Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease that results in inflammation, pain and damage in the joints. It occurs when the immune system erroneously attacks the membranes covering joints. Rheumatoid arthritis also can affect organs such...
A joint is the location at which two or more bones make contact. The joint allows movement and provides mechanical support. Joint discomfort is a common physical ailment affecting millions of Americans. Joint pain due to osteoarthritis,...
Borage oil, also known as starflower oil, is a good source of the omega-6 essential fatty acid, gamma-linolenic acid, commonly called GLA. Omega-6 fatty acids play a crucial role in brain function, normal growth and development, skin and hair...
Methotrexate is a medication in a class of drugs known as antimetabolites. It is used to treat severe psoriasis, active rheumatoid arthritis that cannot be controlled by certain other medications, and certain types of cancer including cancers...
If you have shoulder pain due to arthritis, you probably avoid push-ups or other movements that cause pain. But one of the most helpful things you can do to reduce discomfort in an arthritic shoulder is exercise. If traditional push-ups are too...
Cyclosporine is a prescription medication considered an immunosuppressant agent. It is used in the prevention of organ rejection in kidney, liver and heart transplants. Cyclosporine also treats severe, active rheumatoid arthritis that does not...
The rheumatoid factor is a specific antibody that is present in 80 percent of people with rheumatoid arthritis. This antibody forms immune complexes in the body that contribute to the autoimmune reaction against the linings of the joints that is...
Azathioprine is a prescription drug classified as an immunosuppressant agent. It is used along with other medications for the prevention of kidney rejection in patients who have received a kidney transplant. Azathioprine is also used for active...
Rheumatoid arthritis affected 1.29 million people over the age of 18 in 2005, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with a prevalence among women being approximately twice to three times that for men. A variety of medicinal...
Joint pain is a common symptom in chronic conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. It can also be accompanied by other symptoms such as inflammation, swelling and stiffness. Some studies have linked a lack of vitamin D to joint...
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory condition that may affect the whole body, particularly the joints of the hands and feet, wrist, ankles and knees. Some vegetables rich in sulfur, vitamin K and antioxidants and herbs such as cat's...
A vegan diet excludes meat and animal products including eggs, dairy and honey. This differs from a ovo-lacto vegetarian diet, commonly referred to as simply "vegetarian," which also eliminates meat products, but continues to include eggs and...
Remicade is the brand name for a drug that treats autoimmune diseases characterized by elevated concentrations of tumor necrosis factor, a protein that kills tumor cells and causes inflammation. According to the National Institute of Arthritis...
According to the Arthritis Foundation, 1.3 million Americans are estimated to be diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. For many patients with rheumatoid arthritis, serum potassium levels fall below those of healthy adults and may play a role in the...
Methotrexate is a prescription drug known as an antimetabolite. Doctors prescribe it for treating certain types of cancer and for some autoimmune disorders, including severe psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis and active rheumatoid arthritis. Caffeine...
About 1.5 million Americans had rheumatoid arthritis in 2007, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Rheumatoid arthritis is two to three times more common in women than men, and most cases are diagnosed between the ages of 30 and 50,...
The concept of medications interacting with each other is a fairly well known one. However, the potential interaction between certain medications and certain foods is perhaps not as obvious. The interaction between grapefruit--in the form of the...
As of 2010, an estimated one in seven Americans has arthritis, a general term encompassing more than 100 inflammatory diseases that cause joint stiffness, swelling or pain. Arthritis is a chronic affliction for which there is no cure; common forms...
Rheumatoid arthritis varies in the way it presents in patients. For some, the onset is gradual, while others may experience high levels of pain from the beginning. The Arthritis Foundation estimates that 1.3 million Americans suffer from this...
According to the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, there are over 80 identified autoimmune diseases. In autoimmune diseases, the body attacks healthy cells and tissue, mistakenly thinking they are infections or unhealthy cells....
An inflammation of the body's joints, arthritis causes swelling, intense pain and reduced range of motion. As of January 2011, the cause of arthritis remains unknown, although heredity and excessive wear and tear seem to play a large role in its...
Etanercept is an injectable prescription medication that can relieve the symptoms of active, rheumatoid or psoriatic arthritis, according to Drugs.com. These symptoms include joint swelling, pain and fatigue. Etanercept is in a class of drugs...
The motion used to throw an object actively engages your elbow joint. For some people who experience stiffness in their elbow, the throwing motion loosens the elbow joint. This can temporarily relieve stiffness, but in some cases it returns. An...
Rheumatoid arthritis refers to a joint inflammatory disease that typically affects the tiny joints in the feet and hands. Rheumatoid arthritis can also affect the entire body with fevers and fatigue, according to the Mayo Clinic. Specific symptoms...
Omega 3 essential fatty acids found in foods such as coldwater fish like salmon and mackerel may help to reduce inflammation and swelling. These symptoms are associated with a variety of diseases, including various forms of arthritis....
Riboflavin, or vitamin B-2, is a water-soluble nutrient belonging to the B complex family. Excess riboflavin from dietary or supplemental sources is readily eliminated in your urine, where it produces a fluorescent yellow-green color. Although...
Rheumatoid arthritis is a autoimmune disease that affects the joints, causing pain, stiffness and inflammation -- and often a reduction in normal range of motion. Range of motion is the amount of movement involved with everyday activity, and...
Rheumatoid arthritis, or RA, affects the joints. It occurs when the immune system attacks the synovium, a thin tissue that lines the joints, causing swelling and pain. RA is incurable, therefore treatment aims to slow its progression and reduce...
Vitamin D has long been recognized for its role in maintaining bone health. Known as "the sunshine vitamin," vitamin D is manufactured in an inactive form in your skin whenever you are exposed to ultraviolet light. It is subsequently converted to...
