Get A Free Booklet About Osteoarthritis
May is National Arthritis Month, promoting awareness about arthritis. Email ARIA at info@preventarthritis.org and we will mail you this booklet with helpful tips and information.

Did you know that 1 in 5 Americans report doctor-diagnosed arthritis? As the population ages, those afflicted with arthritis will mushroom. Nearly a million Americans will be diagnosed with arthritis this year alone. Arthritis is not a single disease, with more than 100 different types and conditions. The most common types are osteoarthritis, gout, rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia.
ARIA specializes in research about osteoarthritis. This disease predominantly affects the joints, unlike other types of arthritis which may have systemic effects. The most common symptom associated with osteoarthritis is pain in the affected joint after repeated use. Joint pain is often worse later in the day. The affected joints can swell, feel warm, and become stiff after prolonged inactivity. Osteoarthritis can occur with other forms of arthritis simultaneously. Bone spurs and bony enlargements are also characteristic of osteoarthritis.

There is no single medication or treatment which cures arthritis for everyone. There are treatment options which help with managing pain, controlling arthritis symptoms, and reducing joint damage or deformity.Your primary care doctor can refer you to a rheumatologist or you can get an appointment through self-referral if your health insurance allows it. Getting a good diagnosis is important so that you can determine your type of arthritis and start a treatment plan.

Since there are various types of arthritis and many treatment options, it is important to be properly diagnosed and treated early in the course of the disease. Delaying diagnosis and treatment allows arthritis symptoms to worsen. The best chance for preventing joint deformity and disability begins with early diagnosis and treatment.



March 2010
Finger Length Ratio and Osteoarthritis


The next time someone points a finger at you, take a closer look at that finger. Finger length can actually indicate whether a person has a genetic predisposition to develop osteoarthritis.

“Finger length has long been associated with many behavioral and physiological traits,” says John P. Barrett M.D., founder of the Arthritis Research Institute of America. “Results of a new study, Site Specific Osteoarthritis and the Index to Finger Length Ratio, show that if your ring finger is longer than your index finger, you are more likely to develop osteoarthritis.”

The study was completed by Dr. Frances Vaughn Wilder, Dr. Paul E. Leaverton and Dr. Bernadette Ferraro of the University of South Florida. It was published in the peer-reviewed Osteoarthritis & Cartilage in November 2009. Data for this study was collected from research volunteers enrolled in the Clearwater Osteoarthritis Study, a study initiated over two decades ago. Results of the study also show that there is a stronger association of the pattern in women than in men. In males, the length of the index finger is usually shorter than the ring finger. 

February 2010
Ancient art of Tai Chi eases pain of arthritis
By ChronicleLive
REPORTER Alastair Craig finds out how one North East group has adopted the ancient art form of Tai Chi to ease the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis

THINK Tai Chi and many people have visions of an Oriental park at dawn, not a Tyneside hall.

But the discipline so popular in China is fast becoming a means of supplementary therapy for dozens of conditions in the UK.

And one health group in the region has launched sessions to harness the proven health benefits connected to the deep breathing, relaxation and flowing movements of the ancient martial art.

The National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society’s North East Volunteer Group supports sufferers from Berwick to Teesside, helping to bring people together, generate funding and raise awareness. More

January 2010
Patients with chronic rhinosinusitis have increased incidence of other chronic illnesses
New research released at world's largest ENT meeting
San Diego, CA – Patients who suffer from chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) also tend to suffer from other chronic illnesses, like asthma, hypertension, and arthritis.

In a paper presented at the 2009 American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO in San Diego, researchers studied the electronic records of 1,970,695 patients to determine whether there was a relationship between CRS and other chronic conditions. Chronic rhinosinusitis is an inflammatory condition involving one or more of the paranasal sinuses. The condition usually follows an allergic reaction or viral upper respiratory infection.

The analysis showed a higher incidence of CRS in patients with other chronic diseases, especially asthma patients, who are more likely to also have nasal polyps. Patients with other chronic diseases such as high blood pressure and arthritis also have higher incidence of chronic sinusitis but not nasal polyps.

The results of the study suggest that some of these chronic diseases may share common mechanisms of how they arise or progress.

The Arthritis Research Institute of America, a 501[c](3) not-for-profit, has been researching arthritis for more than 20 years. For more tips on living with arthritisor call 727.461-4054 for a free brochure.


Hand OA and exercises
Hand OA and exercises 2
Hand OA prevelance
Hand OA and women
Hand OA and gender
Height and OA
Height and OA Risk
Hindfoot Valgus
Knee injuries and OA
Knee injuries in men and OA
May is National Arthritis Month
Medications and exercise
OA and finger length
OA and index finger
OA-Are you doomed?
OA-Three ways to prevent
Overweight and knee OA
Quick Tips to Cope with Arthritis
Smoking and OA
Smoking and OA study
Strength training and hands
Treating OA
Weather and OA
World Arthritis Day 2008



 

 


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