• Login
    View Item 
    •   Home
    • Massey Documents by Type
    • Theses and Dissertations
    • View Item
    •   Home
    • Massey Documents by Type
    • Theses and Dissertations
    • View Item
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

    The presenting symptoms associated with arachnoiditis and the experience of living with them in everyday life : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Nursing at Massey University

    Icon
    View/Open Full Text
    01_front.pdf (3.125Mb)
    02_whole.pdf (32.94Mb)
    Export to EndNote
    Abstract
    A qualitative study was undertaken to explore and describe the symptoms associated with arachnoiditis and the experience of living them in everyday life. Using guide questions developed from the study's objectives, eleven people who believed they had arachnoiditis were interviewed to elicit descriptions of their symptoms and experiences. Research data revealed a broad range of symptoms, including severe pain in various areas of the back, headaches, sudden weaknesses leading to falls, fatigue, bowel and bladder problems, feelings of depression, suicidal feelings and plans for suicide, unexplained sweating, various sensations of pins and needles, electric shock, numbness, cramps, and spasms. Experiences identified as associated with living with these symptoms include mobility difficulties, problems in gaining understanding from others, the development of coping strategies, the search for relief from symptoms and enforced changes in lifestyle. The study revealed that nurses had played no recognised therapeutic role in participant's experiences. A change in focus is proposed, from a biomedical perspective of arachnoiditis as incurable and the symptoms, particularly the severe pain described by participants as intractable, to a Rogerian focus which emphasises the potentials in life. New possibilities for nurses to develop therapeutic practices, in particular, those focusing on pain management needs, are identified and linked to current opportunities for practice development.
    Date
    1998
    Author
    Hopkins, Christine (Christine J.)
    Rights
    The Author
    Publisher
    Massey University
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/10179/12973
    Collections
    • Theses and Dissertations
    Metadata
    Show full item record

    Copyright © Massey University
    Contact Us | Send Feedback | Copyright Take Down Request | Massey University Privacy Statement
    DSpace software copyright © Duraspace
    v5.7-2020.1
     

     

    Tweets by @Massey_Research
    Information PagesContent PolicyDepositing content to MROCopyright and Access InformationDeposit LicenseDeposit License SummaryTheses FAQFile FormatsDoctoral Thesis Deposit

    Browse

    All of MROCommunities & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjects

    My Account

    LoginRegister

    Statistics

    View Usage Statistics

    Copyright © Massey University
    Contact Us | Send Feedback | Copyright Take Down Request | Massey University Privacy Statement
    DSpace software copyright © Duraspace
    v5.7-2020.1