Archive for March, 2010
Is there a link betweenn diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis?
Posted by: | CommentsI have rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes runs in my family. Is there a link between diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis? My RA breaks down the immune system.
Yes, There it is. If you suffer from Diabetes [Type 1 / Type 2 - IDDM / NIDDM]
It will effect from the Toe to Head and each and every part of the body.
Because, Insulin [Glucose] in the fuel for our body. If it is low… You will be tired and exhausted in no time. If the fuel [Glucose / Insulin] is more / high, then it will be choke…
Cure Rheumatoid Arthritis : http://www.Cure-Rheumatoid-Arthritis.com/
IDDM – Insulin Dependable Diabetes Mellitus
NIDDM – Non Insulin Dependable Diabetes Mellitus
would any one marry a person who have Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Posted by: | CommentsI have this girl who i love and she loves me,but she has Rheumatoid arthritis.I don’t know what i should do.
If you truly love her, then you have to love all of her. Even the "broken" parts. She’s going to need a man who can understand that she’s going to have bad days. Some days she’s going to need extra help with the littlest things. Perhaps she only have a few bad hours here and there, or perhaps she’ll have bad weeks. Depending on the severity of her RA she may be limited in physical activities, so if you’re looking for someone to base-jump around the world with, she may not be up to that. Otherwise she’s just a beautiful woman who got a crappy roll of the dice.
It is quite possible to have a happy and lengthy marriage when one person has RA. Every marriage has struggles to deal with, you get to know one in advance.
And talk to her. Maybe she has just as many concerns about marrying someone who doesn’t have RA. Marriage is through sickness and health, if you truly love each other you will be just fine.
Peace to you
I would like to know if a woman is pregnant and she has rheumatoid arthritis would the pain kill her while giving birth or after.How long a person with that illness can live?
Yes a pregnant woman with RA can safely deliver a baby. I myself did it twice. 
People with Rheumatoid Arthritis can live just as long as "normal" healthy people just perhaps not as comfortably.
Take care and peace to you!
What’s the difference between gout and arthritis?
Posted by: | CommentsCould someone please explain the main difference(s) between Gout and arthritis. My late father had Gout, which mainly affected his knees, and was always getting grouchy when people claimed he was arthritic, saying it was totally different.
Also, as his 27 year old son, I am concerned that I am going to get it, or already have gout. Bearing in mind that my father never drank port, or any of the other cliches, any suggestions as to how I could put it off as long as possible?
An Uncle (by marriage) had gout. It would swell up in his feet
and some days he had to stay in bed because it was so bad.
He came from a well-to-do family, so it may have something
to do with it. He ate and drank well all his life, and loved
kidneys, oxtail, pigs trotters etc. If you refrain from doing
what my Uncle did, you should be OK.
Arthritis is the cartilage wearing away. A lot of people have
it, and they mostly have it in their arms, tho’ some have it
in their legs.
Is it arthritis? What medication actually relieves the pain?
Posted by: | CommentsA month ago, my fathers knees and hands started to get swollen and been hurting. Hes gone to the doctor for check ups many times and they told him that he doesn’t have anything. There are times when it is hard for him to sit and get up from chairs because of the pain of his knees. And there are other times when he cant open a plastic water bottle because of the pain in his fingers.(he sometimes cant even move them). Is it arthritis? What medication actually relieves the pain?
It sounds like arthritis, or bursitis. I am not an expert on the subject just the pain from the arthritis. The doctor can run a test to see if it’s arthritis or do a bone density test. Tylenol is about the best to take. I would not recommend tylenol arthritis If you do try watch for side effects. Sometimes expecially if the weather is changing or cold it will be worse. If the knee is warm you can tell there is a lot of inflamation. I kow the dr. can prescribe prescription meds (for a fact) sometimes i take piroxicam for mine to take the inflamation out. And not all the time will all the pain go away. But there is some relief.
How long does frozen shoulder & rheumatied arthritis take to heel?
Posted by: | CommentsI have been suffering from frozen shoulder since the last 3 years & rheumatoid arthritis from 1 year back. How long will it take for me to get cured?
Well, there is no cure for arthritis, so treatment is typically focused on keeping it from getting worse.
However, exercise and diet can be a very effective way to help mitigate the effects of the disease. Make sure to check with your doctor first and ask them about what types of foods and exercises are safe, but generally low impact exercises work very well with those who have arthritis.
This includes things like water aerobics, walking, and yoga, all of which can help strengthen the muscles and reduce joint pain, without making the disease worse. Exercises to avoid are ones like running, which put a lot of shock on the joints.
Biologic Bullets: The New Model For Treating Rheumatoid Arthritis
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Prior to the development of newer biologic medications, rheumatologists were relegated to using disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDS) to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
These DMARDS (drugs such as methotrexate, hydroxychloroquine [Plaquenil], sulfasalazine [Azulfidine]), were and continue to be helpful in reducing signs and symptoms of disease but do not have the ability to place the disease into remission.
Approximately 15 years ago, though, the landscape shifted with the advent of biologic therapy, targeted therapies that act on specific targets in the immune cascade.
The measurement of disease activity as well as treatment effectiveness has shifted from purely measuring inflammation to also using devices such as health related quality of life questionnaires.
The use of these questionnaires provides a glimpse into a patient’s physical function, subjective sensation of pain, emotional health, social function, and fatigue.
While these questionnaires are subjective, objective measures of disease are also being tallied. In addition to blood markers such as C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), which have been old-time stand-bys, clinical measurements such as disease activity score (DAS) which incorporate a combination of objective joint measures of inflammation plus blood markers, have allowed more precise evaluations of a patient’s status.
Also, the use of diagnostic ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging has allowed rheumatologists to make treatment decisions that are based on objective data rather than “gestalt.”
Analysis of epidemiologic information in the past has demonstrated that RA increases the likelihood of a patient having a myocardial infarction (heart attack).
It appears from recent preliminary data that the use of biologic drugs in combination with methotrexate has reduced the chance of this occurrence much more so than the use of conventional DMARD treatment by itself.
In addition, there have been significant reductions in the rate of hospitalization for pneumonia, and reduction in the incidence of flares of inflammatory eye disease due to RA.
Current biologic therapies are highly effective in treating RA, but alternatives are still needed for patients who have either primary non-response (not responding to the drug right out of the chute) or secondary non-response (losing effectiveness over time).
In addition to the first wave of biologic therapies which consist of drugs that block tumor necrosis factor (TNF), more recent biologic therapies such as rituximab (Rituxan) and abatacept (Orencia) may provide further benefits due to differences in mechanism of action.
These drugs are generally reserved for patients who have failed anti-TNF therapy.
A major hurdle that biologic drugs in general need to circumvent is the increased propensity towards infection, particularly tuberculosis with the anti-TNF drugs. In addition, an increased incidence of other fungal infections such as histoplasmosis and coccidiodomycosis has also been noted.
In addition, newer drugs in the anti-TNF class such as certoluzimab (Cimzia) and golimumab may also be welcome additions to the rheumatologists arsenal of weapons.
Cimzia appears to have a couple of attractive properties since it seems to have a rapid onset of action and also cause less pain at the site of injection.
Another biologic, tociluzumab- a humanized antibody- that blocks interlekin-6, also has demonstrated effectiveness in patients who have failed to respond to anti-TNF therapy.
Denosumab, which is a drug that blocks a substance called RANK ligand inhibits bone destruction in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and may also be effective for treating osteoporosis.
Finally, a class of drugs, called “small molecules”- oral agents that block protein kinases, have far-reaching effects on the immune system and have shown impressive effects in rheumatoid arthritis. They have the added advantage of being oral. Unfortunately, they may, because of their mode of action, also have undesirable side effects… so further investigation is ongoing.
Nathan Wei
http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/biologic-bullets-the-new-model-for-treating-rheumatoid-arthritis-673563.html
Natural Cures – One Minute Cure – Scam or Slam?
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Iâve always been a big fan of natural cures. Given a choice, Iâd rather consume something natural than some exotic chemicals that were manufactured in a laboratory somewhere. Call me weird but those pheno-dextro-ferra-whatever chemicals just donât sound healthy to me. Â
Recently, while surfing the Internet looking at natural cures, I stumbled upon the One Minute Cure website that claims you can heal almost any disease by taking a daily dose of a particular product (not their own). At first, I thought that it was surely some sort of snake oil scam. But after doing some research, I began to think differently.
To understand how it works, you have to know a little bit about biology. And the key word here is aerobic. An aerobic organism is one that needs oxygen to survive. All people, plants and animals are aerobic organisms.
However, most bacteria and viruses that cause diseases are anaerobic. This means that they thrive in low oxygen environments. In most of us, our blood cells contain just a small amount of oxygen; providing an ideal environment for anaerobic organisms. This allows disease causing anaerobic bacteria and viruses to flourish within our bodies.
And the point of the One Minute Cure website is really simple; introduce more oxygen into your system and these dangerous disease causing anaerobic organisms will disappear; eliminating many diseases and making you healthier. After I learned this information, it all seemed very logical.Â
The site indicates that there are hundreds of physical problems and diseases that this natural therapy can cure. Among them are:
Allergies
Bronchitis
Chronic Pain
Digestion Problems
Eczema
Headaches
Influenza
Migraines
Sinusitis
Sore Throat
(And although I hesitate to mention it â even Cancer, Emphysema, and Parkinsonâs disease among others.)
Because I am a big fan of natural cures, I immediately ordered the book. I just got it yesterday, but I will check it out and be applying their natural cure techniques. To check it out for yourself, go to <a href=”http://NaturalCures.WorksBest.org”>Natural Cures.</a>
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Jo Mark
http://www.articlesbase.com/supplements-and-vitamins-articles/natural-cures-one-minute-cure-scam-or-slam-705549.html
Joint Therapy – Ways to Make it Work for You
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There are many kinds of joint therapy. Some of the more obvious therapies include work with a physical therapist, work with an occupational therapist, medications and supplements. Each of these has positives to offer those suffering with joint pain. The most important result is finding a system that works for you and helps you to live the life you want to live.
So what do professional physical and occupational therapists have to offer? Through exercise and learning to move through your day differently, many people find that they have a significant reduction in joint pain. Joint therapy would also include altering items in your home and work place in order to take any unneeded stress off of your joints. Between an environment that is easier on the joints and gaining strength and flexibility, therapist can make a big difference. These health care professionals are also excellent at informing patients about what they are dealing with and helping them to understand what is going on with their bodies.
There are medications available, including some promising new ones, which can help with arthritis pain. Finding the medication that will work best for you will be up to you and your doctor. It is not unusual to try several different medications before you hit on one that brings you relief. Be sure to keep your doctor and pharmacists informed about all the medications and supplements you may be taking. This is important in order to avoid unwanted reactions and side effects. Taking a medication daily may not even be necessary for you to feel better quickly.
Many people have found that they can get a good amount of relief from supplements. It has been amazing to see the way that the supplement industry has responded to the need for joint therapy. There are so many dealing with pain and stiffness in their joints that the need for treatment alternatives is growing. Along with supplements like glucosamine and chondroitin, there is continuing research into other options that may be even more effective. One released more recently to the public is marketed under the name of Celadrin. This is made of cetylated fatty acids and has shown excellent results in studies. Joint stiffness, pain and inflammation are all relieved with this supplement. All of the choices mentioned here have been successful in bringing about positive changes.
It may be a combination of all of these joint therapies that brings the most relief to you. By being open to trying different alternatives and working with health care professionals, you can keep up the lifestyle you want. That is not to say that adjustments may be needed or that these things come easy. It is so important to realize that with hard work and determination–and yes, sometimes luck in finding the right combination–you can begin to feel better every day. Doctors, therapists, medications and supplements are out there to work for your benefit!
Alan King
http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/joint-therapy-ways-to-make-it-work-for-you-718631.html
The Mystery of Fibromyalgia and How Cognitive-behavioral Therapy Can Help
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Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is the medical terminology used to represent a complex clinical disorder of symptoms characterized by soft tissue pain, stiffness, and altered deep pain threshold with psychological fallout. It can mimic or accompany symptoms of joint injury, but it is not an arthritic or neurological condition. The disorder affects between 3 to 6 million people â or as many as one in 50 Americans. About 80 and 90 percent of those diagnosed with fibromyalgia are women.Â
There is usually an emotional overlay of depression and anxiety that affects the sufferer. There are numerous reasons why this is true. Many within the medical community have discounted fibromyalgia as a bona fide disease. Patients have been told that they are over-dramatizing their pain and that the stiffness or soreness has been psychologically induced. Others have been told that the condition was fabricated for attention or perceived by health providers as feigned helplessness. These assertions from medical experts make patients with FMS feel ignored, mistrusted, alone and without support. Patients often turn to self-blame, which fuels the pain cycle.
The pain and symptoms of fibromyalgia are real and have a definite physical basis. There is no known cause for fibromyalgia. Some researchers have speculated that physical trauma or viral influences have triggered FMS syndrome in many patients. There are no known abnormalities in the muscle tissue of fibromyalgia patients that would account for the disease.
Current research has focused on regions of the FMS patientâs brain and the susceptibility of certain brain locations to pain sensitivity. The brain receives a pain signal from the muscles and stays in a state of alert. For unknown reasons, the brain fails to let go of the pain signal and sets up a chronic pattern or pain syndrome. The brain stays in a constant feedback loop, consisting of a system of amplified pain signals.
Recent brain scan research studies have shed new light on this disorder. Results published in the May 2008 edition of the Journal of American College of Rheumatology shows that neuroscientists have been able to conduct scanning technology to areas of the brain affected by fibromyalgia. Mild pressure on trigger points of the patient has produced measurable brain response in processing the sensation of pain. The elevated response of pain in FMS patientâs brain scans was significantly different from those in the control group of the study. This is one of several studies that validate the reality of fibromyalgia as a disorder affecting the brain’s response to muscular and neuropathic pain. Hopefully, future studies will lead to new treatment options.
Currently, treatment options consist of the use of a multidisciplinary approach. Medication management, physical therapy, meditation, exercise, alternative therapies, and cognitive-behavioral therapy are useful. CBT is a valuable therapeutic treatment option for those suffering from pain syndromes. One of the byproducts of pain can be the escalation of anxiety and depression. Likewise, anxiety and depression can intensify the impact of pain and make it more debilitating.
Cognitive-behavioral therapyâs goal is to teach the FMS patient to embrace pain rather than fight it. Cognitive distortions, such as magnification and âcatastrophizingâ need to be addressed so that patients learn to de-escalate fueling the pain process. How one thinks about his pain affects its impact.  One can learn to rationally respond to pain by sayin
- “Although this problem is difficult, I can learn to manage it.”
- “What’s the use of getting all upset about my pain, it won’t help anyway.”
- “If I relax and walk into my pain, maybe all this will feel less troublesome.”
- “I’m not alone in this. I have the support of my family and friends.”
- “I’m not helpless, I have many strategies I can try to minimize the effect of my pain. Just keep moving!”
Cognitive-behavioral therapy can assist the fibromyalgia patient to identify stressful triggers that exacerbate pain. This may involve examining family struggles, exploring inner-conflict, and working with core, self-defeating assumptions that affect thinking and behavior. Teaching the patient mindfulness meditation as a way of relaxing the sympathetic nervous system is beneficial.
Through the use of CBT, a therapist can provide the fibromyalgia patient with structured homework assignments that will help pain sufferers to experiment with new behaviors such as increased involvement and activities.  Motivating the client to set realistic goals for everyday functioning can be helpful. Encouraging a multidisciplinary approach involving exercise, physical therapy, rehabilitation and pain management are essential.
Fibromyalgia patients fear that their disorder will cause them to lose the ability to function at work and at home. Teaching patients to focus on what they can do rather than their limitations is important. There is a tendency for fibromyalgia patients to distort reality by focusing on negative perceptions to the exclusion of the positive. Helping the patient and family to accept physical limitations is a necessary component to successful treatment.
Fibromyalgia patients can easily get enmeshed in a cycle of pain and associated emotional symptoms. It is the goal of cognitive-behavioral therapy to assist the patient in coming to terms with his disorder and making plans to manage it. This is accomplished through acceptance and teaching the patient positive ways of thinking about his condition and multiple ways of treating it.
James P Krehbiel
http://www.articlesbase.com/diseases-and-conditions-articles/the-mystery-of-fibromyalgia-and-how-cognitivebehavioral-therapy-can-help-746737.html