July 7th, 2010
Sarcoidosis causes overreact in immunity, which means that a person’s immune system, which normally protects the body from infection and disease, causing in healthy tissue damage. Sarcoidosis affects almost any organ in the body. The common features of sarcoidosis are the formation of granulomas, microscopic clumps of inflammatory cells that group together. When too many of these clumps form in an organ they can interfere with how that organ functions.
Then what are the symptoms of sarcoidosis? Well, the disease is a multi-system disorder. The symptoms commonly depend on what organ the disease affects. Most often the disease will affect the lungs. Read the rest of this entry »
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July 2nd, 2010
Rheumatoid arthritis nodules are firm, flesh-colored lumps that grow under the skin. The nodules occur in about 20% of patients with severe rheumatoid arthritis and imply in serious condition with poor prognosis. These nodules are almost constantly associated with more severe forms of the disease. Antinuclear factor and rheumatoid factor are frequently found in the blood.
Nodules usually affect elbows, feet, knee and hand with a preference for multiple cyst and tendons may be associated. Benign rheumatoid nodules have been noted in patients with little arthritis and no systemic disease.
These nodules are more common in children than in adults and are considered exceptional beyond the age of eighteen. Adult onset benign rheumatoid arthritis nodules are clinically identical to those found in rheumatoid arthritis. Read the rest of this entry »
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June 29th, 2010
Chronic inflammatory disease that causes pain, joint swelling, and stiffness is called rheumatoid arthritis. Please do not confuse rheumatoid arthritis with another form of arthritis known as osteoarthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is caused by an autoimmune disorder, a condition when the immune system attack the healthy tissue, while osteoarthritis is a condition due to the wear and tear we put on our joints as we age.
Most medicines and treatments for rheumatoid arthritis are made to help manage and control the whole symptoms that caused by this disease. Some rheumatoid arthritis medicines are made to try and reduce joint damage caused by the inflammation though, and try to maintain mobility for a longer period of time.
There are two strategies employed with rheumatoid arthritis medicine. The first is to help reduce the inflammation, and the second part of rheumatoid arthritis medicine attempts to break the degenerative effects of the disease. Read the rest of this entry »
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June 28th, 2010
It is not easy to diagnose rheumatoid arthritis, in the early stage. There is no single test that can clearly identify rheumatoid arthritis. Therefor doctors must diagnose rheumatoid arthritis based on factors that are clearly related with the disease. The American College of Rheumatology uses these criteria to diagnose: Swollen area in the wrist or hand, or finger joints, Morning stiffness in the joints for at least one hour, swelling around three or more joints at the same time, X-ray changes in the wrists and hands and typical of rheumatoid arthritis, arthritis affecting symmetrical joint on both sides of the body and high level of rheumatoid factor in the blood.
Rheumatoid arthritis is strongly diagnosed if four or more of these factors are present. The first four factors commonly appear for at least six weeks. Read the rest of this entry »
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June 27th, 2010
Scientists have shown that bee venom contains molecules that cause enhancement in natural hormones in human body that can regulate the inflammation. They have found that the venom can control the harmful inflammation in joints that leads to rheumatoid arthritis.
The findings helped to explain anecdotal reports of how patients who undergo bee sting therapy report improvement in their condition. It has raised hopes that bee venom can be used to develop new treatments that can help bring relief from the pain of arthritis and even prevent it from developing in the first place. Read the rest of this entry »
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June 24th, 2010
Researchers from the University of Grenoble Medical School in France determined that cardio-respiratory aerobic exercise is safe for patients with stable rheumatoid arthritis. The team found that rheumatoid arthritis patients who exercised regularly had improved function, less joint pain, and greater quality of life. Full findings of the study are now available online and will publish in the July print issue of Arthritis Care & Research, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology.
Rheumatoid arthritis, a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by swollen joints, pain, stiffness, fatigue, and general malaise affects up to 1% of the global population, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) citing health-related quality of life (HRQL) studies found that rheumatoid arthritis patients were 40% more likely to report fair or poor general health and twice as likely to have a health-related activity limitation compared with those without arthritis. Read the rest of this entry »
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