Unidentified Condition: Unidentified Condition: Fibromyalgia, Muscle Atrophy
Throughout the discussions in this course we will be focusing on one single condition; gradually unfolding week by week how this condition can grossly affect the entire human body and its systems.
The goal of the course discussions is primarily, to build upon the skill of differential diagnosis and secondary, to give a clear view as to how a single pathological process can possess the ability to affect an entire human organism.
Each week you will be presented with varying components of a new system being adversely affected by the unidentified condition. Your task as a healthcare professional in training, is to thoroughly research and envelop yourself within the process of differential diagnosis to arrive at a definitive diagnosis at the end of the course in week 8.
In phase one of the discussion, you will be tasked with presenting your researched information into a video or written presentation answering the questions below, while also considering your response and symptom presentation from weeks 1, 2 and 3.
Written presentations should be a minimum of 2-3 paragraphs per each diagnosed condition (3 conditions minimum).
Symptom Presentation:
- Fibromyalgia: Increased overall muscle pain accompanied by fatigue, insomnia, altered mood
- Muscle Atrophy: Systemic muscle atrophy associated with disuse
Previously, you researched and considered three conditions through the process of differential diagnosis that would present with varying abnormalities in homeostasis, metabolism, triglycerides and DNA in week 1. Abnormalities in oxidation, plasma and tissue enzyme activity, inflammation and alopecia respectively in week 2 and increased cortisol and demonstrated bone loss in week 3. Given the new symptom presentation above, consider and answer the following questions within a video or written presentation:
If choosing a written presentation, create a 2-3 paragraphs per each of the questions listed below.
- Mid-point in the course, is your differential diagnosis more closely centered upon a specialty? Are you focused upon metabolic, autoimmune, infectious, psychological, or neurological? Reconfirm or reestablish your top two diagnoses and rationalize your answers.
- Is this a systemic disease affecting multiple organ systems or do you believe this is an isolated condition with random symptom presentation? Rationalize your answer.
- Based upon what you currently know through symptom presentation and the process of differential diagnosis, what further tests would you order to help confirm your current diagnoses? Rationalize your answer.
- Within your video or written presentation, please be certain to validate your opinions and ideas while disclosing the sources utilized within your video presentation or written presentation (APA format).