The anti-malarial drug lowers cholesterol and blood sugar makes blood less sticky, which is good for reducing blood clots and heart attack risk. If you take the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) as part of your…
fibromyalgia pain
A comprehensive look at Fibromyalgia pain, its symptoms, triggers, and effective strategies to manage and alleviate discomfort.
More Than 75% of Arthritis Patients Don’t Get Hepatitis Screening Before Starting a Biologic
Screening is important because silent hepatitis B and C infections can spring to life when you start biologics or new synthetic DMARDs. Before you start taking a biologic drug or one of the new targeted…
Nearly 40% of Fibromyalgia Patients May Have a History of Being Abused
A new study adds support to the theory that psychological stress might increase the risk of fibromyalgia and make symptoms worse. No one knows what causes fibromyalgia but some experts believe that stress may be…
Osteoarthritis Risk Factors and Causes You Need to Know About
Osteoarthritis is the most common and well-known type of arthritis. It’s largely a wear-and-tear form of arthritis that happens as a result of damage to or overuse of a joint, usually over a long period…
Could the Weather Affect Lupus Symptoms? New Study Suggests Warm, Humid Weather Does
As the temperature increased, so did the risk of rash, joint inflammation, kidney problems, and other lupus symptoms. Shifts in weather patterns have long been associated with a variety of health ailments, from seasonal allergies…
Have Asthma or COPD? You Could Have a Higher Risk of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Researchers hope that identifying the link between respiratory issues and RA will result in better ways to prevent or screen for rheumatoid arthritis in people with lung disease. You may have already heard that people…
If You’re in Remission on a DMARD for Rheumatoid Arthritis, Should You Taper? Here’s What New Research Says
New data compares what happens when the dosage of DMARDs such as methotrexate is tapered or kept steady. For most rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, sustained remission (inactive disease) is the goal of taking methotrexate or…
If Rheumatoid Arthritis Inflammation Is Improving, Be Patient: Less Pain and Fatigue May Be Coming
Knowing there could be a lag between objective measures of improvement and patient–reported outcomes could help prevent over-treatment. When a rheumatologist measures disease activity in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), objective clinical measures like…
Here’s More Data That Suggests We Shouldn’t Use Opioids to Treat Osteoarthritis Pain
Surprisingly, stronger opioids were the worst at relieving pain in a new multi-study analysis. Despite concerns about safety and addiction, lots of people with osteoarthritis (OA) take opioids to address their chronic pain. A recent…
This Is Important for RA Patients to Know: Taming Inflammation Doesn’t Always Alleviate Pain
“This may have implications for management decisions beyond treating to disease activity targets alone.” Pain and inflammation often go hand in hand, especially for people with inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis (RA). So it logically…