Lupus patients have been waiting a while for some good news. Only one drug, belimumab (Benlysta), has been FDA-approved for lupus in more than 50 years — and that happened back in 2011. Since then,…
Fibromyalgia
An in-depth guide on Fibromyalgia, covering its symptoms, causes, treatments, and tips for managing this chronic condition effectively.
Nearly Half of Giant Cell Arteritis Patients on Actemra for a Year Stay in Remission After Stopping It
“Giant cell arteritis requires ongoing management, but it does not necessarily require continuous treatment.” In 2017, tocilizumab (Actemra), a biologic drug that inhibits interleukin-6 (IL-6), was FDA-approved for giant cell arteritis — an inflammation of…
Vagus Nerve Stimulation: A New Way to Treat Rheumatoid Arthritis
Some people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) take a disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) and/or a biologic and reach remission. Others try drug after drug after drug and never find one that’s effective — or that treats…
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…
Good News for Pregnant Women with Arthritis: Most Babies Exposed to Biologics in Utero Don’t Get Serious Infections
Although biologics cross the placenta, research shows they lead to few infections in babies after they’re born. The prospect of pregnancy can be daunting for women with inflammatory arthritis. Not only can disease flares occur,…
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…