Introduction to Chronic Illness

Running Head: INTRODUCTION TO CHRONIC ILLNESS
Introduction to Chronic Illness
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INTRODUCTION TO CHRONIC ILLNESS 2
Introduction to Chronic Illness
Based on the information in the case study, is Mrs. Martin engaging in self-care practices?
Describe how she is or is not engaging is self-care practices?
Mrs. Martin evidently engaging in self-care practices towards managing her present
condition. To manage her RA condition, Mrs. Martin has balanced her job and took a rest to
allow her manage her condition. In the case study, Mrs. Martin took a leave of absence from her
secretarial job for a month where she returned to her rural community where she was brought
and rested. This was an important self-care practice for Mrs. Martin with RA that is
recommended by most of the physicians to manage the RA disease. Many studies have
confirmed that balancing activity and rest is an important self management approach for patients
with RA. Rest plays a leading role when RA is active and joints feel painful, swollen or stiff,
which was the case of Mrs. Martin. In addition, rest assists lower the inflammation along with
fatigue, which may come with flare and taking a break preserves energy and protect the joints
(Bratzke, Muehrer, Kehl, Lee, Ward & Kwekkeboom, 2015).
Another self-care practice evident in the case that used by Mrs. Martin used food with
balanced diet. Mrs. Martin took healthy and well-balanced diet after recommendation by
physical therapists. She continued to take balanced diet towards relieving her symptoms. The use
of balanced diet is another type of self-care practice that is recommended by physicians and it
work in the case of Mrs. Martin. In addition, Mrs. Martin took anti-inflammatory diet that
included non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents towards relieving her pains (Saeedifar et al.,
2018).

INTRODUCTION TO CHRONIC ILLNESS 3
Finally, physical activity is one of the primary self-care practices that have been observed
to relieve symptoms of RA. Mrs. Martin ensured that she was always active to manager her
condition. It is clear that despite the deformities and pain she experiences, Mrs. Martin
maintained an active lifestyle, as well as balanced her maternal and family roles. The active
lifestyle was effective in reducing her pain (Conn et al., 2013).
Do a search on alternative treatments for rheumatoid arthritis via a google search internet.
What kind of information did you find and was the information credible?
The resource by Wadekar, Sawant & Patel (2015) tackles the issue of RA and the
available management approaches to reduce pain, inflammation and restore joint function. The
authors underscore that problem with the current available synthetic drugs is in their toxicity plus
reappearance of symptoms following discontinuation. Thus, the authors recommend herbal drugs
as alternative management plan for RA. The authors provide detailed information on the role of
herbal drugs as alternative management strategy for patients with RA. The authors emphasize the
function of herbal drugs on the management of the conditions that is alternative from self-care
practices on patients with RA. It is apparent that the herbal drugs can be used in place of the
synthetic drugs that have been found have different side effects and may affect the management
of RA. The authors argue that the management of RA is a multidisciplinary strategy to reduce
pain, reduction of inflammation, as well as restoration of joints function. The herbal drugs that
interact with the mediators of inflammation are utilized in the management of RA. The
information provided in the source accurately reflects the role of herbal drugs in the management
of RA. The findings of the source are consistent with other many studies that have confirmed the
significance of herbal plants from different plants in the treatment of RA. The source is also up-