What do you need to know about rheumatoid arthritis
What is meant by Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Rheumatoid Arthritis is a very commonly found form of arthritis. It is a disease that gets worsened over a period of time and leads to painful swelling and permanent damage in the joints of the body particularly the fingers, wrists, feet and ankle. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease i.e. a disease in which the body's immune system damages its own tissues. The injured tissues cause reddening, swelling and pain in the particular area. Apart from inflammatory joints, this disease can even hit one's internal organs such as lungs, eyes and heart. It is therefore a systemic ailment that often produces excruciating intolerable pain.
People prone to Rheumatoid Arthritis
Women especially between 20 to 60 years of age are more susceptible to develop Rheumatoid arthritis due to the innumerable hormonal alterations in their body because of various reasons. However, young and the old, anyone can be afflicted by this autoimmune systemic disease.
Symptoms and Causes of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Pain, irritation, stiffness, extreme weariness after doing day's work and even swelling of joints, mark the onset of arthritis. If the situation deteriorates gradually, it is definitely Rheumatoid arthritis.
Contrary to gradual development, in some cases the disease might just hit within few seconds with inflammation and fever.
The stiffness of joints and tiredness because of Rheumatoid arthritis is extreme and hampers the individual's daily activities. The problem may trouble more during winter season.
A burning pain in the joints (left or right hand, cartilage and bone etc.) that prolongs for six weeks or more at a stretch indicates Rheumatoid Arthritis. But if the pain travels to individual's sacroiliac joints of lower back or to the upper spine, the disease is other than this one
Factors that invoke the disease
No strict causes for Rheumatoid Arthritis have been discovered as yet. But investigations and experience have revealed many some constantly occurring or usual factors that have led to its development.
The individual with a family history of Rheumatoid Arthritis is greatly liable to be afflicted by it. But particularly what infested thing gets passed on from affected ancestors to the patient still needs to be explored.
Acute stress is supposed to be another reason behind Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Different viruses such as mononucleosis can cause Rheumatoid Arthritis. Other than this, infections like strep throat lead to the ailment.
Prevention and Cures
Diagnosis commences with some crucial tests. These tests determine the severity or the stage of rheumatoid arthritis for the individual. Once rheumatoid arthritis is confirmed, anti-rheumatic drugs are prescribed. Anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin, ibuprofen etc. are prescribed initially and more often to those who are suffering from mild form of the disease. But when the case gets worse, disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs or DMARDs are given. Corticosteroids like prednisone, narcotics; chemotherapy drugs for instance Cytoxan; anti-organ rejection medicines such as cyclosporine are examples of DMARDs. Arava, Enbrel or Etanercept and Methotrexate are by and large recommended medicines to patients of Rheumatoid arthritis. But as many other antibiotics, these drugs too have numerous side-effects which should be borne in mind before advising them.
Besides medicines patients even find therapies like acupressure and acupuncture quite relieving. In many cases of Rheumatoid arthritis, patients also desire to go for a surgery
Mansi gupta writes about rheumatoid arthritis .
What do you need to know about nursing profession
Nurses perhaps the best friend of a patient. Though they get paid for their job, yet the care and concern they exhibit for the patient is unparalleled and remarkable. The nursing territory generally belongs to females. But even men like women can take up this profession after adequate training. However, since past few years a decline is seen in the number of people taking up nursing as a career. There can be many reasons behind it. So, the primary task of this article will be to enumerate these various causes along with the consequences of shrinking number of registered nurses day by day.
Exploring the different causes:
Less number of schools can be a foremost factor. There are not many schools that run programs to make future nurses.
Adding to the plight is the fact that the schools that exist are in an awful condition. There is not just lack of funds, laboratories and clinical equipments here but the faculty too is not enough and well qualified. These issues preclude many people from entering into this profession. While those who enter the program confront problems at all stages and at times end up giving it up or leaving it in the middle.
The age factor is another drawback. The average age for the registered nurses is significantly high. So, the moment these registered nurses retire, there occurs an acute shortage of new ones.
No appropriate measures are taken to train new nurses. Even the hospitals that take up this task are reluctant to spend good amount on training nurses. The medical and other facilities are very poor. This entails reluctance on the part of individuals to seek employment as a nurse.
Novel and advanced courses- many new and advanced courses like MBA, Mass Communication and so forth are picking pace these days. They are usually equipped with best facilities and funds and are seen fetching rich jobs. So more guys and gals are willing to make a wealthy career via such courses.
The restricted scope for growth, relatively low salary structure and tremendous workload are also the debarring features. The job of a nurse is deemed to be quite a stressful job nowadays, that requires prolonged working even at odd hours.
The Outcomes:
A surge in demographic levels has resulted in more number of big and small diseases and so large number of patients. But the shortage of nurses adversely affects patients in hospitals. They fail to get adequate care and vigilance. Studies have revealed that in past few years, greater numbers of patients are dying in hospitals due to negligence. The ailing men and women do not take medicines on time and there are no nurses to keep an eye on them all round the clock and instigate them to take their doses regularly. Thus, the health care has received a major setback due to the diminishing number of registered nurses these days.
The dip in nursing career has given birth to temporary and contract nursing. This type of nursing has proved to be a little help in meeting the scarcity of registered nurses.
Mansi gupta writes about nursing profession .
The Best Way To Consume Vitamin C
Eating orange mean absorbing vitamin C to our body, is that right? Probably yes because orange is rich with this nutrient. Vitamin C is a very essential nutrient for human body because its play a great role as a powerful antioxidant.
Thus, it will prevent you from free radicals that can damage organs, tissues, and cells in the body. The antioxidant is also used to prevent and treat the common cold and flu syndromes. In a word, vitamin C is fundamental in preserving healthy immune system..
Another important function of vitamin C is in the formation of collagen, the connective tissue basis, which is mostly found in skin, teeth, and bones. This vitamin is then needed to give support and shape to the body, to help heal the wounds, and to maintain healthy blood vessels. Some studies have also linked vitamin C with its ability to prevent a number of cancers, to reduce the risk of heart disease, to prolong life, and to keep skin healthy.
Known also as ascorbic acid, vitamin C is water-soluble and cannot be stored in the body or kept for later use. The body uses what it needs and the rest is passed in the urine. Thus, it should be taken every day so that you obtain adequate quantity of this vitamin to stay healthy. Consuming foods high in vitamin C is a certainly the perfect way to fulfill it.
Citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruits are great sources of vitamin C. You can also find vitamin C in fresh vegetables like tomatoes, cabbage, asparagus, and green leafy vegetables.
As a substitute, you can also take supplements to complete vitamin C requirement in your body. Natural vitamin C supplements are usually made of rosehips or citrus fruits. These supplements are usually available in tablets or capsules, making it easier for you to acquire sufficient amount of vitamin C; that's if you don't have enough time to eat those fresh foods.
There are some useful tips for you in consuming vitamin C
properly:
1. The first tip is: cook vegetables in the soup and you'll get the vitamin C in the broth. As it is a water-soluble vitamin, you can lose it when you boil foods.
2. Do not store or soak vegetables and fruits in water, as it will lose the vitamin C!
3. Combine vitamin C with other nutrients in order to get the maximum benefits from each nutrient.
>From now on, don't you ever forget to consume vitamin C as it
is very important for your body. Eating fresh foods is good. However, taking supplements is also a helpful way to get this vitamin.
About The Author: Novi White writes health articles on various publications. She has been working with doctors for their research publications. You can visit her Website MyAntioxidantGuide.com at http://www.myantioxydantguide.com