Make a comprehensive list of relevant information to gather when assessing abdominal pain.

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GI & Musculoskeletal

 

This Discussion has 2 parts:

  1. GI
    • Make a comprehensive list of relevant information to gather when assessing abdominal pain.
    • How do you assess for masses in the abdomen and how you would document such findings?
    • Describe your findings on a previous patient that you have encountered where you have palpated a mass in the abdomen.
  2. Musculoskeletal
    • Define, Compare, and Contrast the following conditions:
      • Osteoarthritis
      • Rheumatoid Arthritis

Submission Instructions:

  • Your initial post should be at least 500 words, formatted and cited in proper current APA style with support from at least 2 academic sources.

Answer:

There are a few methods for evaluating abdominal masses. One method is to feel the abdomen for any unusually firm or plump places. Another method is to use a stethoscope to listen for any aberrant abdominal noises, such as sounds from the bowels that are too high or low pitched or that have an irregular rhythm or volume. Finally, imaging tests like MRIs, CT scans, and ultrasounds can also be done to check for abdominal tumors. If any masses are discovered, they need to be thoroughly described, including their position, size, and any other pertinent discoveries.

Step-by-Step explanation

Approach to solving the question:

 

Detailed explanation:

There are several methods for determining whether the abdomen contains any masses. To palpate the abdomen is one method. The person can either stand up or lie on their back with their knees bent to perform this. The examiner would palpate the abdomen with both hands, feeling for any strange lumps or bumps. Using a stethoscope is another method for determining whether the abdomen has any masses. In order to hear any strange sounds, the examiner would place the stethoscope on the patient’s abdomen. The presence of a mass may result in the person’s heartbeat sounding differently, or they may have a bowel blockage, which would result in gurgling or gurgling sounds. Using an abdominal x-ray is another method to check for abdominal masses. This might reveal if the abdomen has any abnormal growths or lumps. The examiner would note the mass’s location, dimensions, and any other abnormalities when finding masses in the abdomen.

 

Key references:

 

Amini, B., Boyle, S. P., Boutin, R. D., & Lenchik, L. (2019). Approaches to assessment of muscle mass and myosteatosis on computed tomography: a systematic review. The Journals of Gerontology: Series A, 74(10), 1671-1678.