How to Fight Rheumatoid Arthritis

There are over two million people in the US with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). Those who suffer with it experience pain and inflammation in their joints, accompanied by swelling, stiffness, fever and fatigue. If left untreated, it can progress to total dysfunction of the joints. Relief does appear to be close at hand, with a new generation of treatments being trialed today.

The disease affects most people from middle age, but some children and young adults can face earlier onset (Juvenile Arthritis). Unlike Ankylosing Spondylitis, it affects double or more women than men. Rheumatoid arthritis usually affects both sides of the body, which is called having symmetrical symptoms. This means if a person has it in one knee, they will have it in the other as well. It commonly affects the wrists and finger joints, but can be in any part of the body.

Some symptoms that aren't in the joints are anemia, a decrease in the production of red blood cells, muscular neck pain and dry eyes and mouth and, in some rare cases, inflamed blood vessels and lining of the lungs or heart. Some people will have shorter flair ups of RA that last a month or two, while others can have longer periods with severe symptoms for years on end.

The longer Rheumatoid Arthritis is actively causing symptoms, it is also causing more irreparable damage and disability to its victims. Osteoporosis is more prominent in long-term sufferers, which often means their bones will fracture very easily. Muscles that are used to support the joints are either weakened or suffer from over-use, causing referred pain and disability. As Rheumatoid Arthritis starts causing its damage very early on, rapid diagnosis is becoming prominently important.

Rheumatoid Arthritis is a disease that affects the immune system, causing the body to turn against itself and attack healthy joint tissue. No specific cause has been identified, but it is believed that genetics, environment, hormones and stress levels can all have an impact. It is diagnosed with a combination of a physical examination of the joints, reflexes, muscle stability and appearance of the skin, a blood test for white blood cell count and an x-ray that will show up any long-term joint damage.

Some patients may require surgery. This would not be a first option for most people and is usually joint replacement or tendon reconstruction surgery. Otherwise, treatment focuses on the right medication, regular rest, regular, appropriate exercise, healthy eating, increased awareness and psychological support. The aim is to take away the pain, eliminate swelling, discontinue or disable tissue destruction, maintain flexibility and minimize fatigue and stress factors.

In the past, the only treatments available for Rheumatoid Arthritis were aspirin, paracetamol and anti-inflammatory drugs that often contain steroids. Specialists would wait until the disease progressed to more advanced stages before prescribing anything more powerful. As it is now known that the damage is started much earlier on in its course, stronger treatments and combinations are recommended to try to halt the progression and, hopefully, avoid disability later in life.

One powerful form of treatment is the Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs), which reduce pain and decrease inflammation. They can cause side effects such as an upset stomach, peptic ulcers, excessive bleeding and renal failure and a patient cannot drink any alcohol due to the extra strain they can place on the liver. Some examples are Ibuprofen, Ketoprofen and Naproxen. These are also used to treat Ankylosing Spondylitis, Juvenile Arthritis and Psoriasis.

Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) are also a common treatment and are known to reduce pain in swollen joints and retard joint damage. They can take between a few weeks or a few months to work and there are also side effects to consider.

Taking DMARDs can heighten the infection risk, cause loss of hair and possibly cause damage to the liver or kidneys. Methotrexate is a well-known DMARD and is administered orally or injected. It has been found especially effective when combined with the new generation treatment, ENBREL.

There have been countless medicines produced over the years in hope of helping those with Rheumatoid Arthritis, Ankylosing Spondylitis, Juvenile Arthritis and Psoriasis, but it is these new drugs that appear to possibly be on the track to providing relief.

Biologic response modifiers are the current Rheumatic Arthritis drugs that have been showing great promise for patients. Clinical trials that have been underway have produced data which suggests they reduce inflammation and slow the progression of the disease and the damage it causes.

ENBREL (aka etanercept) works by stopping the over production of the body's cytokines, which is the protein the immune system has been using to kill the healthy joint tissue. It is usually administered with a fortnightly injection.

The drug is a Tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitor. RA sufferers are known to have too much TNFa being produced (as do those with Ankylosing Spondylitis, Juvenile Arthritis and Psoriasis) and when ENBREL and TNFa blocker protein reduces the cytokine levels, patients feel remarkable improvements.

The main side effect of taking ENBREL is a weakening of the immune system, so infections could potentially be fatal. It is for this reason doctors have to apply very strict screening for trail admissions, as anyone with an already compromised immunity can not possibly take it.

ENBREL's more minor side effects could be a sore, burning in the throat and/or a rash where the needle entered and/or a blocked, runny nose. Otherwise it is proving itself to possibly be the new revolutionary treatment to stop the progression of the disease.

Over the past twenty years or so, a large amount of research has been done on Rheumatoid Arthritis. Through experts increased awareness of how the immune system works and the role of genetics and human biology, RA treatments are being viewed with new and excited eyes.

Scientists are finding that combinations of treatments are better than one alone, such as ENBREL and methotrexate, which can noticeably slow damage to joints. The aim for all involved in the search for the answer is to continue helping victims by relieving their pain, reducing inflammation and swelling, slow or stop damage to joints and restore their ability to function every day.

This can be achieved with ongoing monitoring of medication, lifestyle and side effect management. If the need for surgery can be avoided or delayed, this is definitely a step in the right direction.

Disclaimer: The information presented here should not be interpreted as or substituted for medical advice. Please talk to a qualified professional for more information about Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Arthritis Treatment: A Primer on Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatments

Of the inflammatory forms of arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common. It affects about 2 million Americans, about 60% of whom are women. It is no respecter of age since it can occur in children as well as in adults.

RA is a chronic autoimmune disorder characterized by chronic inflammation in the joints which causes pain, swelling, and stiffness. What is not generally appreciated is that it affects not only joints but internal organs as well.

RA can cause permanent joint damage leading to deformities and loss of joint movement. As a result, many people with RA experience limitations on their ability to perform daily activities which has a major impact on quality of life.

Data has indicated that early aggressive treatment of RA can limit joint damage. RA is a major contributor to morbidity and mortality. Mortality rates among people with RA are twice that of the general population and disease severity is an independent risk factor of mortality regardless of comorbid conditions.

People with RA are twice as likely to develop congestive heart failure is compared to those without RA.

RA is the most common cause of disability in the United States and the third leading cause of work limitations. Medical and indirect costs due to lost wages are estimated at $3 billion annually and fewer than 50% of working age adults with RA are still employed 10 years after onset of the disease.

The cause of RA is unknown, but multiple genetic and environmental factors (infectious agents, reproductive status, and smoking) are thought to be involved. What is also known is that the immune system plays an important role.

When it comes to treatment, the primary goals are to relieve pain, swelling, and fatigue; improve joint function; slow down or stop joint damage; and prevent disability and disease-related morbidity. RA is a complex disease. There are many cells, molecules, and processes involved in the genesis of RA.

CD4+ T cells mediate joint damage both directly and indirectly by driving non-T effector cells to release inflammatory cytokines. Also, B cells play a role in RA pathology by producing autoantibodies and triggering cytokine secretion by T cells as well as by acting as antigen-presenting cells (APCs) to trigger T-cell activation. This entire machinery is driven by multiple cytokines.

In the past the traditional treatment pyramid for rheumatoid arthritis was to start with anti-inflammatory drugs, move onto mild disease-modifying drugs (DMARDS), step up to more aggressive disease-modifying drugs if they didn't work, and finally use powerful immunosuppressive drugs as a last resort. The treatment approach now is to stand the pyramid on its head and use more aggressive therapies in concert with methotrexate to effect remission as soon as possible.

A newer approach is to "treat to target." This means that a specific goal of remission is aimed for and adjustments in medications are made regularly in order to achieve it.

Anti-inflammatory drugs- either non-steroidal drugs or low dose corticosteroids are an adjunctive therapy but are not considered as important as remission-inducing drugs. These drugs are initiated at the start of treatment to give the patient some relief. Full therapeutic doses of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) or prednisone in doses ranging from 5-10mgs/day are helpful for symptoms. Side effects related to an increase in cardiovascular events as well as gastrointestinal issues must be balanced against benefit.

Remission-inducing agents (DMARDS) are started at the same time or shortly thereafter. Besides methotrexate, other DMARD drugs include hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil), azathioprine (Imuran), sulfasalazine (Azulfidine), cyclosporine (Sandimmune), and leflunomide (Arava).

By far, the most commonly used DMARD is methotrexate.

Treatment options including biologic response modifiers, disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, and combinations of disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs have been used as our knowledge of the different pathways involved in the RA process has deepened.

Therapeutic agents including TNF antagonists and IL-6 inhibitors were developed to block cytokine-mediated processes. Other anti-cytokine drugs are also being developed to target specific "bad guys."

Co-stimulatory pathway T-cell drugs were developed to inhibit T-cell mediated processes. Elucidation of the role of B cells in the inflammation cascade has provided the rationale for the institution of B-cell targeted therapies.

Biologic drugs have revolutionized the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and have permitted rheumatologists to achieve remission in many patients with RA.

Examples of biologics include the following: TNF inhibitors consist of Enbrel, Humira, Remicade, Cimzia, and Simponi. Anti-interleukin 6 drugs are represented by Actemra. The primary T-cell drug is Orencia and the B-cell drug is Rituxan. Many other drugs are in the pipeline.

In addition to the existing biologics, new oral kinase inhibitors (JAK and SYK) are exciting new drugs.

While complementary therapies such as dietary fish oil, flax seed, etc. may help, they are usually not effective by themselves. The role of diet also is not well understood.

Objective measurement of remission include reduction in joint swelling and pain scores, improvement in health assessment and activities of daily living, reduction in blood measures of inflammation, and cessation of disease activity by magnetic resonance imaging.

Newer measurement criteria that will ensure uniformity of definition of remission are also being created.

What Causes Morning Back Pain?

Many people wake up to back pain every morning. Morning back pain generally wears off in a few minutes but serves as a highly unpleasant introduction to your day.

A number of things can cause stiffness and soreness in your back upon waking. Some common causes are muscle rigidity and joint problems.

Muscles in the Morning

Muscles require motion for flexibility. As a muscle contracts and relaxes, blood is pulled in and pushed out. This pump action allows blood whose nutrients and oxygen have been expended, along with metabolic waste products like lactic acid, to be flushed from the muscle and pulls fresh blood in to nourish the muscle and provide it with oxygen that it can convert to energy.

This is why people warm up before rigorous physical activity; muscles literally need to be warmed by fresh blood. After remaining for the most part in static positions throughout the night, your muscles become rigid. They don't have what they need to do work, so those first few movements of the day can not only be painful, but can create muscle strains.

If you have sore, stiff muscles when you wake, the process of getting out of bed should be a gentle one. While still laying down, slowly begin to stretch your arms and legs. Move your neck from side to side. Rather than pulling yourself up from bed, try rolling out of bed by swinging your legs off the edge, rolling to your stomach and slowly bringing yourself upright. Continue to stretch for a few minutes once you're out of bed. See http://www.spineuniverse.com/conditions/back-pain/back-pain-and-stretching-exercises for a list of morning stretches that will help relieve muscle stiffness.

Joints in the Morning

People who have joint pain and stiffness in the morning may have a form of arthritis. Joint stiffness and pain that is worst in the morning is a symptom of rheumatoid arthritis, which involves inflammation of the joint.

People with rheumatoid arthritis have an excess of fluids surrounding their joints. Joints, much like muscles, depend on motion to push fluids out and pull them in. Inactivity causes fluids to pool around joints. For those with rheumatoid arthritis, the pain they usually feel from inflammation is exacerbated by inactivity.

People with arthritic morning pain should focus on range of motion stretching exercises. These simply involve moving your joints through their ranges of motion. It is important to move slowly and not exceed your range; this could lead to further pain and inflammation. Fish oil supplementation is now believed to help reduce morning stiffness if taken for at least three months.

Joint and muscle pain in the morning can also indicate harmful sleeping position and a mattress that does not support the body sufficiently. It is best to avoid sleeping on your stomach altogether, and to put a pillow between your knees if you sleep on your side. Your mattress should be firm enough to hold your spine and other joints in alignment.

For many people, simple stretching in the morning is enough to either eliminate or significantly reduce morning back pain. If you have severe joint stiffness in the morning, it is necessary to seek medical treatment as this is a sign of rheumatoid arthritis. Pay attention to where your pain is located and how long it lasts. This will help you to identify and resolve the causes of your morning back pain.

Locking, Grinding, and Popping Knee Problems - Should I Worry?

Locking, popping, and grinding are not just dance moves.

Knee problems also share those same characteristics.

Because you aren't a soda can firecracker or a soda can it's expected that hearing popping sounds in the leg is definitely an indicator that some thing is wrong. The reality though is the fact that popping sounds happens normally whenever motion occurs in the joints.

A small imbalance in the leg cap (Patella) or the motion of various ligaments over the joint can provide a popping sound. If it's an instance nevertheless where this sounds is actually associated with discomfort then one has reason for concern. Grinding and locking tend to be better indications of the physical condition in the leg, however the discomfort element is also extremely important in these cases.

Popping

As mentioned earlier unless accompanied by discomfort then a popping sound is actually completely normal, if however there's discomfort then its frequently a sign the anterior cruciate tendon (ACL) has been torn. ACL maybe torn in two pieces or even there may just be an incomplete tear, the degree of harm will determine therapy applied.

In the event that ACL is actually ripped apart then surgical treatment followed by rehabilitation is going to be essential, but also for incomplete tears one simply need to avoid activities for some time as the damage will self heal.

Grinding

Whenever cartilage deterioration occur the bones of the leg combined has a tendency to grind with each other leading to immense discomfort and creating a grinding seem. Normally, this is brought on by rheumatoid arthritis symptoms that hardly ever occur in people under fifty.

The deterioration caused by rheumatoid arthritis symptoms is permanent. Patella tendonitis (runner's leg) may also trigger deterioration of cartilage and therefore the pain sensation and grinding seem. Runner's leg is easily the most likely reason for the grinding sound in the legs of young people, particularly sports athletes.

Locking

You might find yourself enjoying a game of baseball and suddenly you're unable to flex the lower-leg or you might be kneeling then find that you're not able to straighten your lower-leg to get up; at these times you're encountering a phenomenon referred to as locking which can be very agonizing.

Pseudo locking is really a reaction to discomfort and functions just like a kill switch in which the leg locks into place whenever stress in the area turns into extreme. True locking is a result of physical issues in the leg, resulting in the leg being rigid, not able to flex or extend.

Overall, the important thing to note is that everyone faces issues with their knees popping, grinding, and locking. If you're also experiencing pain, it's important that you either consult a doctor or perform a therapy routine at home.

Rheumatoid Arthritis, Is It An Autoimmune Mystery

Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease that attacks the entire body as well as the joints. Until now, it is still unclear what causes this disfiguring disease but many of the finest medical minds believe that this is an autoimmune disease. By autoimmune, it means a disease wherein the body's immune system attacks its own tissue. Instead of protecting its own body from disease, it ferociously attacks itself as if it were the enemy.

The true nature of rheumatoid arthritis is still unknown but it is certain that it begins with inflammation and progresses into tissue damage. The hands and wrists are generally the areas commonly attacked by rheumatoid arthritis although the knees, balls of the feet and spine can also be affected. Even the heart doesn't escape rheumatoid arthritis. If left untreated this type of arthritis can be life threatening and can go beyond joints and can damage further the muscles, bones and skin near the affected joints. Inflammation can occur in the membranes encasing the heart and lungs. The spleen can enlarge and anemia can develop. Complications such as these make rheumatoid arthritis life threatening.

Rheumatoid arthritis affects people who are mostly at the prime of their life but this doesn't mean that other age groups are not affected by this disease. Both men and women are equally affected although more women than men get symptoms that necessitate medical attention. There are only about 20 percent of people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis that recover completely. About 60 percent of people with rheumatoid arthritis experience disease flare up that leads to death over the years. The remaining percentage of patients with rheumatoid arthritis suffer irreversible joint damage. Luckily, this disease eventually burns itself out.

Since rheumatoid arthritis is believed to be an autoimmune disease, the key to its treatment is immunosuppressive therapy. Doctors treat rheumatoid arthritis by suppressing the immune system but only to the point of diminishing symptoms but never go beyond the point where the individual becomes susceptible to infection.

Inflammation is the enemy in rheumatoid arthritis and to combat this, doctors usually prescribe aspirin and aspirin like drugs since these drugs are powerful painkillers and anti-inflammatories. These types of drugs are usually sufficient for most rheumatoid arthritis patients and it has been observed that about twenty-five percent of patients taking these relatively simple medications recover completely.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs, although good painkillers and anti-inflammatories, are usually no better compared with aspirin. NSAIDs also have some accompanying serious side effects.

For more severe cases of rheumatoid arthritis, corticosteroids are usually prescribed. These are more potent anti-inflammatory hormones with accompanying severe side effects including drug dependency. These types of drugs although effective in treating the more serious cases of rheumatoid arthritis, increase a person's susceptibility to infection and delay wound healing.

An alternative therapy to rheumatoid arthritis is diet, although this hasn't been proven effective yet but its possibility is not ignored. Studies are done to come up with the right diet to combat rheumatoid arthritis.

It has been observed in some rheumatoid arthritis sufferers that their disease becomes less too intense when they incorporated fish oils in their diet. Fish oil may reduce the symptoms of arthritis but it is still best to check with your doctor before taking any fish oil supplements as these can have adverse reactions with any medications you are currently taking like aspirin.

Pain Relief - How to Tell If You Have Fibromyalgia? Nurse's Guide

Years ago, after much suffering, I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Even though I was a nurse, I suffered along with everyone else I knew who'd been diagnosed with it and sought various natural methods of pain relief. But through a sheer stroke of luck I cured myself! I no longer suffer from fibromyalgia and many years have passed now.

Fibromyalgia, also called fibromyositis and fibrositis, is a condition which causes long-term pain throughout the body and in the tender points (not trigger points) in joints, muscles, tendons, and other soft tissues. Sufferers also can have fatigue, morning stiffness, sleep problems, headaches, numbness in the hands and feet, depression, and anxiety, which may or may not be due to all the symptoms they have.

Fibromyalgia can also coexist with other conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus.

Although the cause of this disorder is unknown there are all sorts of expert guesses as to the cause including physical or emotional trauma that may play a part in the development and abnormal pain transmission responses.

It's been theorized that sleep disturbances, which are common in fibromyalgia patients, may actually cause the condition or that maybe the cause is waking patients up. In my case I would wake up for two hours between 2 A.M. and 4 A.M. every night and be wide awake.

This disturbance wreaked havoc with my daily activities because I don't think my endorphins were getting released properly. The endorphin release to repair the body and initiate healing happens around 2 A.M.

Another one of the theories is that the disorder may occur with changes in skeletal muscle metabolism, which may be caused by a diminished blood flow causing chronic fatigue and weakness similar to chronic fatigue syndrome.

Others experts have guessed that it might be a virus that has initiated fibromyalgia or even that it's inherited. But I don't believe any of that.

Although women and men have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia it's more common among women especially in the 20 through 50 years old age group.

Fibromyalgia pain can sometimes be confused with arthritic pain. But it doesn't have the deformity of joints as seen in arthritis.

The pain can be described best as deep-aching pain, like mine was, or radiating, burning or shooting pain and can be severe at times. The pain can be present during the night when one wakes up or throughout the day to various degrees. This pain can drive people to find all sorts of methods, treatments and therapies to try to get pain relief usually with no pain relief.

Pain can get better or worse throughout the day. As well as mild generalized pain through the body I noticed severe pain in specific areas such as my quadriceps muscle that I used while driving making long distance driving impossible. My upper arm would ache so bad that I thought I would keel over.

People complain of back pain, lower back pain, chest pain, muscle pain, joint pain etc. And usually try pain medications and various other pain pills which don't work.

Your doctor can diagnose fibromyalgia by pressing on your tender points.

The doctor will want to know how long you've been enduring the widespread pain and/or pain and tenderness in 11or more of the 18 tender points. If it's been more than three months it would be considered chronic and would help make the diagnosis. The tender points are located in fibrous tissue or muscles of the neck, shoulder, rib cage, chest, thighs, knees, lower back, arms and buttocks.

When the doctor presses on these points they may or may not hurt. So it's fairly easy to diagnose except the doctor has to determine if there are any other disease present that is causing your pain. So he/she may do some other tests to rule out infections, thyroid problems, rheumatoid arthritis, sleep disorders, cancer and other conditions.

Besides sleeping problems, muscle aches or joint aches or general body aching and fatigue, there can be facial muscle pain or aching. And a reduction in exercise is common. I found it difficult to walk more than 20 minutes at a time without severe aching and fatigue.

Fibromyalgia has been a common problem for many years. In some pain sufferers the symptoms may get better then return out of the blue.

I suffered with fibromyalgia along with arthritis and many other ailments and sought pain relief until I changed my diet due to breast cancer, which I cured naturally. Changing my diet was the key to getting rid of fibromyalgia and many years later I still no longer suffer from it.

Natural Remedies For Wrist Arthritis Inflammation Explained

Arthritis is among the most common diseases that plague populations all across the world. Arthritis refers to the inflammation of joints accompanied by pain and inability to move the bones that are associated with the inflamed joints.

Rheumatoid arthritis is where your immune system attacks your own cells, thinking them to be foreign bodies. Joint pains and a significant drop in the range of movement are a result of this type of disease.

Wrist arthritis inflammation is one of the most common members of the arthritis family. Nutritional imbalances have been narrowed down on as the one of the foremost causes of arthritis. Therefore, natural remedies for wrist arthritis inflammation include restoring a healthy nutritional balance in the body. But the most important step to take, even before considering any medical course of action, is to try to give your wrist ample rest.

Cause of Wrist Arthritis

The lack of sufficient amounts of essential fatty acids in your body can be a cause of all types of arthritis. Omega 6, which has inflammatory properties and omega 3, which has anti-inflammatory properties, are required to be present in the body at a ratio of 4:1 for optimal functioning of the body. Some renowned medical institutions gravely point out that most people's reality is far from this ratio, with the average being 10 to 1 for omega 6 to omega 3. For the more extreme cases, the figure goes up to 20:1.

What Can You Do About Wrist Inflammation

Cold water oily fish are the best known source of omega 3 oils which most of us need more of, and in particular DHA. So it can certainly help fight inflammation by increasing the amount of fresh fish you eat, so long as you choose your types of fish carefully.

There is sadly a limit here however. Government advice is currently not to consume more than 2 portions of such fish per week. This is due to real concerns over contamination and toxins in our oceans - toxins which build up faster in the very types of fish we want to be eating more of.

Taking fish oil pills is therefore a strong alternative option to ensure a daily dose of omega 3. Mainly because good quality brands filter out the toxins. Just make sure you choose a brand that makes it very clear how they process the oils, and that they do properly filter out all toxic metals.

It is important to remember of course to consult a physician before making any changes to your diet, particularly for those taking blood-thinning medications.

Besides balancing the quantities of essential fatty acids in your body, you must also bring in the right amounts of fiber into a healthy diet. To do this, all you would need it to increase the intake of foods rich in fiber, such as brown bread, fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains and seeds.

A Quick Note About Arthritis Symptoms

If you are suffering from joint pain, swelling around the joint region, inability to fully move a joint, joint stiffness and either redness or extra warmth around the joint area - then you may well be suffering from arthritis.

After conducting a series of tests by a medical practitioner, you may find that fluid has accumulated around a joint or your joints have become "tender", it is usually a confirmation that you have one of the common types of arthritis. Always consider the different steps that you can take to ease these symptoms because any delay will only aggravate the condition and make it difficult to deal with later on.