|
All Arthritis Alerts
|
Talking About Rotator Cuff Injury
Because of the shoulder's anatomy, it is easily subject to injury in people of any age, especially if they are engaged in activities involving overhead movement. However, aging can increase the chance of injury. Studies report that deterioration of the rotator cuff occurs in a large percentage of individuals, and the percentage goes up with each successive decade of life. More...
Read Alert | Read Comment |
|
Researchers Identify Genes Associated with Increased Gout Risk
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Press Release: More than three million adults in the United States have gout. Gout is a painful inflammation of the joints, which can occur with a build-up of uric acid in the blood. Genetic disposition, obesity, a diet high in meat and cheese, alcohol consumption, and certain medications can increase the risk for developing gout. … More...
Read Alert | Read Comment |
|
New Drugs Offer Hope to Gout Sufferers
Gout is one of the most painful yet treatable forms of arthritis. Today, it's estimated that two to five million Americans have gout, with most men suffering a first attack between 40 and 50 years of age. Women develop it later, in the years following menopause.
More...
Read Alert | Read Comment |
|
Got Arthritis? Try Yoga
In this Health Alert, Susan J. Bartlett, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Medicine at Johns Hopkins University and Steffany Haaz, a doctoral candidate, talk about the benefits of yoga for people with arthritis.
Q. How does yoga specifically benefit people with arthritis?
A. Dr. Bartlett: Regular physical activity is essential for people with arthritis. Joints become painful, and the natural reaction is to avoid moving a painful joint. However, the overall result to the body is… More...
Read Alert | Read Comment |
|
The Challenge of Driving With Arthritis
The pain and stiffness of arthritis can make it a challenge to drive a car. Knowing what types of features to look for when purchasing a new car is important. In addition, adaptive devices and car modifications after the car purchase can make driving with arthritis safer and more enjoyable. Here's some practical advice from Johns Hopkins. … More...
Read Alert | Read Comment |
|
The Estrogen-Osteoarthritis Connection
Why do so many middle-aged women develop osteoarthritis? Scientists believe that declining estrogen levels may play a role.
Osteoarthritis is often called a wear-and-tear disease because it develops in joints after many years of use. Aging increases the risk of developing osteoarthritis, but it's not the sole cause. Scientists aren't sure exactly what causes the condition, but several factors play a role in its development. These include genetic predisposition, obesity, prior joint injuries, wear and tear… More...
Read Alert | Read Comment |
|
The Cartilage Connection
In this excerpt from a recent issue of the Johns Hopkins Arthritis Bulletin, Associate Professor Lynne C. Jones, Ph.D. talks about the importance of cartilage in the development of osteoarthritis.
In my experience here at Johns Hopkins, most patients have little awareness of cartilage until something goes wrong with it. And even then, they often have a limited understanding of what cartilage is and does, what can be done to protect joints from further damage, and… More...
Read Alert | Read Comment |
|
Gender-Specific Knee Implants Offer Women a Choice
Now women facing knee replacement surgery can choose an implant designed to fit the narrower shape of their knees and offer greater flexibility and comfort.
According to Consumer Reports, more than 600,000 people in the United States have hip or knee replacement surgery each year, 70% of them because of osteoarthritis. A 2006 survey showed that even though recovery can be long and sometimes painful, 82% of people who had this kind of surgery were very… More...
Read Alert | Read Comment |
|
The Good News About Exercise
It may seem counterintuitive, but a recent study confirms that people with osteoarthritis can improve mobility and enhance their quality of life with modest levels of exercise.
Although arthritis is a wear-and-tear condition, mild to moderate exercise will not damage your joints. In fact, carried out routinely and carefully, an exercise program can dramatically reduce the risk of osteoarthritis by strengthening the muscles that support weight-bearing joints. Of course, exercise will also help with weight… More...
Read Alert | Read Comment |
|
Honey, Vinegar, Water, and Cherry Juice for Osteoarthritis
Is there any credible evidence that cherry juice or a drink mixture of honey, vinegar, and water relieves symptoms of osteoarthritis? Johns Hopkins specialists answer readers' questions in this excerpt from a recent issue of the Arthritis Bulletin. Arthritis question 1
Q. My cousin, who has osteoarthritis in her hip, swears that drinking a daily mixture of equal parts honey, vinegar, and water has alleviated her arthritis pain. Though I have never been one for folk remedies,… More...
Read Alert | Read Comment |
|
Relieving Pain of Rheumatoid Arthritis with Acupuncture
Chinese researchers believe that acupuncture can reduce joint tenderness in people with rheumatoid arthritis. Should you try it? Johns Hopkins offers bottom-line advice.
Rheumatoid arthritis, the most common form of inflammatory arthritis, dramatically limits movement and function as well as causing damage to cartilage and bone. For the 60 million individuals around the world (1% of the population) with rheumatoid arthritis, the inflammation causes pain, stiffness, swelling, and damage to a variety of joints. … More...
Read Alert | Read Comment |
|
Does Weather Affect Arthritis Pain?
If you have arthritis, you may be among those people (and there are many) who feel that their arthritis pain is influenced by the weather -- specifically, that they experience more arthritis pain on cold, rainy days and less arthritis pain on warm, dry days. But research studies on whether climate really does affect arthritis pain have produced conflicting results. … More...
Read Alert | Read Comment |
|
Treating Symptoms of Fibromyalgia Without Medication
In a recent issue of the Johns Hopkins Arthritis Bulletin, Dr. Kevin R. Fontaine, Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Rheumatology at Johns Hopkins University, talked about non-pharmacological treatments for fibromyalgia. Here’s an excerpt.
Although fibromyalgia syndrome is not curable and has no blood tests to detect it, there are a variety of non-pharmacological treatments that can help relieve symptoms. Following are several questions I am frequently asked about complementary fibromyalgia treatments, and my… More...
Read Alert | Read Comment |
|
Heat, Humidity, and Gout
Recent research shows that adequate hydration is an important way to prevent dehydration and the onset of a gout attack.
Today, it’s estimated that 2 to 5 million Americans have gout, with most male victims suffering a first attack between 40 and 50 years of age. Women develop gout later, in the years following menopause. … More...
Read Alert | Read Comment |
|
Rheumatoid Arthritis and Your Heart
The inflammation that damages joints also takes a toll on the heart. Johns Hopkins doctors offer bottom line advice.
People with rheumatoid arthritis understandably focus on caring for their joints. But their most serious health risk involves their heart. Compared to the general population, rheumatoid arthritis patients have a significantly increased risk of heart attack and stroke and a shorter life expectancy. Here are some of the findings from recent studies: Heart attacks are twice as… More...
Read Alert | Read Comment |
|
Music Can Ease Your Pain
Many people with arthritis rely on complementary medicine, products, and techniques -- in combination with conventional treatments -- to reduce pain. Now a new study shows that listening to soothing music really helps.
If you suffer with osteoarthritis you probably know that there are many effective medications available to relieve your pain. Oral medications are used most often, but some people find that injections into the affected joint or topical products applied to the skin surrounding… More...
Read Alert | Read Comment |
|
Delay Knee Replacement with Osteotomy
Improved alignment of the knee through osteotomy takes stress off damaged areas and can delay the need for joint replacement by about 10 years for people with osteoarthritis of the knee.
Osteoarthritis often damages the cartilage more on one side of the knee than on the other. When that happens, the leg bones become misaligned, which can put even more stress on the already damaged joint. … More...
Read Alert | Read Comment |
|
Meditation Benefits Body and Mind
Arthritis pain and disability have both a physical and a psychological component. People who cope best with their disease have found ways to address all of the factors that influence their pain. Pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs remain the mainstay of medical treatment for most moderate to severe arthritis. But adding yoga and meditation can bring a new dimension to pain relief and may even reduce the amount of medication you need. More...
Read Alert | Read Comment |
|
Going to Hip School
The term "hip school” is popular in Great Britain and Europe. It refers to a formalized program of hip care that is usually conducted in groups. Some hip schools aim to help people to improve hip function so they can avoid hip replacement surgery. Other hip school programs prepare people for hip surgery or… More...
Read Alert | Read Comment |
|
6 Tips to Prevent Bursitis
Bursitis is caused by inflammation of one or more of the body’s 150 small, fluid-filled sacs called bursae. Bursae cushion and lubricate areas where bones, muscles, and tendons move across one another. Like fibromyalgia, bursitis causes pain and stiffness in tissues around the joints, rather than in the joints themselves. People with arthritis are at risk of developing bursitis because of altered body alignment and movement. Improved body awareness and good mechanics will help prevent bursitis. More...
Read Alert | Read Comment |
|
Hip Resurfacing -- A New Tool for Osteoarthritis
In a recent issue of the Johns Hopkins Arthritis Bulletin, Joan M. Bathon, M.D., director of the Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center, talked about the promise of hip resurfacing for patients suffering with the pain and disability of arthritis. Because many of our Arthritis Health Alerts subscribers have asked us about this still-experimental procedure, we include an excerpt of Dr. Bathon’s article for your information. More...
Read Alert | Read Comment |
|
The Good News on Osteoarthritis and Weight Loss
If you’re overweight and have osteoarthritis, you may wonder: How much weight do I have to lose before I see any benefits? Here’s the answer and it’s encouraging.
At Johns Hopkins we recently completed a five-year study that demonstrates that even small amounts of weight loss can result in significant improvements in osteoarthritis symptoms and functioning. We placed about 40 overweight and obese adults (average age 58) with knee osteoarthritis on a four-month program of lifestyle… More...
Read Alert | Read Comment |
|
The Approaching Storm in American Health Care
Susan Bartlett, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Johns Hopkins University, explains how arthritis, aging, and obesity are combining to create a “perfect” storm for American Health Care.
If you read Sebastian Junger’s Perfect Storm or saw the Hollywood adaptation, you will probably recall the scene in which a weatherman stares in horror at the radar charts on his computer screen. He watches as three massive weather systems converge toward a point at which… More...
Read Alert | Read Comment |
|
Arthritis and Exercise
What’s the most dangerous type of exercise for a person with arthritis? Answer: None at all. And the surprising fact is that more than a third of adults with arthritis don’t exercise. If you’re one of them, you’ll want to read this helpful advice from Dr. Susan Bartlett.
Susan Bartlett, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology at Johns Hopkins University, lectures frequently about physical activity, weight issues, and arthritis. Dr. Bartlett provided an… More...
Read Alert | Read Comment |
|
Evidence Mounts Against Glucosamine Use for Osteoarthritis Pain
Do glucosamine chondroitin supplements actually work for osteoarthritis pain, or are their “effects” really just wishful thinking by people desperate to find some relief?
Over 20 million Americans suffer from osteoarthritis -- which means that 20 million Americans are looking for relief from osteoarthritis pain. That’s no small task, especially after the recall of the two COX-2 inhibitors, Vioxx and Bextra. … More...
Read Alert | Read Comment |
|
New Research on Hip and Knee Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis Update #1: Statin Use Linked to Increased Risk of Developing Hip Osteoarthritis
Many older people who take statin drugs (such as atorvastatin [Lipitor]) to lower their cholesterol levels have osteoarthritis or are at risk for developing it. A recent study in the Journal of Rheumatology shows that elderly women who take statins may have a small increase in their risk of developing hip osteoarthritis (OA), but statin use does not worsen progression of existing hip… More...
Read Alert | Read Comment |
|
Could Your Pain and Stiffness Be Caused By Ankylosing Spondylitis?
Ankylosing spondylitis can be hard to diagnose because early symptoms mimic other arthritic conditions.
Ankylosing spondylitis is a systemic rheumatic disease characterized by inflammation of the spine and the sacroiliac joints. These joints are located in the lower back where the sacrum (the bone directly above the tailbone of your back) meets the iliac bones (bones on either side of the upper buttocks). Inflammation in these areas (spondylitis) causes pain and stiffness in and around the… More...
Read Alert | Read Comment |
|
Why Do Some People Get Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Several factors may increase your risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, but for now the true cause of rheumatoid arthritis remains a mystery.
Rheumatoid arthritis affects approximately 2.1 million Americans. Unlike osteoarthritis, which occurs equally in both sexes, more than three times as many women as men have rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis usually begins late in life; rheumatoid arthritis often begins between ages 30 and 50, though it can develop at any age. … More...
Read Alert | Read Comment |
|
The Benefits of Weight Loss for Osteoarthritis
Experts agree: weight loss should be a first choice therapy for knee osteoarthritis.
If you suffer from chronic pain due to knee osteoarthritis, a study in the journal Osteoarthritis and Cartilage offers hope. The study shows that for obese people who already have knee osteoarthritis, a rapid loss of 10% of their weight can quickly and dramatically improve their physical function. … More...
Read Alert | Read Comment |
|
Fibromyalgia Syndrome -- Common and Difficult to Diagnose
If you suffer from aches, stiffness, increased sensitivity to pain, or other arthritis-like symptoms, it could be fibromyalgia.
Fibromyalgia is a common rheumatic condition that accounts for 15–20% of visits to rheumatologists. Fibromyalgia is not a form of arthritis as it does not cause inflammation to the joints, muscles, or other tissues. Instead, fibromyalgia causes pain and stiffness in tissues around the joints. … More...
Read Alert | Read Comment |
|
Arthritis Q and A on Minimally Invasive Hip Replacement Surgery
Is minimally invasive hip replacement surgery all that it’s cracked up to be? Simon Mears, M.D., chief of total joint arthroplasty and trauma at the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, explains the advantages.
Q. What are the benefits of minimally invasive hip replacement surgery?
A. Patients must understand that although the term “minimally invasive” sounds attractive, the surgery is still the same as the standard procedure, only it is performed through smaller incisions. In fact, recent research… More...
Read Alert | Read Comment |
|
The Best Way To Prevent Osteoarthritis
Studies have shown that overweight or obese women who lose just 11 pounds decrease their risk of osteoarthritis by about 50%. Over 20 million Americans have osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis. One of the most frequent causes of physical disability in adults, osteoarthritis involves the progressive breakdown of cartilage and other joint tissues. By age 40, about 90% of people have some degree of osteoarthritis in their weight-bearing joints, such as the hips and… More...
Read Alert | Read Comment |
|
|
