Unit_14__Physiological_Disorders_in_Health_and_Social_Care

Leema Khanom Unit 14: Physiological Disorders in Health and Social Care Pass 1: Diabetes- Mrs R Diabetes is a common life-long health condition. There are 2.8 million people diagnosed with diabetes in the UK and an estimated 850,000 people who have the condition but don’t know it. Mrs R has Diabetes and has had it from her early 20s. She experienced many symptoms such as tiredness, blurred vision at times and slow healing of the skin. This made Mrs R rather worried as to why she was feeling rather tired and why she had blurred vision, so she decided to visit the GP. After making an appointment at the doctors, she was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. (This meant that her body was unable to produce enough insulin). Mrs R had mixed emotions as she was oblivious as to what diabetes was and what it meant. After being informed by her doctor she was told that she had diabetes due to obesity and the different types of medicines she’s also been taking from a young age. Also her mother had this condition so in this case it was passed down through genes. There are two type’s diabetes; type 1 and type 2, the difference is that the body can’t produce insulin or not enough insulin. Mrs R had realised that diabetes can be severe but had no cure. So in order to keep the level of severity low she needed to be active and have insulin injections reguarlarly. Eczema- Miss S Miss S has Eczema and has had it since a young age, over the years she noticed that certain foods made her eczema worse; e.g. prawns and eggs. Symptoms she experienced involved itchy, flaky, dry skin and sometimes would bleed depending on the severity of the itchiness. Miss S was unaware that she had eczema until the midwife had noticed that something was wrong. She was then taken to the doctors and diagnosed with the condition. As Miss S got older she was aware of what eczema was and was able to look after herself properly in order for the severity of the condition do decrease. When Miss S was younger she experienced discomfort and pain as the itchiness of the skin would increase. There are different types of eczema but the main cause of it is allergies. This is why Miss S was restrained from consuming and wearing certain products. Pass 2 and Merit 1: Diabetes Diabetes occurs due to the fact that the amount of glucose in the blood is too high; as the body cannot use it properly. This is because the pancreas does not produce any insulin (type 1 diabetes), or not enough (type 2 diabetes), to help glucose enter the body’s cells or the insulin that is produced does not work properly; this is known as “insulin resistance”. Insulin is the hormone produced by the pancreas that allows glucose to enter the body’s cells, where it is used as fuel for energy so we can work, play and generally live our lives; this is why it is vital for life! Glucose comes from digesting carbohydrate and is also produced by the liver. Carbohydrate comes from many different kinds of foods and drink, including starchy foods such as bread, potatoes; fruit; some dairy products; sugar and other sweet foods. If one has diabetes, your body cannot make proper use of this glucose so it builds up in the blood and isn’t able to be used as fuel. There are many causes of diabetes; but they differ in the two types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes can be caused by the exposure to chemical toxins, infection with a specific virus or bacteria, exposure as a very young child to cow's milk, where an unknown component of this produces the autoimmune reaction in the body and can be genetically passed on. Type 2 diabetes can be caused by increasing age, obesity, physical inactivity, certain medicines, genetically passed on, pregnancy and illnesses or diseases that can damage the pancreas and affect its ability to produce insulin e.g. Pancreatitis. The main symptoms of the undiagnosed diabetes can include: * Passing urine more often than usual, especially at night * Increased thirst * Extreme tiredness * Unexplained weight loss * Slow healing of cuts and wounds * Blurred vision The risks also involve if an individual has high blood pressure, has had a stroke or a heart attack and if one has severe mental health problems. If an individual has diabetes, there’s a high risk of damage to the eyes, kidney, nerves and the blood vessels. This can have a huge impact on the body and the internal organs. Type 1 diabetes can develop at any age but usually appears before the age of 40, and especially in childhood. Type 1 diabetes accounts for between 5 and 15 per cent of all people with diabetes and is treated by daily insulin injections, a healthy diet and regular physical activity. Type 2 diabetes usually appears in people over the age of 40, though in South Asian and black people, who are at greater risk, it often appears from the age of 25. It is also increasingly becoming more common in children, adolescents and young people of all ethnicities. The body is a developed complex system that allows us to feed ourselves, if one has diabetes it makes it difficult for this system to run smoothly. This system involves breaking down the sugars and starches within the food we consume. This is then converted into the body’s “basic food source”, glucose. If an individual has diabetes it is means that their body finds it difficult to produce insulin or not enough, this is so that they can allow glucose to enter the cells of the body to produce energy. The body needs glucose as it helps us with the movement of our hands, arms and body. Many organs are involved in this system; such as the liver, pancreas, muscle and cells, which are all affected if there is not enough energy produced in the body. Reference: http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Guide-to-diabetes/Introduction-to-diabetes/Signs_and_symptoms/ http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/d/diabetes/tests.htm Eczema Eczema is a skin condition that causes the skin to become swollen, irritated and itchy. There are many common types of this condition; * Atopic dermatitis * Hand dermatitis * Nummular dermatitis * Contact dermatitis * Dyshidrotic dermatitis * Neurodermatitis * Occupational dermatitis * Stasis dermatitis * Seborrheic dermatitis. This condition can be caused by; prolonged exposure to irritants (e.g. detergents), an allergen in contact with the skin (e.g. nickel jewellery), the inheritance of certain genes and an overactive immune system. Eczema can arise mainly through allergic reactions and is not contagious. However, individuals in the same family can have this skin condition; this doesn’t mean that it is genetically caused, but simply from allergic reactions. There are many symptoms of Eczema; this includes severe itchiness, inflamed skin, skin swelling, scaling, rashes and red patches on the skin. This condition can affect an individual’s day to day lives as they need to ensure that creams that they may use are non-alcoholic and perfumes that they may have contact with the skin. Also, it is vital that they avoid any materials that they are allergic to; as these can all make the eczema more serious, this includes clothing and even bed linen. Eczema had no cure but can be treated with creams that can help improve the condition of the skin. This will prevent it from irritating the individual as much and gradually allow the skin to recover. This will then mean that most of the eczema has cleared. However, it is important that the skin is looked after and there are no allergies that gain contact with the skin, as this can make the condition more serious. Eczema is a chronic skin disease due to a skin barrier dysfunction, can also be caused by genetic factors and alterated skin structure and even environmental factors. This skin disease occurs due to allergies that individuals may have, if one is exposed to an allergy then an allergic reaction could be eczema. The severity of the condition can increase unless it’s treated. The skin is sensitive and can’t handle substances that are allergies; the reaction of the skin can be eczema. This is when the skin can become sore and itchy and when treatments such as creams and ointments need to be used in order to improve the condition. Reference: http://www.skincarephysicians.com/eczemanet/whatis.html http://ezinearticles.com/'How-Does-Eczema-Occur'&id=4324018 http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/e/eczema/symptoms.htm http://skin-care.health-cares.net/eczema-effects.php Pass 3 and Merit 2: Diabetes Mrs R had to have many tests done when she was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. This includes physical examination, urine tests and blood glucose tests. The doctor arranged to do a “fasting blood sugar test”; this is where Mrs R had to fast for 8-10hours this then gave the doctor the opportunity to measure Mrs R blood sugar level. This was due to the fact that the blood sugar level of Mrs R initiates what condition she has; whether it be type 1 diabetes or type 2. Also, physical examination involves signs of obesity, checking the condition of nails, skin and pulse rate. This helped the doctor diagnose Mrs R with type 2 diabetes as various symptoms that occurred. The doctor of Mrs R had to also take tests on internal organs to see how severe the diabetes is and what the problem was, whether her body couldn’t produce enough insulin or if her body didn’t produce and insulin at all. This is the difference between the two types of diabetes. Once the results came back, Mrs R was informed that she had type 2 diabetes and had to start taking care of what she ate and ensures that she regularly takes her medication. However, there are many difficulties that can affect the diagnosis as the symptoms could be for other reasons or illnesses. Firstly, if someone was always feeling tired a lot of the time and they make an appointment at the doctors, even though it is a symptom of diabetes it doesn’t necessarily mean that they have the condition. It could mean that their work load is increasing and so therefore their not use to the pressure or because there not getting the correct amount of sleep. Also, if a child experiences bed wetting then they could just be going through a difficult time at home and finding it hard to deal with pressure. Although, passing urine as often as usual and especially at night is a symptom of type 2 diabetes it could just mean that the child has other problems that are bothering them and causing the bed wetting. In addition, unexplained weight loss is also a symptom of diabetes, however it could mean that the person is stressed as that can also be a reason as to why people lose weight unexpectedly. Furthermore, if someone goes to the doctors with a symptom of slow healing of cuts and wounds then it can make the diagnosis of diabetes difficult. This is because this is also a symptom of diabetes but can be for other reasons. Also, blurred vision could mean that the person just had bad eyesight, it might not have anything to do with diabetes, although it is a symptom of the condition. Overall, there are many symptoms that can complicate the process in diagnosing someone with type 1 or 2 diabetes, but it doesn’t mean that if they have one of those symptoms that they have diabetes, as there could be many other reasons causing it. Reference: http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/d/diabetes/tests.htm Eczema Miss S was diagnosed with eczema at a young age; after the midwife had pointed out that there were issues with the severe itchiness of the skin. Tests that were done before being diagnosed included allergy tests; where the doctor would investigate what allergies Miss S had, this was done by the doctor arranging to do an RAST blood test; this allowed the doctor to investigate certain types of foods that Miss S was allergic to. This then enables the doctor to advise Miss S about any allergies that she may have and could be making her eczema worse. Before diagnosing Miss S with eczema, the doctor also needed to do an overall physical skin test; this involves examining the condition of the skin as it can give the doctor an idea of how severe the eczema might be and what medication will be needed. However, there are many difficulties that can affect the diagnosis as the symptoms could be for other reasons or illnesses. Firstly, if someone’s eyes were to start swelling up then it could mean that they have been itching it have really bad hay fever, this could be cured with tablets or nasal sprays, but it is a symptom of eczema. Also, an individual could be allergic to dairy products but accidently consumed it, this will then mean that they will have an allergic reaction as the skin is extremely sensitive and the body doesn’t agree with the intake of dairy products. An allergic reaction could be as small as rashes, to as big as swelling, this all depends on the individual but if swelling does occur it could just mean that it is an allergic reaction and not eczema. Doctors will need to take physical skin tests to find out if it was an allergic reaction or if it was eczema. Reference: http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/e/eczema/symptoms.htm Pass 4 and Distinction 1: Diabetes Mrs R regularly visits the hospital to have blood tests in order to monitor the level of severity for the diabetes. On-going tests for Mrs R involved two main types. The first test was the “blood test”; this is checking the average blood sugar levels over a period of 3 months. The second test was the “fructosamine blood test”; this is to measure blood sugar levels over 2 weeks. This is done in order to control and monitor the blood sugar levels of Mrs R. This then gives the doctor an idea of whether the condition is getting more severe or not, the doctor provided Mrs R with a lot of support. Also Mrs R takes anti-diabetic drugs, such as “glipizide and metformin”, as there is no cure for diabetes it is vital that it is taken so that the body can function properly. In addition, it is important that diabetics control their food intake. Mrs R has to ensure that she follows a well-balanced healthy diet and is active during the day; this includes aerobic exercise. Many family members of Mrs R ensured that she was able to exercise and had a well-proportioned diet. They also ensured that Mrs R didn’t eat foods that she was unable to eat, as it could affect the severity of her condition. Mrs R had support and contributions by many people in helping her deal with the fact that she has diabetes. When she was first aware that she had diabetes the doctors provided Mrs R with health care and treatment that helped her get through it, this included dieticians. Having diabetes means changes to your life and taking extra care of yourselves, which is why the doctors provided Mrs R with the care and support that she needed, this included the treatment plan that both the doctor and Mrs R came up with. This is to allow her to come to terms that she had diabetes as there are many changes that are involved if you have diabetes when looking after yourself. Also, family members and friends supported her and ensured that she was looked after until she was able to do that herself. Family members also supported Mrs R by changing the food that they consume, as there are certain foods that diabetics can’t have, this then ensured that Mrs R wouldn’t have any temptations. This gave Mrs R a comforting feeling and ensured that she knew she had the support if she ever needed it. In addition, there are health advisors that helped Mrs R come to terms with the fact that she has diabetes. They ensured that she was provided with any information that she might want to know about diabetes and others with the same condition and their lifestyle. Overall Mrs R was provided with the care and support she needed in order to come to terms with her condition. Reference: http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/d/diabetes/tests.htm Eczema Miss S has had many treatments due to her eczema. Firstly, she has to have regular check-ups at the doctors so that they can monitor the condition and ensure that the medication is improving the eczema and not making it worse. Also, Miss S was prescribed with creams, hay fever tablets, eye drops and ointments. These were all important to her as it would help ease pain and improve the condition for Miss S. The cream ‘Emulit’ was for the affected areas and was prescribed by the doctor to help stop the eczema from itching as much. Miss S was also informed to take hay fever tablets, as this helped ease the itchiness around the eyes. The doctor had also prescribed ointments for the face; this was used daily and prevented the eczema from getting worse. Miss S was also given ‘Duoderm’; this is a sticky patch for the severe areas with eczema, which would prevent Miss S from itching throughout the night. She was also given certain bath oils and specific soap substitute. This was due to the fact that certain substances could make her eczema worse, which is why specific oils and soap is provided. Miss S had support and contributions by many people in helping her deal with the fact that she has eczema. When she was first aware of her condition she was very young but as she grew older she began to understand that eczema will have an effect on her. She received a great amount of support from clinics and doctors that allowed her to open up and express her emotions. This meant that she was able to come to terms with her condition and found ways in which to adapt with her condition. Also, her family provided support by ensuring that her medication is taken and contributing to any help she may need using the treatments that she had. Reference: http://skin-care.health-cares.net/eczema-effects.php Pass 5, M3 and D2: Diabetes Mrs R had difficult experiences in dealing with her condition. Firstly, when she was aware that she had diabetes, her doctor informed her that she would need to make changes to her diet. This mean that she was restricted from eating certain foods as it can cause fluctuation her blood sugar levels. This was difficult for her to do, but she knew that it was vital that it was carried out. However, this meant that family members would find it difficult eating certain foods, which is why they also restricted themselves from eating particular foods. This added pressure on Mrs R as her family had to change their diet as well as hers. Secondly, Mrs R needed to ensure that she partook in regular exercise as it helps regulate blood. Obesity is a symptom that Mrs R experienced, this is also a reason as to why many individuals have diabetes, and so exercising helps take off excess weight. Thirdly, Mrs R felt more tired and thirsty than normal which was due to the diabetes. She also found it difficult to get a good night’s sleep as she would feel unsettled. Finally, it was important that Mrs R made regular check-ups with her doctor as she was monitored and informed in case of any changes to her treatment plan. This was vital for Mrs R because if diabetes is not controlled properly it can lead to complications and so therefore cause more problems for Mrs R in the foreseeable future. The care strategies that Mrs R used influenced the disorder. Once she came to terms with her condition she was able to get used to the treatment plan that was provided to her by the doctor. Diabetes is not curable but it is manageable, this is what Mrs R was able to do. The outcome of this was that her diabetes had no fluctuations and she was able to control her blood sugar levels. She experienced great difficulty in adapting to the changes, but after realising that the treatment would only benefit her, she was aware that it was compulsory that she used the treatments. Mrs R used herbal medicine as an alternative care strategy that she embraced before being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. This is due to the fact that she had experienced tiredness and blurred vision in which case she was worried and decided to search for other treatments that were provided. This is when she went to a professional in herbal medicine and decided to use tablets that she thought would help her situation. However, this did not help her symptoms as the reason why she had those symptoms was because she had diabetes. She was aware of this after attending to an appointment with her doctor. Eczema Miss S had difficult experiences in adjusting to her condition physically, intellectually and socially. Physically, Miss S found it extremely hard to sleep as her eczema would be sore and so therefore was uncomfortable while sleeping. She also found it difficult to bend her legs, finding it hard to walk. This would frustrate her as she felt like she wasn’t normal. Miss S was also unable to wear certain materials, such as silk; as some materials can affect the skin and make the condition worse. Intellectually, Miss S would get distracted while at school as her eczema would irritate her, she also needed to have many check-ups. This would affect her attendance as she was unable to attend school as much as she wanted to do. Socially, Miss S felt conscious and insecure of her eczema as she thought that no one wanted to be friends with her. This made her feel depressed and prevented her from making friends. The care strategies that Miss S used influenced the disorder. Her eczema improved a lot since she was first aware of her condition. The treatments that she had helped ease the eczema as her condition is not as bad now. This meant that all the treatments that were provided by the doctor helped the condition; however her eczema was not cured as it can reappear. This is only if she is in contact with any allergies that she has. Miss S used an alternative care strategy that involved herbal medicine from Ghana. She had got herbal cream, soap and various natural products to try and improve her condition. However, this was unsuccessful as the medicine made her eczema sore and did not help the condition. Pass 6: Diabetes Future prospects for Mrs R were spoken about with her doctor. The outcome of the conversation was that diabetes is not curable but many diabetics can live a long and happy life. When diabetics work they will need to ensure that injections are still carried out while working, this meant that Mrs R will still need to use injections when working. This had meant that when looking for work, it is vital that the employer is aware of her condition, the doctor ensured Mrs R that not many employers will use her condition as a reason why she was unable to work. Mrs R felt positive about the conversation that took place, however she felt as though she was unable to meet the standards of the treatment plan that was given to her by the doctor. She was then given the correct advice and support by other specialists, who then eventually gave her the encouragement and allowed her to become positive that she was able to live her life as a diabetic. Eczema Future prospects for Miss S were spoken about with her doctor. The outcome of the conversation was that eczema is curable but only if she looks after herself and stays away from any allergies that she may have. In this case it was certain materials and foods that caused her discomfort. Unfortunately for Miss S she was told that even though her eczema can cure, it’s not fully cured as it can re-appear if she is unaware of any allergies that she might be exposed to. However, depending on the severity of the eczema it may not cure till a long period of time, this was the situation for Miss S. But to help Miss S she was provided with support on how to get use to the fact that she has eczema and that it can still come back. This made Miss S feel reassured and gave her the relief in order to be able to deal with eczema for the rest if her life.