Arthritis: Stitch in Time Saves Nine

Introduction

The literal meaning of the word ‘Arthritis’ is - inflammation of one or more joints. Joint, as we all know, is an area of the body where two different bones meet. The function of the joint is to move the body parts connected by its bones. Medical name for joint pain is ‘arthralgia’. Arthritis can manifest itself in more than 100 forms. Arthritis could be because of wear and tear of cartilage. This form of arthritis is called osteoarthritis. Arthritis can also be because of inflammation resulting from an overactive immune system. This form of arthritis is called rheumatoid arthritis.

The ends of bones in a joint are covered by a smooth tissue of cartilage. The cartilage gives ‘cushioning effect’. In the absence of cartilage, there would be friction in bone-on-bone contact. A fibrous envelope, called the synovium, encloses the joints. Synovium produces a fluid that helps reduce friction and wear and tear of joint. Ligaments connect the bones and keep the joints stable. Joints are powered by muscles and tendons. Muscles and tendons also help joint to move.

Arthritis is the most common chronic illness in the US. Arthritis affects men and women, children and adults. Worldwide, approximately 350 million people have arthritis. This figure for US is 40 million, of which over a quarter million are children. Number of Americans suffering from osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis is 21 million and 2.1 million respectively. Arthritis shows slight gender bias, with 60% of sufferers being women. More than half of arthritis sufferers are under 65 years of age.

Causes

Different forms of arthritis have different causes. Causes could be injury (leading to osteoarthritis), abnormal metabolism, inheritance, infectious; in some cases the cause of arthritis may be unclear. Arthritis is a rheumatic disease. Rheumatic diseases are illnesses with differing features, treatments, complications, and prognosis. The reason all rheumatic diseases are under one category is that they have a tendency to affect joints, muscles, ligaments, cartilage, tendons. Many rheumatic diseases have potential to affect the internal body areas.

Treatment

Anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen are available over the counter and can be used for controlling pain and inflammation in the joints. There are prescription medications too. These are prescribed after taking into consideration the type of arthritis, its severity, and the patient’s general physical health. It’s not safe for patients with ulcers, asthma, kidney or liver diseases to take anti-inflammatory medications. When the patient’s pain becomes unbearable, doctors may give injections of cortisone into the joint. This helps in bringing temporary relief from pain and swelling. A word of caution here: repeated, frequent injections into the same joint can damage it and thereby cause undesirable side effects. For lubricating joint, one may also resort to viscosupplementation or injection of hyaluronic acid. This is generally performed in the knee.

For relieving stress and strain on arthritic joints one may take recourse to canes, crutches, walkers, or splints. One should also learn methods of performing daily activities that are less stressful to painful joints. For decreasing stiffness and strengthening the weakened muscles around the joint one should take help of certain exercises and physical therapy.

Source:http://www.thehealthreporters.com/arthritis-stitch-in-time-saves-nine

Tips to Help the Elderly through Their Medical Tests

What seems like a simple medical test to the average adult can be significantly more challenging to the elderly person whose health may be more frail.

Here are a few reasons to take extra care when an older person requires a medical test.

•The elderly are more likely to have vision, hearing, and cognitive impairments that make it difficult for them to follow instructions or understand what must happen for the specimen to be properly collected.

•Older people have more problems with balance and mobility, factors that can make some samples physically harder or more dangerous to provide.

•Even a blood test can be more difficult because the skin is thinner, the subcutaneous tissue is less resilient, and the veins are more fragile and prone to tearing when punctured. The person may prefer one phlebotomist in particular who handles them well.

•For a person with dementia, even a brief sample collection procedure can be traumatic and lead to a catastrophic reaction by the patient. In this case, the need for testing must be even more carefully scrutinized.

•On top of all the physical and emotional challenges, financial constraints and details can deter an elderly person from undergoing a test that can make a significant difference in the person’s health care and quality of life.

If testing is a burden for someone you know, talk to the physician about the situation. "Always discuss why the test is needed and how it will affect ongoing care or alter the course of therapy," emphasizes geriatrician Rebecca Elon, MD, MPH, Medical Director of North Arundel Senior Care, Severna Park, Maryland. Be sure that any test ordered will provide necessary information for clinical decision making. The following are suggestions to help elderly patients through some of the practical matters of collecting a test sample.

The Challenge of Getting There

Transportation problems are common for the elderly, who may not drive and may be dependent on someone else to take them to their medical appointments. Reducing stress on the driver can make for a more positive experience.

Planning Ahead—If you must go somewhere unfamiliar for a test, get good directions on where you must drive and where you must walk; this will help eliminate stress. Find out if it will be easier for the person having the test to be dropped off at a certain entrance. You may also want to inquire about busy times and plan to avoid them.

Staying Home—If the person who needs the test does not drive and has difficulty arranging for a ride (or even for someone to transport the sample), inquire about onsite or home services.
Issues of Safety

Falls are common and especially serious in people over age 65, and bathrooms can be particularly hazardous. Pay attention to safety when you are collecting a urine or stool sample, particularly for individuals who have mobility or vision problems. Your focus on the collection process may prevent you from noticing hazards or unsafe conditions in the room, so gather what you need and plan ahead.

Tripping—before you begin, you can remove scatter rugs and loose mats.

Slipping—be on guard for spills and a slippery or wet floor.

Falls—Encourage use of grab bars or other supports near the toilet area to help prevent injuries from falls.

The Need for Help

It is not uncommon for an elderly patient to need some assistance or accommodation when taking a medical test. A person with arthritis, joint stiffness, or other mobility problem may find it difficult to obtain a urine or stool sample without some help. A woman with dementia may be unable to follow the instructions on obtaining a "clean catch" urine specimen; she may also become confused or agitated when someone tries to do this for her. A person who does not see well or has poor manual dexterity can have trouble using the required equipment, such as specimen cups or blood glucose monitors for diabetes.

Countesy:www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/testtips/elderlytips-4.html

10 facts on ageing and the life course

Long life is a sign of good health. The ageing of the world's population - in developing and developed countries - is an indicator of improving global health. The world's elderly population - people 60 years of age and older - is 650 million. By 2050, the "greying" population is forecast to reach 2 billion.

Along with this positive trend, however, come special health challenges for the 21st century. Preparing health providers and societies to meet the needs of elderly people is essential: training for health professionals on old-age care; preventing and managing age-associated chronic diseases; designing sustainable policies on long-term care; and developing age-friendly services and settings.

Fact 1

Ageing is a global phenomenon. The world's elderly population - people 60 years of age and older - is the fastest growing age group. By 2050 about 80% of the elderly will be living in developing countries. Population ageing is occurring in parallel with rapid urbanization: in 2007 more than half of the world's population live in cities. By 2030 that figure is expected to rise to more than 60%.

Fact 2

Population ageing is a triumph of modern society. It reflects improving global health, but also raises special challenges for the 21st century in both developing and developed countries. In 2005, life expectancy in countries like Japan and France was already more than 80 years. Life expectancy is also rising in developing countries: a child born today in Chile, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Lebanon, Sri Lanka or Thailand can expect to live for more than 70 years.

Fact 3

Vast health inequalities persist, as is clear from differences in life expectancy at birth. For example, while Japan has the highest life expectancy in the world at 82.2 years, in several countries in Africa the figure is as much as 40 years lower.

Fact 4

Within countries, health inequalities are also significant. For example, in the United States of America higher socioeconomic groups can expect to live up to 20 years longer than those from lower socioeconomic groups.

Fact 5

By 2050, close to 80% of all deaths are expected to occur in people older than 60. Health expenditure increases with age and is concentrated in the last year of life - but the older a person dies, the less costs are concentrated in that period. Postponing the age of death through healthy ageing combined with appropriate end-of-life policies could lead to major health care savings.

Fact 6

Healthy older people also represent a resource for their families, communities and economies. Investing in health throughout life produces dividends for societies everywhere. It is rarely too late to change risky behaviours to promote health: for example, the risk of premature death decreases by 50% if someone gives up smoking between 60 and 75 years of age.

Fact 7

Effective, community-level primary health care for older people is crucial to promote health, prevent disease and manage chronic illnesses in dependent and frail patients. In general, training for health professionals includes little if any instruction about care for the elderly. However, they will increasingly spend time caring for this section of the population. WHO maintains that all health providers should be trained on ageing issues, regardless of their specialism.

Fact 8

Disasters and emergencies severely impact the most vulnerable, including older people. As examples: the highest percentage of fatalities in Indonesia caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami was in people 60 years of age and older, and the majority of the 2003 heat wave victims in Europe were people 70 years of age and older. Policies to protect older persons during emergencies are urgently required.

Fact 9

In older age, the risk of falls increases and consequences of injuries are far more serious. This leads to significant health, human and economic costs. In Australia, the average health system cost per one fall-related injury for people 65 years of age and older was US$ 3611 in 2001-2002.

Fact 10

Elder abuse is on the increase as the population ages and social dynamics change. WHO estimates that between 4% and 6% of older persons worldwide have suffered from a form of elder abuse - either physical, psychological, emotional, financial or due to neglect. Elder abuse is an infringement of human rights.

Courtesy: http://www.who.int/features/factfiles/ageing