Posted: September 6th, 2023

Nursing Module 03 Written Assignment – Musculoskeletal Disorder

Nursing Module 03 Written Assignment – Musculoskeletal Disorder. Pathophysiology System Disorder Template
Student Name:
Disorder/Disease process:

Nursing Module 03 Written Assignment – Musculoskeletal Disorder. Pathophysiology System Disorder Template

Student Name:

Disorder/Disease process: Osteoarthritis

Pathophysiology:
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease that affects the articular cartilage, subchondral bone, synovial membrane, and periarticular structures of the joints. The disease process involves a combination of mechanical, biological, and biochemical factors that lead to cartilage breakdown and bony changes. The articular cartilage serves as a cushion and allows smooth joint movement. However, in osteoarthritis, the cartilage undergoes progressive degeneration, fissuring, and loss of its elasticity and thickness, exposing the underlying bone. This results in bone remodeling, sclerosis, cyst formation, and osteophyte formation at the joint margins.

The subchondral bone undergoes sclerosis and becomes thicker and denser, leading to increased bone density and stiffness. The synovial membrane produces an inflammatory response, resulting in synovial inflammation and joint effusion. The periarticular structures, such as ligaments, tendons, and muscles, also become affected and undergo fibrosis, atrophy, and weakness. The combination of these changes leads to pain, stiffness, and restricted mobility of the affected joint.

Risk factors:
The risk factors for osteoarthritis include advancing age, female gender, obesity, joint injury, repetitive joint use, genetic predisposition, and joint deformity. Additionally, occupations that require repetitive joint movements and those that involve heavy lifting, bending, and squatting increase the risk of osteoarthritis.

Clinical Manifestations:
The clinical manifestations of osteoarthritis include pain, stiffness, and loss of joint function. The pain is typically worse with activity and improves with rest. The stiffness may be more pronounced after prolonged rest, such as after sleeping or sitting for a long time. The joint may also be tender to touch, and there may be crepitus or cracking sounds with joint movement. As the disease progresses, there may be joint deformities, such as bony enlargements, and reduced range of motion.

Diagnostic tests:
The diagnosis of osteoarthritis is based on the patient’s clinical history, physical examination, and radiographic findings. X-rays can demonstrate joint space narrowing, osteophyte formation, subchondral sclerosis, and cyst formation. Other diagnostic tests, such as MRI or CT scans, may be used to evaluate the extent of joint damage and assess the response to treatment.

Treatment:
The treatment of osteoarthritis includes a combination of non-pharmacological and pharmacological approaches. Non-pharmacological approaches include weight loss, physical therapy, exercise, joint protection, and assistive devices. Pharmacological treatments include analgesics, such as acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), topical analgesics, and intra-articular corticosteroid injections. In advanced cases, joint replacement surgery may be required to restore joint function.

Conclusion:
Osteoarthritis is a common degenerative joint disease that affects the elderly population. The disease process involves a combination of mechanical, biological, and biochemical factors that lead to cartilage breakdown and bony changes. The clinical manifestations of osteoarthritis include pain, stiffness, and loss of joint function. The diagnosis is based on the patient’s clinical history, physical examination, and radiographic findings. The treatment includes a combination of non-pharmacological and pharmacological approaches to manage pain and improve joint function.

References
Hochberg, M. C. (2017). Osteoarthritis. In Goldman-Cecil Medicine (pp. 1898-1905). Elsevier.

Hunter, D. J., & Bierma-Zeinstra, S. (2019). Osteoarthritis. Lancet, 393(10182), 1745-1759.

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. (2020). Osteoarthritis. Retrieved from https://www.niams.nih.gov/health-topics/osteoarthritis

Zhang, Y., & Jordan, J. M. (2010). Epidemiology of osteoarthritis. Clinics in Geriatric Medicine, 26(3), 355-369.