Project Description
Your first patient has a musculoskeletal complaint. Using the chart of musculoskeletal medical word elements from your textbook, construct 10 medical terms that would reasonably be involved in a complaint dealing with the muscles and/or bones. Each term should include its meaning in parentheses. Then list 3 tests or procedures that would reasonably be involved in evaluating a patient like this.
Your second patient has a gastrointestinal complaint. Using the chart of digestive medical word elements from your textbook, construct 10 medical terms that would reasonably be involved in a complaint dealing with the digestive tract. Each term should include its meaning in parentheses. Then list 3 tests or procedures that would reasonably be involved in evaluating a patient like this.
Your final patient has a respiratory problem, so something having to do with her breathing or lungs needs to be described. Again, use at least 10 terms from the reading, especially using the respiratory medical word elements from your textbook. Also, you need to include 3 tests or procedures that will help you to discover what the problem with your patient is.
To support your work, use your course text readings and use outside sources. As with all assignments, cite your sources and provide references in APA format.
Musculoskeletal System
Muscles are extremely specialized. In fact, they are made of units adapted to their purpose. As you study the muscles of the body, you find the names are suited not only to their overall purpose, but shape and location as well.
The Medical Word Elements section of your textbook shows you the way to organize the information that you are reading. You will need to learn the words form this organizational perspective: Element—Meaning—Word Analysis.
As you can probably imagine the term musculoskeletal is a combine word that indicates that one is interested in muscles and the skeleton. The musculoskeletal system includes muscles, bones, joints, and related structures, such as the tendons and connective tissue that function in support and movement of body parts and organs. The skeleton is divided into the axial portion, or the head, vertebral column, and rib cage, and the appendicular portion, which includes the limbs, shoulder girdle, and pelvis.
The main function of the musculoskeletal system is to provide form, stability, and movement to the human body. Bones give the body its form and create a hard shield or cage for the delicate organs. When two bones come together, that meeting place is called a joint. Ligaments are flexible bands of fibrous tissue that are highly adapted for resisting strains and are one of the principal mechanical factors that hold bones close together in a synovial joint. Tendons attach muscles to bones. Bones also serve ascalcium reservoirsin the body. Lastly, the bone marrow produces immune cells, and the blood components.
Gastrointestinal System
The human body is a wonderful machine. The food we eat supplies fuel to keep the machine operating. The gastrointestinal system (GI) is the collection of organs that processes food and extracts from it the nutrients the body needs to survive and do work.
The GI system is like a long tube that goes from the mouth to the anus. Along the way are the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine. These are specialized sections that break down food, extract nutrients from it, and eliminate wastes in a process called digestion.
When your digestive system functions right, you hardly ever think about it. However, disorders of this system may result in problems that can profoundly affect or even threaten the life of humans. For example, imbalances in the intake of nutrients can lead to obesity or various deficiency disorders such as rickets, scurvy, or individual food allergies. Digestion can also be influenced by emotion or psychological state. The body works to keep us protected from a multitude of substances that we ingest.
Some commonly observed digestive disorders in humans are appendicitis, diarrhea, gastritis, hemorrhoids, and gastroparesis. Diagnosis of these disorders requires laboratory tests, imaging, and/ or endoscopic procedures. The endoscope is an instrument that helps the physician to view the interior of the long tube of the gastrointestinal system. The endoscope can be used to treat some disorders, such as when it is used to find and then cauterize (seal leaking vessels using heat or electricity) swollen blood vessels in the esophagus. CT (Computerized Axial Tomography) scan, videoendoscopy, diagnostic ultrasound, and esophagogastroduodenoscopy are also some common diagnostic imaging procedures.
Respiratory System
Breathing is the action most commonly associated with life and is the signal sign of life. Breathing or respiration on the organ level is the complete process of breathing in and out. Inspiration is the process of inhaling oxygen or any other gas.
The respiratory system takes air through the nose and or mouth. Air travels down the nasal cavity, which joins the oral cavity at the oropharynx, and continues down the trachea to the lungs. The trachea divides into two branches called bronchi. Each bronchus is divided into smaller branches called bronchioles that terminate as tiny air sacs called alveoli.
In the alveoli, the oxygen we inhale is absorbed into the blood through the capillaries. The blood then carries the oxygen to different parts of the body. This is the part of respiration that is bringing the life-giving oxygen to the tissues where it is used. The body also needs to rid itself of carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is the waste product of respiration and must be removed from the body continuously. This also happens in the alveoli, where carbon dioxide in the blood is released from the blood through the thin membranes into the alveoli. The gas is expelled when we exhale.
While upper respiratory infections such as the common cold, influenza, pharyngitis, and sinusitis are often less serious; lung diseases or lower respiratory tract problems like asthma, pneumonia, tuberculosis, and lung cancer are claiming more and more lives in the United States. Environmental pollution, cigarette smoking, and viral infections are the leading causes of respiratory illness. Some respiratory diseases are preventable, especially some types of lung cancer.
