Understanding and managing variation:

HEALTH VARIATION 1
Health Variation
Name of Student
Name of Institution
Date
Author's Note

HEALTH VARIATION 2
Health Variation
Question 1
Crohn's disease is a condition that causes inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. The
condition can lead to redness, pain, and swelling of the digestive system. The condition tends to
affect any part of the digestive system, which ranges from the mouth to the anus. However, most
reported cases are inflammation in the ileum and the colon. The inflamed area could be a few
centimeters long or could extend over a significant distance in the lining of the bowel. In some
cases, the condition may cause abscess or fistulas in the bowel lining (Bullock & Manias, 2013).
In terminal and ileocecal Crohn's diseases, the inflammations are found in the ileum or
the terminal end of the ileum; this is the most common form of the condition. The patient will
often experience pain, diarrhea, weight loss, and their stool may appear to be black, indicating
that the individual is anemic. Other changes that may occur with the onset of this disease is that
skin tags, which are fleshy growths around the anus, may appear. Fissures may occur and could
result in bleeding and pain during a bowel movement. In some cases, an abscess may form and
be filled with pus causing fistula or fevers. Fistulas can occur between the skin and the digestive
system. The tiny openings can leak pus or, in some cases, fecal matter, which irritates the skin
and makes the area very sore and painful
Patients with Crohn's disease often experience strictures; this is when inflammation
occurs, followed by healing and, consequently, the formation of scar tissue. The scar tissue
makes the lumen of the bowel to be very narrow, thus forming a stricture. Also, the stricture can
cause blockage of the digestive system. Some of the clinical presentations of strictures include
weight loss, pain vomiting, nausea, and constipation. In rare cases, a perforation can occur as a

HEALTH VARIATION 3
result of the disease. Perforation is a rupture in the bowel due to inflammation. The contents of
the bowel can sometimes leak into the body resulting in a medical emergency
In the case study provided, Jordan had a stricture in the small intestine, which made it
difficult for the body to absorb the necessary nutrients. Jordan became malnutrition and
eventually began experiencing weight loss. Also, due to the stricture, he experienced vomiting
and persistent diarrhea, and this further contributed to weight loss (Nurgali & Wildbore, 2014).
Question 2
The pain pathway is very complicated. It begins when the motor neurons send signals to
the brain. The brain is connected to the peripheral tissues such as the skin, visceral organs, and
muscle using a three-neuron pathway (Craft et al., 2015). The first neuron carries the information
from the skin, muscle, or the visceral into the spinal cord. Here, this neuron synapses with the
second-order neuron. The information is then transmitted to the brain using this second-order
neuron. Once in the brain, the brain may trigger an autonomic reflex response to help ease the
pain; for example, increase ventilation rate and cardiac output. Alternatively, the brain may
trigger a voluntary reflex response by removing the body organ from the source of pain. Finally,
the second-order neuron transmits the signal to the third-order neuron found in the cerebral
cortex. This neuron is responsible for making the individual aware of the pain and the location of
the pain. Morphine works by relaxing the brain muscles. According to research, it is possible to
reduce the effects of pain by providing a significant distraction. Morphine works by preventing
the relay of information from the second to the third neuron (Bullock & Manias, 2013).
Question 3