Author Archives: JointPain

Methotrexate To Treat Joint Pain in Arthritis Sufferers

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Promising new clinical research indicates that the prescription drug methotrexate, which is already used to treat rheumatoid arthritis & certain types of cancer may also provide relief Prescription Bottle Phototo those coping with osteoarthritis.  This new six month study was conducted in the United Kingdom by the University of Leeds and Arthritis Research UK.

Those already coping with the pain of osteoarthritis know that current treatments are generally limited to nsaid therapy and physical therapy when possible. Surgery is generally limited to extreme cases where other less invasive options are no longer effective. The prospect of new and effective treatment with methotrexate  could prevent or delay surgery for many.

Of course as with most all drug therapies there is the risk of serious side effects so talk to your doctor before starting or stopping any therapy. Also, if anyone has any experience with methotrexate for rheumatoid arthritis please share your experience with our readers below. Thanks.

Methorexate, also known as MTX or amethopterin has been in use for more than fifty years and is closely chemically related to folic acid.

Tablet Computers Causing RSI Pain In Young People

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iPad Tablet RSI

Tablets, iPads & RSI

New evidence, while anecdotal suggests that there is a new repetitive stress injury risk for youths that could cause more damage than even the often blamed video game controller. The use of tablet computers, which are seemingly ubiquitous among today’s younger generation, could be even riskier due to the way in which a person interacts with the device.

When sitting at a computer there is a much greater chance for a person to use proper posture as opposed to the way tablets are used. Many of us lean forward and sort of contort our hands and fingers while relaxing on the couch. It may feel more comfortable in the short term, but the long term risks to the muscles, tendons and joints are still being assessed.

The easiest way for young people or anyone who frequently uses a tablet computer is to be aware of your positioning and to take frequent breaks. RSI injuries are no fun at any age, but they can be avoided with a little common sense.

Vitamin D & Calcium For Joint Pain in Women

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Vitamins & Supplements

Calcium & Vitamin D for Joint Pain

Despite some preliminary evidence that low levels of Vitamin D along with a calcium deficiency in postmenopausal women may play a role in joint pain, it now appears that there might not be a correlation.  The results of a study involving nearly 2000 women, with have being given D and calcium supplements and the other half taking a placebo over a two year period showed that there was no improvement in joint pain in those taking the supplements.

However, the results of this study should not result in anyone stopping their current supplement intake without first talking with their doctor as each supplement can still be helpful in treating a variety of other conditions. You can read the abstract of this study for additional information.

The Effect Of Cholesterol Lowering Statins On Muscle Pain

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There is an interesting answer to a reader letter from Dr. Roach regarding the use of statins and the potential to cause  muscle pain in patients. He claims that up to 10% of users of certain cholesterol lowering statins may suffer from muscle pain. However, this type of muscle pain is very different from Myositis, which is much more rare and serious as it results in not only muscle pain but also muscle breakdown.

At the end, he also expresses the mixed feelings he has about statins which I think many of us share. Yes, they can be life saving in certain patients already suffering from or with risk factors for heart disease, however, it all must be balanced against the possible side effects associated with this class of drugs.

Please read the whole letter and as always consult with your doctor before starting or discontinuing any medication. The internet can be extremely informative and helpful, just so long as we all understand its limitations and that it is never a substitute for in person medical care.

Frozen Shoulder Pain Symptoms & Treatments

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Frozen Shoulder Pain

Frozen Shoulder Pain

Ouch! I don’t even like reading about this one. Nonetheless, “frozen shoulder pain” or as it is known more scientifically as “adhesive capsulitis” is an extremely painful and often debilitating condition. In fact it is not even that uncommon, as up to three percent of the population will have to deal with this in their lifetime. The symptoms of this shoulder injury are generally characterized by extreme inflammation and stiffness of the shoulder. Sufferers report symptoms consistent with a discomfort that tends to be present 24/7 with flare ups of more intense pain during sleep, or attempts at sleep (I can’t even sleep if the temperature is not almost exactly 67 degrees.)

Adhesive Capsulitis is caused by a cramping or thickening of the tissue around the shoulder. If you are under 40 and/or don’t have diabetes or a have not experienced a trauma or accident your risk for suffering from frozen shoulder are significantly decreased. Nonetheless, this nefarious condition can affect most anyone at anytime.

The good news is that frozen shoulder treatment options are generally effective. The bad news is that they can be fairly painful. Your doctor may recommend a course of physical therapy, medication or manipulation to loosen the scar tissue. In some cases, surgery may also be the advisable course of treatment.

As with many other joint and muscle conditions when in doubt visit your doctor as other diseases or more serious illnesses could be mistaken for this particular condition. Finally, please share your story with us if you have been so unfortunate as have gone through this type of upper body pain.

 

How To Exercise When You Can’t Get Out Of Bed?

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This is one of the most common refrains from joint and muscle pain sufferers. We’ve all heard the advice and seen the advertisements on TV explaining that the best way to deal with many common ailments is to stay active. Problem is, for many of us, it does not matter how much ibuprofen, acetaminophen, naproxen or any other NSAID drug we take it just isn’t that easy.

Musculoskeletal pain, arthritis and degenerative diseases not only affect people physically but they also take a mental toll. Telling a sufferer to “just exercise” is similar to telling a smoker to “just quit” or an overweight person to “just stop eating” so much. Unfortunately, life ain’t that easy. Nonetheless this type of simplistic advice gets repeated constantly.

So what are joint and muscle pain folks to do? Keep getting depressed that they can’t follow the advice constantly being thrown at them, or is there a different way? Surely some of our JPT readers have been able to find alternative treatments or realistic lifestyle changes to help them. Please share. It must be understood that a one size fits all approach to helping joint/muscle pain patients will never exist, nonetheless, simply knowing that other treatment options are available will hopefully be helpful. Please tell us your story. Thanks.

Egg Shell Membranes For Arthritis Relief?

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Chicken Eggs For Arthritis

Chicken Egg Membranes As A Joint Pain Supplement

A new study has found that the eggs shells contain numerous amino acids along with chondroitin and glucosamine which may prove effective in lessening the pain associated with osteoarthritis. However, before you start cracking open a dozen eggs remember that you can’t  get the benefits in your own kitchen. Extraction from the membrane requires a very specific process and once the eggs are cooked, the beneficial properties are eliminated. However, thanks to the scientists at big pharma, et. al. obtaining these purported benefits in pill form is possible.

Further, solid clinical evidence proving the efficacy of egg shells in treating arthritis still does not exist. Only small scale trials have been conducted. So before buying egg shell based supplements that are marketed as containing  hyaluronic acid, glucosamine, etc., please talk to your doctor first about this alternative treatment.

Curious if people who are allergic to eggs would want to steer clear of this supplement. Has anyone looked into this and have more information?

Regenerative Medicine Treats Knee Pain With Stem Cells

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Knee Pain Stem Cells

Stems Cell Therapy for Knee Pain

There have been multiple articles lately, including this press release that address the advantages of using stem cell therapy to treat knee pain in some patients. By using stem cells as opposed to surgery many of the risks involved with traditional knee replacement surgery can be avoided such as complications from anesthesia and post op infections. The release also points out that if a patient can also use their own stem cells the risk for an autoimmune reaction in the body could be eliminated.

This regenerative medicine procedure is also very simple compared to other surgical options. The stem cells are simply injected into the body by the doctor. Hopefully the pain of the needle would be the worst of it. The article does not address the long term success rates for this type of treatment, however, that may be attributable to the relative newness of stem cell procedures for treating the knee.

The bottom line is that the introduction of new and less invasive treatment options and therapies is welcome news for the millions who suffer from all forms of joint pain.

Repetitive Stress Injuries(RSI) Caused By The Work Environment

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RSI In the Workplace

RSI at Work

Almost everyone who has ever had a job that required sitting at a desk, typing away on a computer keyboard for hours on end can attest to the fact that such repetitive motions can take their toll on all parts of the body. Fingers, hands, wrists, and even back pain can often be attributed to the stress of these seemingly harmless work tasks. We aren’t working in the coal mines after all. We are just trying to finish up quarterly reports before the Friday deadline.

Well the good news is that you are not along in your pain. According to a study out of the United Kingdom, only 30% of the workers polled felt that they had and “adequate working environment”. The result is that repetitive stress injuries continue to be a workplace health issue.

The HR magazine article also explained that about a third of the two thousand workers surveyed complained of headaches and migraines that they attributed to their physical working conditions. While two thirds suffered the classic RSI symptoms of hand, wrist, and finger pain along with neck and back pain often from poor sitting posture.

Like with many conditions it is a combination of factors that end up leading to muscle pain. In this case it is the long hours combined with poor posture, equipment and technique.

It is easier said than done in most real world environments, however, we all need to remember to get up from our desks, do some minor stretching and just give our bodies a moment to relax.

Early Physical Therapy Treatment For Back Pain Sufferers

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Back Pain Therapy

Physical Therapy for Back Pain

New evidence suggests that for some people, getting treatment soon after low back pain begins, may be able to prevent chronic back pain in the future. Further, in some cases it may actually turn out to be cheaper to pay a little extra in the short run to get proper physical therapy than to have to deal with the high costs associated with an ongoing condition which could ultimately involve surgery of long term use of pain medication.

Researchers admit that physical therapy might only help a small segment of the population, but, identifying who those people are could have tremendous financial and medical benefits. More research still needs to be done, but given the incredible prevalence of lower back pain any early intervention advancements would be welcome. Of course getting the insurance companies to jump on board for physical therapy early might end up being the really tricky part.