ESSAY: Brashers Case Study Osteoarthritis

Brashers Case Study Osteoarthritis

Question 1

Additional questions regarding her symptoms would involve how often the pain occurs, whether it is triggered by specific body positions, and what seems to make it better. More questions would be related to specific areas where she experiences the pain, the types of activities she engages in, and external factors that may influence her pain changes (Xu et al. 4591). It would also be necessary to know whether she had ever experienced similar symptoms at an earlier time in her life.

Question 2

Further questions related to her medical history would be aimed at uncovering other health issues that may be contributing to her current problem. It would be essential to know whether she had had a surgical procedure that could contribute to any of her joint problems (Xu et al. 4594). Further, the medical history in her family would be important in understanding whether her issue is genetic. Her medication and treatment history would also be important in identifying the possibility of recurring illnesses.

Question 3

Understanding her lifestyle and social history would require additional questions such as her physical activity or strain and diet. The physical strain would be involved in cases where she engages in excessive and strenuous activities that harm the stability or functioning of certain body parts (Xu et al. 4595). Her social life would also be related to behaviors such as drinking, smoking, and consumption of sugars.

Question 4

Based on history, the differential diagnosis of the patient’s musculoskeletal complaints would involve physical examinations to establish tenderness of her muscles. A physical examination can also facilitate the establishment of her thyroid function. It would also be necessary to perform radiography to establish the extent to which her joints are affected by her health condition (Xu et al. 4596). She also needs a test to establish her chemical balance and decide whether she needs addition of any bone-building components.

Question 5 A physical examination of the patient reveals positive aspects that imply healthiness. Her blood pressure and temperature are in the right range while her skin and neck appear healthy without rashes. Her cranial nerves examination also showed normal and symmetric functioning. Negative results were, however, present because her hands demonstrated decreased range, and a bilateral hand examination revealed Heberden…