This paper is an analysis of my family background regarding the health history and traits of individual members from the generation of my grandparents to the current. It outlines the various illnesses that each family member has suffered and attempts to make a connection between the transfer of diseases from one generation to the next. Moreover, the paper explains the relationships, identifies heritable traits and identifies particular health concerns that I might face because of my family history.
Family History
Our family consists of our grandparents on both maternal and paternal sides, my parents, and two aunts. My maternal grandmother suffers from muscular degeneration (AMD), which is a condition that has resulted in her blurred vision. Her symptoms gradually worsen her vision, affecting both her eyes. Although she is not blind, she occasionally experiences visual hallucinations. Muscular degeneration is hereditary, although reports claim smoking plays a role. My maternal grandmother was not a smoker; therefore, chances are she contracted it in old age; hence, she is a victim of the genetic factors that cause the condition. In addition to AMD, she has high blood pressure and has had a stroke. This can be attributed to her weight as well as her age. However, it has been proven that high blood pressure can be inherited, similar to AMD. Furthermore, my maternal grandmother is a breast cancer survivor who is currently under medication for Osteoarthritis.
While my grandmother survived cancer, unfortunately, her husband (my maternal grandfather) succumbed to colon cancer after beating skin cancer. He also suffered from osteoarthritis (OA), which is a joint disease that breaks down joint cartilage and bone that underlies it. He was put on heavy sedatives to reduce joint pains, especially his knees and hip joints. Occasionally the symptoms would interfere with his daily duties, and sometimes the doctor recommended weeks of bed rest. It reached a point where he had to use a cane to walk.
As for the paternal side of my family, my grandmother suffered from osteoarthritis, whereas my grandfather had a severe case of high blood pressure. He also survived skin cancer, which attacked him in his late 50s.
My father has never had any severe condition or disease. In fact, as of now, he is the only healthy member of his generation. My mother suffers from muscular degeneration and osteoarthritis. Her conditions can be attributed to genetic factors since both her parents had suffered from these conditions. Her sister has high blood pressure, while my father’s sister has osteoarthritis.
Based on the health traits in our family, muscular degeneration and Osteoarthritis are a threat to our generation. These two diseases are present in both the paternal and maternal sides of the family. Both grandparents and my mother are carriers of these two diseases, thereby increasing the likelihood off acquiring them in the future. Caution should be taken to prevent the occurrence of these conditions.
Family Health
The primary cause of Osteoarthritis is mechanical stress that damages the cartilages with insufficient self-repair by joints. The stress can be caused by a pathogenic or congenital cause that leads to the misalignments of bones. Additionally, mechanical injury, obesity, week muscles supporting joints, and impaired peripheral nerves leads to uncoordinated movements. The diagnosis of this condition is usually made based on clinical and historical examination. Doctors use X-rays to make confirmation of the diagnosis. The typical visuals include subchondral sclerosis, joint space narrowing, osteophytes, and subchondral cyst formation. Since our family has had several occurrences of this condition down the line, lifestyle;e modification is paramount. One should manage their weight, with moderate physical exercises that are beneficial to joint muscles.
High blood pressure, on the other hand, is a condition in which the force of blood against artery walls is high to the point where it may cause heart disease. The amount of blood the heart pumps and intensity of resistance to the flow of blood in the arteries determines the blood pressure. Therefore, the higher the blood pressure, the narrower the arteries, and the more blood the heart pumps. One can have this condition for years and not have any symptoms. Blood vessels can get damaged, and the heart can get compromised without any symptoms. If this is left uncontrolled, then it can escalate to a stroke or a heart attack. Therefore it is imperative to get screenings as early as possible since this condition is rampant in our family as it affects both sides. It is the leading health issue across the family tree. High blood pressure can be detected and managed with strict instructions from a medical professional. At least after every two years, starting at the age of 18, one should request for blood pressure reading. The doctor would recommend his/her opinion on the frequency of the readings depending on the risk factors found. Moreover, community clinics have resources for screening blood pressure. However, a doctor should be consulted whenever one chooses to use public blood pressure machines at the community hospital or clinics.
Conclusion
Skin cancer is the abnormal growth of cells of the skin and often develops on the surface of the skin exposed to the sun. Nonetheless, it can also occur in areas not exposed to sunlight. The different types of skin cancer include melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and basal cell carcinoma. In people with darker tones, skin cancer like melanoma occurs in surfaces not necessarily exposed to the sun like the palms or the sole. Basal cell carcinoma occurs in areas of the body exposed to the sun. It appears as a pearly bump or a flesh-colored, flat scar-like lesion or a scabbing sore that heals and returns. Similar to Basal cell carcinoma, the squamous cell carcinoma also occurs in areas of the body exposed to sunlight. However, people with darker skin tone might develop it in an area not often exposed to the sun. The carcinoma appears as a red nodule that is firm or a lesion with a scaly surface. Melanoma can occur at any place on the skin surface, in an existing mole that has turned cancerous or just regular healthy skin. It usually appears on the face and trunk of men. Whereas, in women, it occurs in the lower legs and can affect any skin tone. It appears as a large brownish spot having dark speckles, or as a mole that changes size or color and bleeds, or a small lesion that appears red, pink, blue-black, or dark lesions on the soles, palms, fingertips and mucous membranes lining the mouth. It is advised to make an urgent appointment with the doctor once one detects abnormal growth on the skin.
Skin cancer has occurred in our family of both partenal and maternal side. Therefore, there are high chances of its return in any member of the family of our generation. Caution should, therefore, be taken to detect the cancerous cells at an early stage to avoid future complications. Family history is one of the risk factors for skin cancer. To prevent the development of this disease, avoiding the sun is during midday is crucial, especially people with fair skin. The application of sunscreen can reduce the chances of getting melanoma; however, it does not sufficiently filter out the harmful UV radiation. Sunscreen should be applied generously, and the ones with a broad spectrum of at least 30 should be used even on cloudy days. Protective clothing should be warned guard against exposure to UV light. One should check their skin regularly, note and report the alteration to the doctor fo further examination. Moles, birthmarks, freckles, and bumps should be checked for changes or new skin growths.
As observed in the family, osteoarthritis is the most lethal illness as it occurs in 5 family members. It closely followed by high blood pressure, which counts for four family members. Although muscular degeneration has affected three members, it directly affects me since my mother is one of them. This increases the chances of contracting such a disease due to family genetic flaws. In conclusion, it is possible to prevent the onset of these diseases with proper healthcare intervention, such as regular screening and check-ups.
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