Arthritis is a common disorder that affects your joints. It can cause pain and inflammation, making it difficult to move or stay active. There are many types of arthritis. Each form causes different symptoms and may need different treatments. While arthritis usually affects older adults, it can develop in men, women and children of any age.

Arthritis is a disease that affects your joints (areas where your bones meet and move). Arthritis usually involves inflammation or degeneration (breakdown) of your joints. These changes can cause pain when you use the joint.

Joints get cushioned and supported by soft tissues that prevent your bones from rubbing against each other. A connective tissue called articular cartilage plays a key role. It helps your joints move smoothly without friction or pain.

Some joints have a synovial membrane, a padded pocket of fluid that lubricates the joints. Many joints, such as your knees, get supported by tendons and ligaments. Tendons connect muscles to your bones, while ligaments connect bones to other bones.

Arthritis is most common in the following areas of the body:

• Feet.
• Hands.
• Hips.
• Knees.
• Lower back.

Types of arthritis:

• Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis. It’s often related to aging or to an injury.  It’s “wear and tear” arthritis, over years when the joint cartilage breaks down from repeated stress.  The most common form.
• Autoimmune arthritis happens when your body’s immune system attacks healthy cells in your body by mistake.
• Rheumatoid arthritis, or RA, is an autoimmune and inflammatory disease, which means that your immune system attacks healthy cells in your body by mistake, causing inflammation (painful swelling) in the affected parts of the body.RA mainly attacks the joints, usually many joints at once. RA commonly affects joints in the hands, wrists, and knees. In a joint with RA, the lining of the joint becomes inflamed, causing damage to joint tissue. This tissue damage can cause long-lasting or chronic pain, unsteadiness (lack of balance), and deformity (misshapenness).

  RA can also affect other tissues throughout the body and cause problems in organs such as the lungs, heart, and eyes.

• Ankylosing spondylitis, or arthritis of the spine (usually your lower back).
• Juvenile arthritis is a type of arthritis that happens in children.  This is a disorder where the immune system attacks the tissue around joints. JA typically affects children 16 or younger.
• Infectious arthritis is an infection that has spread from another part of the body to the joint.
• Psoriatic arthritis affects people with psoriasis.
• Gout is a painful type of arthritis that happens when too much uric acid builds up in the body. It often starts in the big toe

What are the signs and symptoms of RA?

With RA, there are times when symptoms get worse, known as flares, and times when symptoms get better, known as remission.

Signs and symptoms of RA include:

• Pain or aching in more than one joint
• Stiffness in more than one joint
• Tenderness and swelling in more than one joint
• The same symptoms on both sides of the body (such as in both hands or both knees)
• Weight loss
• Fever
• Fatigue or tiredness
• Weakness

“Every 2 seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood and or platelets.

Approximately 29,000 units of red blood cells are needed every day in the U. S.

Nearly 5,000 units of platelets and 6.500 units of plasma are needed daily in the U.S.

Nearly 16 million blood components are transfused each year in the U.S.

According to the American Cancer Society, it was expected more than 1.8 million people to be diagnosed with cancer in 2020. Many of them would need blood, sometimes daily, during their chemotherapy treatment.”

American Red Cross  (ttps://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/how-to-donate/how-blood-donations-help/blood-needs-blood-supply.html)

Yes we are at that month already for Blood Donations!  January is BLOOD DONOR MONTH!

Why do we need blood donor’s?

We need to make sure that we have enough supplies of all blood groups and blood types to treat all types of conditions.

By giving blood, every donor helps us meet the challenge of providing life-saving products whenever and wherever they are needed.

The American Red Cross states the following facts:

• Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood.
• Approximately 36,000 units of red blood cells are needed every day in the U.S.
• Nearly 7,000 units of platelets and 10,000 units of plasma are needed daily in the U.S.
• Nearly 21 million blood components are transfused each year in the U.S.
• The average red blood cell transfusion is approximately 3 pints.
• The blood type most often requested by hospitals is type O.
• Nearly 21 million blood components are transfused each year in the U.S.
• It is estimated that sickle cell disease affects 90,000 to 100,000 people in the U.S. About 1,000 babies are born with the disease each year. Sickle cell patients can require frequent blood transfusions throughout their lives.

• The number of whole blood and red blood cell units collected in the U.S. in a year: 13.6 million
• The number of blood donors in the U.S. in a year: 6.8 million
• Although an estimated 38 percent of the U.S. population is eligible to donate blood at any given time, less than 10 percent of that eligible population actually do each year.
• Blood cannot be manufactured – it can only come from generous donors.
• Type O negative blood (red cells) can be transfused to patients of all blood types. It is always in great demand and often in short supply. Type O is the “Universal Blood Donor”
• Type AB positive plasma can be transfused, it’s the “Universal Blood Recepient”.

This allows pt’s diagnosed with this illness to experience:

• Bleeding due to lack of platelets
• shortness of breath due to lack of RBC’s carrying oxygen (02) to the tissues of the body.
• Dizziness again due to lack of 02 carried to the brain with anemic, & bleeding causing your B/P to be low (orthostatic b/p-changing your position anemic and blood dropping from the brain to cause dizziness) also.
• cognitive impairment due to lack of 02 to the brain since RBC count is low in the body.
• Bruising due to low platelets.
• petachiae (small red/purple spots on the skin)
• susceptibility to infections

Conditions for needing blood donors:

Aplastic anemia occurs when bone marrow stops making enough blood forming stem cells. In all three blood lines; red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets, patients with aplastic anemia have a low blood count. The bone marrow is found to be aplastic which means there is a low growth of blood forming stem cells.

Cancer of all types –  Where with or without the treatments of chemo or radiation in the end cancer itself kills all good cells that are created by our bone marrow.  Chemo or radiation kill the bad cells = cancer cells and good cells = RBCs, WBCs, Platelets.  So blood transfusion commonly needed in cancer patients.

Anemia– Lack of RBCs in the body.

Conditions causing bleeding in the body like GI bleed, hemmoragic stroke, endometriosis, hemophilia, and simple patients in the OR that bleed and need blood transfusions in the OR and ICU and even possibly on the Med/Surg or Telemetry unit.  I could go on with types of conditions the deciding factor that makes the doctor order the blood transfusion is obviously heavy bleeding occurring right in front of the surgeon’s or ER MDs eyes or checking the Complete Blood Count called a CBC looking at the hemoglobin (Hmg)-think of it at the fluids in the bloodstream and looking at the Hematocrit (Hct)-think of it as the solids in the bloodstream and if the Hg is critical 6-7 than one or two blood transfusions are ordered.

Treatments:

• Treatments vary on a case by case basis. Age is often the determining factor for which treatment to use. Stem cell transplantation may be used for individuals younger than 30 years and who have a matched sibling donor=Blood Donor Needed.
• Stem cell transplantation is a procedure which replaces defective bone marrow with healthy cells. Around 80% of patients make a complete recovery using stem cell transplantation.
• For older patients with aplastic anemia, immune suppressing therapy with anti-thymocyte globulin(ATG) and cyclosporin is typically used. Around 70-80% of aplastic anemia patients respond to this treatment.

There are two ways those who have recovered from COVID-19 can make a big difference:

• A convalescent plasma donation: The Red Cross is collecting convalescent plasma at over 170 locations throughout the country. If you’ve recovered from COVID-19, you may be eligible to donate your plasma to help others going through COVID-19 treatment. Fill out the eligibility form to start the process.
• A whole blood donation: Plasma from whole blood donations that test positive for COVID-19 antibodies may be used to help COVID-19 patients. Make an appointment to give blood by downloading the free Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass® to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, before arriving at the blood drive. To get started, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Blood Donor App.

Last updated 1/12/2022 by Elizabeth Lynch RN

“Most cervical cancer cases are preventable.  Because cervical cancer is typically caused by HPV, the simplest way to prevent cervical cancer is to prevent HPV infection in the first place. Since 2006, a highly effective HPV vaccination has been used. Just like other vaccines, the HPV vaccine helps your immune system create an antibody response that protects your body against the infection.

There are warning signs, but not early warning signs.
Cervical cancer often presents no symptoms in its early stages, which is why it is often referred to as a “silent killer.”

Mowery Clinic (https://moweryclinic.com/5-must-know-facts-about-cervical-cancer/)

“Worldwide, cervical cancer is the fourth most frequent cancer in women with an estimated 604 000 new cases in 2020. Of the estimated 342,000 deaths from cervical cancer in 2020, about 90% of these occur in low- and middle-income countries. Women living with HIV are 6 times more likely to develop cervical cancer compared to women without HIV, and an estimated 5% of all cervical cancer cases are attributable to HIV (2). Moreover, in all world regions the contribution of HIV to cervical cancer falls disproportionately on younger women.”

World Health Organization-WHO ( https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cervical-cancer)

“The American Cancer Society’s estimates for cervical cancer in the United States for 2022 are:

1-About 14,100 new cases of invasive cervical cancer will be diagnosed.

2-About 4,280 women will die from cervical cancer.

3-Cervical cancer is most frequently diagnosed in women between the ages of 35 and 44 with the average age at diagnosis being 50 . It rarely develops in women younger than 20. Many older women do not realize that the risk of developing cervical cancer is still present as they age. More than 20% of cases of cervical cancer are found in women over 65. However, these cancers rarely occur in women who have been getting regular tests to screen for cervical cancer before they were 65.”

American Cancer Society (https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cervical-cancer/about/key-statistics.html)

“New Years Day is also the most hazardous day of the year for pedestrians. Not only are drivers potentially impaired, but those on foot can also ignore traffic lights or crosswalks. If you are walking, make sure to stay on pedestrian paths and observe traffic laws; only cross at crosswalks and try to remain in well-lit areas. If you are driving, take extra care to consider those on foot.  First of all, make sure to check your local regulations regarding personal use of fireworks. If it is illegal or if you are unfamiliar with how they work, leave them to professionals! If you still decide to use legal fireworks, make sure to keep children and pets away from the area – even sparklers, which are often used by kids, burn at temperatures of about 2000 degrees and can be incredibly dangerous. Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose at the ready.  Between fireworks, noisemakers and general revelry, pets can experience high anxiety on New Years Eve. Scared pets can bit or run and potentially get hurt, cause accidents or become lost. The best way to keep pets safe is to keep them indoors and comfortable; consider playing relaxing music to drown out any startling outside noises. ”

American Safety Council (https://blog.americansafetycouncil.com/new-years-eve-safety-tips/)

“Through August 2018, BSE surveillance has identified 26 cases in North America: 6 BSE cases in the United States and 20 in Canada. Of the 6 cases identified in the United States, one was born in Canada; of the 20 cases identified in Canada, one was imported from the United Kingdom.”

Centers for Disease Prevention and Control-CDC ( https://www.cdc.gov/prions/bse/bse-north-america.html)

“Translated as “sickness of disembarkment,” mal de debarquement syndrome (MdDS) is the illusion of movement after movement has stopped. It is caused by exposure and then removal of movement. Many people deal with MdDS after air or sea travel. Typically, MdDS resolves itself within 24 hours. However, for some patients, it can last for months or years.”

Bon Secours (https://www.bonsecours.com/)