_ Osteoarthritis Rheumatoid ArthritisArthritis Facts and Statistics from the CDC By articleHere, from the Centers for Disease Control, is information you need to know about arthritis: What is arthritis? Arthritis is … Read More→
_ Knee PainAcupuncture Doesn’t Improve Chronic Knee Pain By Jane Farrell articleAmong patients older than 50 years with moderate to severe chronic knee pain, neither laser nor needle acupuncture provided greater … Read More→
_ Rheumatoid ArthritisRheumatoid Arthritis: A New Villain By Jane Farrell articleResearchers have discovered that one key receptor plays a big part in provoking rheumatoid arthritis. The finding, by investigators from … Read More→
_ Celebrate National Yoga Month! By articleYoga, once a relatively unknown practice that many considered exotic, has gone so mainstream that September has been declared National … Read More→
_ OsteoarthritisKnee Surgery No Help for Mild OA By Sondra Forsyth articleA new study indicates that there is no apparent benefit to arthroscopic knee surgery for age-related tears of the meniscus in comparison with nonsurgical or sham treatments. The study, published August 25th 2014 in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal), provides evidence that middle-aged or older patients with mild or no osteoarthritis of the knee may not benefit from the procedure.
_ OsteoarthritisNewfound Cause of Osteoarthritis By Sondra Forsyth articleA mechanism of joint destruction caused by a natural material that grinds away healthy cartilage and worsens osteoarthritis has been identified in human hip joints for the first time by University of Liverpool scientists in the UK.The scientists, with Professor Alan Boyde and colleagues from Queen Mary University of London, were studying the hip of a man with a rare genetic condition, alkaptonuria (AKU). This is a metabolic disease in which a substance called homogentisic acid accumulates in joint cartilage, causing changes to its physical properties.
_ OsteoarthritisOmega-3 Lessens Severity of Osteoarthritis By Sondra Forsyth articleMice consuming a supplement of omega-3 fatty acids had healthier joints than those fed diets high in saturated fats and omega-6 fatty acids, according to Duke Medicine researchers. The findings, published in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases on July 11th 2014, suggest that unhealthy dietary fats – not just obesity – may contribute to worsening osteoarthritis.
_ PsoriasisPsoriatic Arthritis Patients Need Better Screening By Sondra Forsyth articleLeading experts have joined together for the first time to call for better screening of psoriatic arthritis to help millions of people worldwide suffering from the condition.A release from the Universoty of Leeds in the UK explains that psoriatic arthritis (PsA) causes painful joint inflammation and can cause irreversible joint damage if left untreated.PsA tends to affect people with psoriasis. This skin condition causes a red, scaly rash. Around one in five go on to develop PsA – usually within ten years of the initial skin problem being diagnosed.
_ Osteoarthritis6,000 Steps a Day Helps Ease OA By Sondra Forsyth articleResearch done at from Sargent College at Boston University in Massachusetts shows that walking just 6,000 steps a day reduces the risk of developing mobility issues such as difficulty getting up from a chair and climbing stairs that are often associated with knee osteoarthritis (OA). The typical recommendation I 10,000 steps – about five miles -- a day but BU team found that fewer steps will do the trick. The study, which was funded in part by the National Institutes of Health, was published in June 2014 in in Arthritis Care & Research.
_ Dietary Supplements For Osteoarthritis By Jane Farrell articleOsteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis—affecting 27 million Americans—and is an increasing problem among older adults. Treatments for osteoarthritis address the symptoms, such as pain, swelling, and reduced function in the joints. Nonmedicinal approaches involve lifestyle changes such as exercise, weight control, and rest.
_ Skip the Surgery for Knee Osteoarthritis By articleArthroscopy of the knee joint for osteoarthritis, also called arthrosis or gonarthrosis,has no detectable benefit. That is the conclusion of a final report published by the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) on May 12th 2014. The study included new data in which strengthening exercises under the supervision of a physical therapist were used as comparison therapy. This data did not changethe result of IQWiG’s preliminary report that was published in September 2013.
_ Even a Little Activity Helps Prevent Knee OA By articleHere’s some good news if you aren’t all that eager to engage in high intensity workouts. All you need to do to stave of the pain and disability of knee osteoarthritis as you age is to get up out your chair and do ordinary tasks such as running the vacuum or pushing a shopping cart. That’s the finding of research y done at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago and published on April 29th 2014 on the British Medical Journal.
_ Avoiding Complications After Hip Replacement Surgery By articleIf you’re scheduled for hip replacement surgery, you’re in good company. According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, 120,000 people have total hip arthroplasties annually in the United States. The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons reports that most patients who undergo the operation are 50 to 80 years old. Here, from the National Institutes for Health’s Senior Health portal, is advice about how to remain complication-free following a hip replacement:
_ Reducing Cartilage Loss in Arthritic Knees By articleTreating osteoarthritic knees with drug called sprifermin, also known as recombinant human fibroblast growth factor 18, reduces the loss of cartilage. That is the findings of a study study done at Lund Univeristy in Sweden and published in April 2014 in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatology. The results showed that sprifermin dosed at 100µg reduced loss of cartilage thickness and volume in the total femorotibial (the thigh bone and the shin bone) joint and in the lateral knee compartment (the outside of the knee).
_ Chinese Herb for Rheumatoid Arthritis By articleA traditional Chinese herbal remedy, dubbed the Thunder God Vine, relieves the joint pain and inflammation of rheumatoid arthritis as well as methotrexate, a standard drug treatment for the condition. The Latin name of the herb is Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F, or TwHF for short. Also, combining the herbal remedy with methotrexate was more effective than treatment with methotrexate alone, according to researchers led by Qian -wen LV at the Peking Union Medical College Hospital in Bejing. The team published their findings online in April 2014 in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.
_ CT Scans Better At Finding Gout By Jane Farrell articleResearchers from the Mayo Clinic have discovered a new way of diagnosing gout that doesn’t involve needle aspiration. Until now the painful form of inflammatory arthritis has been detected only through drawing fluid or tissue from an affected joint via a needle and looking for uric acid crystals. But needle aspiration doesn’t seem to work as well as the one just developed by Mayo: X-rays known as dual-energy CT scans. According to a release from Mayo, the scans found gout in one third of patients who had tested negative for the illness.
Same-Day Double Knee Replacements Safe for Some With RA By articleSame-day bilateral knee replacement surgery is safe for select patients with rheumatoid arthritis, according to researchers at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City.
Shoulder Replacement Eases RA Pain By articleShoulder arthritis is a common problem for rheumatoid arthritis patients. According to a release from the Mayo Clinic, pain and difficulty moving their arms can grow so severe that daily tasks and sleep become difficult. If medication and physical therapy aren't enough, shoulder replacement surgery is a common next step. Despite surgical challenges with some rheumatoid arthritis patients, the procedure improves range of motion and reduces pain in nearly all cases, especially for those with intact rotator cuffs, a Mayo Clinic study shows.