The world health organization defines health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absense of disease and infirmity. Basically, any person is considered health unless whatever illness you are suffering from hinders you from accomplishing your daily needs within the limit of your illness or disability.

However, this definition by WHO does not offer variations when it comes to the level of wellness.  A person's level of wellness is not always constant and it changes within time. It can be very high at one time and then suddenly, it can shift from very poor or to even death.  Typically, all human beings have the ability to experience both level of health and illness at a varying degree.

 

Despite the intensive health related education and positive attitude that people are developing towards health, personal level of wellness is still affected by many factors. These are what is called the risk factors. A risk factor is anything that increases the chance of someone acquiring a disease.

 

Factors that Affect Health

The following are the 5 major areas of risk factors;

 

1.  Age - For examples, adults who are 50 years and above are more prone to Colon cancer.

Women after menopause - prone to esteoporosis due to decreased estrogen levels.

 

2.  Unhealthy lifestyle -  For Examples - Sedentary lifestyle leads to Coronary Heart diseases and osteoporosis.

Multiple sexual partner - Cervical Cancer and Hepatitis B or Liver Cirrhosis.

Chronic alcohol - Can lead to Pancreatitis

 

3. Stress - Stress can lead to increased blood sugar due to increased Cortisol hormone, depression and blood pressure.

 

4. Genetics -  Family history - Predispose a person to developing a disease.

Obesity and overweight - Diabetes, heart diseases, cholecystitis

autosomal disorders - Cystic Fibrosis and Sickle cell

 

4.  Vices

Smoking - Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), lung Cancer

Unhealthy diet - Increase in fiber and low fiber - Colorectal Cancer

Too much carbohydrates - Cancer of Pancreas

Decrease in fiber - Diverticulosis

Alcohol abuse - Pancreatitis and Liver Cirrhosis

 

Monitoring and maintaining vital signs within a normal range is important, since constant abnormal readings may be an early indicator that something else might be going on inside your body. While changes in vital signs is expected during normal daily activities and diurnal variations, others factors or medical conditions may be responsible for such changes. Knowing some of these factors may help you in identifying what might be the cause and seek medical help early in courses.

Factors that Increase Respiratory Rate

• Increase in metabolism rate -  Hyperthyroidism or graves disease.
• When one is going under stressful situations.
• High attitude.
• Decrease in oxygen concentration - Hypovolemic shock and COPD.
• Increase in environmental temperature.

 

Factors that Decreases the Respiratory Rate

 

Factors that Increases the Pulse Rate or Heart Rate

 Factors that Decreases the Pulse Rate or Heart Rate

• Athlete - Very active individuals
• During very cold weather or individuals suffering from hypothermia.
• Increase in intracranial pressure.
• Use of medications like beta blockers.

• Diurnal variations - Body temperature is highest at 8.00 pm and midnight.
• During exercises
• Women during ovulation - due to increased progestrone.
• During stressful situations.

• Diurnal variations - body temperature is usually lowest at 4.00 am and 6.00 am in the morning.
• Age - New born and old people are unable to adjust well to changing temperatures.

Pain is defined as unpleasant feeling or discomfort caused by illness or injury. Depending on the intensity of the pain and individual's pain tolerance level, people tend to react to pain differently. Most adults on the other hand perceive pain as a form of weakness and rarely seek medical advice unless the pain is very severe or intolerable.

Types of Pain 

Acute Pain - This is a type of pain that lasts for less than 6 months. The pain usually start suddenly without any warnings.  During the painful episodes, the patient's vital signs like heart rate, respiratory rate, BP are usually increased.

 

Chronic  Pain - A type of pain that is experienced for a period of more than 6 months. Most people suffering from chronic pain have normal vital signs and rarely verbalize about the pain that they are experiencing.

 

Visceral Pain -  Abdominal cavity pain, cranium or type of pain experienced by individuals with obstructed bowel.

 

Cutaneous Pain - This is a type of pain that originates from the skin and the subcutaneous tissues.

 

Radiating Pain - The pain extends to other parts of the body rather than where it is originating from. Such as; chest pain in a patient experiencing a heart attack that extend up to the left shoulder.

 

Referred Pain - Pain experienced in some other parts of the body rather than the part of the painful stimulus. For example; Gallbladder disease can cause pain on the right shoulder.

 

Deep Somatic Pain -  A type of pain that originates in the ligaments, bones, blood vessels, tendons and nerves. Example of such pain is the ankle sprain.

 

Intractable Pain - This is a type of pain does not respond to any treatment.

 

Phantom Pain - A painful sensation perceived in an amputated part of the body. For example, a pain experienced by a diabetic patient after below knee amputation surgery.

 

Pain Assessment

Pain is a subjective data and only the patient can be able to describe how he or she is feeling. Pain is assessed using the following guide questions;

 

 

These are some of the questions used while assessing the pain. The patient should be able to answer all the questions, correctly since they are the ones used to guide the physician on coming up with the right diagnosis.