoporosis) has weakened the bone. A bone is classified as a compound bone fracture when the bone breaks and penetrates through the skin creating an external wound.

 A more broad classification and straightforward type of fracture is open fracture or closed fracture. A bone fracture is categorized as an open fracture when the bone penetrates through the skin which increases the chances of infection. Closed fractures are when the bone breaks but is not exposed, the skin is still entact. Other types of fractures like comminuted fractures, which breaks in many pieces, happen as a result of high velocity injuries, like car accdents. This type of fracture are dificult to treat and at times it leads to deformity. A spiral fracture is easier to treat because it breaks in large curvy edges and happens when the bone is applied twisting force. These types of fractures are only but a few but the vast majority.

Work Cited

"Bone Fractures." Bone Fracture Types, Symptoms, Healing, Repair, Treatment 

       and Pictures. Orthopedic Doctor, 2010. Web. 02 Nov. 2011. 

      <http://www.bonefractures.org/>.

Pillai, Prabhakar. "Different Types of Bone Fractures." Buzzle Web Portal:

       Intelligent Life on the Web. Web. 02 Nov. 2011.

      <http://www.buzzle.com/articles/different-types-of-bone-fractures.html>.

"Types of Bone Fractures: Buckle Fracture, Stress Fracture, Comminuted Fracture,

      and More." WebMD - Better Information. Better Health. WebMD, 2005-2011. 

      Web. 02 Nov. 2011. <http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/understanding-

      fractures-basic-information>.


By: Mayra Hernandez
                                                                                                                                                                      

Group members:

Marina Pulido