Diagnosing Integumentary Disorders Patient History and Physical Exam

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Diagnosing Integumentary Disorders Patient History and Physical Exam

Diagnosing Integumentary Disorders Patient History and Physical Exam I selected the 3rd case study dealing with J.V., a 50-year old patient. Obtaining the patient’s history and physical exam is essential because it enables the care provider to come up with an accurate diagnosis (Arcangelo & Peterson, 2017). The patient has a history of eczema and known how important it is to provide accurate information. However, he understands that his present condition is different. Further, J.V. reveals that she is a pharmaceutical worker and has recently been exposed to contamination, which narrows down the diagnosis. J.V.’s physical examination reveals that she has itching lesions on the right side of her face and the neck that are appearing red and have different sizes. Since different skin conditions also present lesions, the physical examination will help the provider narrow the diagnosis and rule out some diseases by establishing their characteristics and distribution (Arcangelo & Peterson, 2017). Differential Diagnosis According to this case study, some of the differential diagnoses include Atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, and seborrheic dermatitis. Atopic dermatitis is characterized by eczematous eruptions, which occur in three stages, namely, acute, sub-acute, and chronic stages. Symptoms include dry, itchy red skin with patches, sores, plaques, and lesions appearing on the neck, face, and upper trunk (Arcangelo & Peterson, 2017). Psoriasis is also a skin disorder with scary thickening plaques, which leads to itching. It also causes inflammation of the dermis and epidermis of the skin (Buttaro et al., 2017). Lastly, seborrheic dermatitis is also a differential diagnosis since it is characterized by mild to severe rash, which is scary, and it affects mostly men starting from infancy to adulthood. The Role the Patient History and Physical Exam in Diagnosis History and physical exam are important as it relate to accurate diagnosing the patient. For instance, knowing where the patient lives, what he has been exposed to, and the people she has met will help the doctor to know exactly the cause of the disease (Arcangelo & Peterson, 2017). From the case, J.V works in the pharmaceutical and is likely to have been exposed to contaminating chemicals. This will give the provider a clear direction for a diagnosis. In addition, the physical exam also helps the doctor know the exact affected area and distribution of the lesions on the body, color, and shape. Treatment From the patient’s medical history and physical examination, the most likely condition affecting her is irritant contact dermatitis. The treatment plan will ensure the patient gets the correct medication to restore her overall health. Hence, after confirming the diagnosis through batch testing, the condition’s treatment will consider the factors causing skin irritation and lesions. According to Buttaro et al. (2017), topical steroids are the best treatment option for irritant contact dermatitis. In most cases, ointments are recommended in place of astringents, creams, antihistamines, and systematic antipruritic. After administering the medications, the next step is patient education to guard her wellbeing. In this regard, J.V. should avoid irritants or wash her skin immediately in case of exposure to irritants. Patient education is important because J.V. is a pharmaceutical worker and is likely to be exposed to chemical substances (Al-Otaibi & Alqahtani, 2015). J.V. should guard herself by wearing protective gear to cover the exposed part of the skin while she is at work. References Al-Otaibi, S. T., & Alqahtani, H. A. (2015). Management of contact dermatitis. Journal of Dermatology & Dermatologic Surgery, 19(2), 86-91. https://doi.org/10.1016/jdds.2015.01.001 Arcangelo, V. P., & Peterson, A. M. (Eds.). (2017). Pharmacotherapeutics for advanced practice: A practical approach. (4th ed.). Ambler, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Buttaro, T. M., Trybulski, J., Polgar Bailey, P., & Sandberg-Cook, J. (2017). Primary care: A collaborative practice (5th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier. thyis what i submit