Popular Posts
-
Dr. Humeira Badsha Medical center, Beach Park Plaza , Jumeira Beach Road Next to Neurospinal hospital. Phone +9714-3856009. Email info@dr...
-
Methotrexate is commonly prescribed and effectively used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and other rheumatic conditions . Methotrexate has t...
-
Yesterday I saw a lovely lady from the UK. She has been seeing her GP in the NHS system for many months with severe back pain radiating to ...
-
Articles - Peer Reviewed: 1. Badsha H, Gunes B, Grossman J, Brahn E. Troponin I assessment of cardiac involvement in patients with con...
-
Patients in Dubai still have a really hard time finding the right doctors for a variety of conditions. The right Specialists exist and usua...
-
PHILADELPHIA -- Milnacipran (Savella) improved pain and mental functioning in patients suffering from fibromyalgia, researchers said here. ...
-
I see many patients in Dubai whose fibromyalgia is not recognized or diagnosed for years. What Is Fibromyalgia? Fibromyalgia is a common con...
-
Being a Rheumatologist in the UAE is a unique experience. Most of my patients have had 3, 4 opinions for their disease, finding no solution...
-
UAE Residents Need to Get Out in the Sun More 24 May 2007 High Level of Osteopenia and Osteoporosis detected in recent screening programmes ...
Translate
Pages
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
New Treatment for Osteoarthritis.
The osteoporosis drug teriparatide (Forteo) stopped and even reversed cartilage loss in a mouse model of osteoarthritis," according to University of Rochester researchers. During the study, they severed the "medial collateral ligament in the legs of mice, which quickly leads to degeneration of cartilage in the affected joints -- much as similar injuries in human knees eventually induce osteoarthritis." After some eight weeks, "cartilage area was reduced about 20 percent, compared with mice given a sham surgery." Then, the injured mice received either "teriparatide or placebo immediately, continuing treatment for 12 weeks." By trial end, "teriparatide was associated with 20 to 27 percent more joint cartilage than in placebo-treated mice." The team was even more intrigued by the "mice who did not start drug treatment until eight weeks after the injury." Those mice "had 31 to 35 percent more cartilage at study week 12 (four weeks after starting treatment) than placebo-treated mice."
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Fasting and your arthritis.
During the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims including those with arthritis will fast from sunrise to sunset. There has been some evidence of the benefits of fasting and detoxification diets helping arthritis. However, some general precautions should be adhered to. For patients with arthritis, it is always wise to check with your Rheumatologist as to whether you can continue to fast and take medications which may be immune suppressants, or irritant to the stomach. Also the timing of your medications may vary during Ramadan and hence check with your doctor. If you have gout avoid red meats and shellfish. With all forms of arthritis a healthy, balanced diet is helpful. It is important during Ramadan to make sure one does not get dehydrated so take at least 8 -10 glasses of water between iftar and suhoor. Dehydration can be especially bad for those with gout or high uric acid levels, those with multiple medicines for rheumatoid arthritis, or anyone with kidney problems due to lupus. Fruit juices can be consumed in moderation. In fact pineapples contain an enzyme bromelain, which is useful for arthritis. Cherry juice may be helpful for gout. Oily fish or omega or fish oil supplements, ginger, garlic, turmeric, soya bean, avocadoes are some foods which are helpful. Remember to get 1000 mg of calcium from dairy products (1 glass of low fat milk has 290 mg of calcium, 1 cup of yogurt has 250 mg) and enough vitamin D through sun exposure, or else take a calcium supplement with vitamin D. Exercise in moderation. If exercising during fasting it may be wise to reduce your usual exercise duration and intensity by 30%, and be sure to warm up and cool down. Fasting during Ramadan can have many health and spiritual benefits. The Emirates Arthritis Foundation and doctors at Dubai Bone and Joint Center wish you a happy and peaceful holy month.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)