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Rheumatoid Arthritis Q & A
What is
rheumatoid arthritis?
Rheumatoid arthritis is
a systemic disease, meaning it affects the entire
body. It is a chronic disease, in which various joints
in the body are inflamed, leading to swelling, pain,
stiffness, and the possible loss of function. The
inflammatory process can also occur in other parts of
the body.
What
causes it?
Inflammation is a
byproduct of the body's immune system, which fights
infection and heals injuries.
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Immune System Changes
A healthy immune
system is designed to protect the body from
harmful invaders like bacteria and viruses. When
invaders are present, two kinds of
infection-fighting white blood cells go into
action. These white blood cells are called
lymphocytes and leukocytes. Lymphocytes are either
T-cells or B-cells. T-cells detect the invaders
and tell the B-cells to attack and destroy them.
In rheumatoid arthritis, the T-cells become
overactive. They also mistake the body's own
tissues for invaders and instruct the B-cells to
attack them.
The T-cells also
alert the leukocytes, the other type of
specialized white blood cells. Leukocytes produce
chemicals that attract additional white blood
cells to the area and widen the blood vessels so
that more blood floods in. Normally, the
inflammation caused by these chemicals facilitates
healing, then stops when the mission has been
accomplished. In RA, however, the inflammatory
process continues on, creating excessive
inflammation that can cause damage. One of the
mysteries of RA is why this process spins out of
control.
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When an injury or an
infection occurs, white blood cells fight to rid the
body of any foreign proteins, such as a virus. These
masses of blood cells group at the injured or infected
site and cause the area to become inflamed. Normally
the inflammatory process is controlled and
self-limited, but in people with chronic rheumatoid
arthritis, something keeps this process going.
What exactly keeps this
process going? No one really knows for sure, although
theories abound. Scientists have found that certain
genes that play a role in the immune system are
associated with a tendency to develop rheumatoid
arthritis. Stress, infectious agents, environment, and
hormones are all suspected triggers.
What
are the symptoms?
The infamous symptom of
rheumatoid arthritis is morning stiffness that lasts
for at least an hour. Pain, redness and swelling may
also occur in the joints. The joint symptoms are
usually (but not always) symmetric, if the left knee
is affected, so is the right, etc. Other symptoms can
include weight loss, fatigue, and fever; a general flu
like feeling. In about 20% of people with RA,
inflammation of small blood vessels can cause nodules,
or lumps, under the skin. They are about the size of a
pea or slightly larger, and are often located near the
elbow, although they can show up anywhere.
How
is it diagnosed?
Rheumatoid arthritis
may be difficult to diagnose. Many other conditions
can resemble it and its symptoms can develop
insidiously. Blood tests and x-rays may show normal
results for months after the onset of joint pain.
According to the
American College of Rheumatology, 4 of the following 7
symptoms indicate a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis:
- Morning stiffness,
lasting for at least an hour, present daily for at
least 6 weeks.
- Arthritis of 3 or
more joints, lasting for at least 6 weeks.
- Arthritis of the
hand joints, lasting for at least 6 weeks.
- Symmetric arthritis,
lasting for at least 6 weeks.
- Rheumatoid nodules.
- Positive rheumatoid
factor. (blood test)
- Joint changes on
x-ray.
It is important to note
that 20% of the people with RA will never have a
positive rheumatoid factor; you can have RA and have a
negative rheumatoid factor.
Is
there a suggested treatment diet?
Everybody has a diet to
"cure rheumatism," but no diet has yet been found to
be a cure-all for everyone with rheumatoid arthritis.
However some people are able to lessen their symptoms
by a change in diet. Some claim that foods from the
nightshade family--tomatoes, potatoes, green peppers,
and eggplant--can make arthritis worse. Eliminating
these for several weeks and then re- introducing them,
one at a time, is a simple way to test for night shade
family sensitivity. About 5% of people with RA
experience worse symptoms after drinking milk. Still
others have an increase in symptoms after eating red
meat. It is important to remember that no one diet
will work for everyone and perhaps the best diet plan
for a person with RA is simply a healthy balanced
diet.
What
treatments are suggested by most conventional doctors?
Acetaminophen
(Tylenol), NSAIDS such as aspirin, naproxen (Aleve),
and ibuprofen (Advil), DEMARDS, steroids, biological
response modifiers, antibiotics, joint replacement
surgery, and the prosorba column (blood cleansing and
replacing). The list of possible adverse side effects
to these treatments is long and scary.
NSAIDS (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs)
are commonly used to treat rheumatoid arthritis.
Available over the counter or by prescription, they
fight inflammation or swelling and relieve pain.
NSAIDS are usually the first drug prescribed to a
person newly diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis.
NSAIDS may relieve pain and swelling, but they do
not slow the disease process. Some well known NSAIDS
are Aleve, Asiprin, Advil and Excedrin. These older
medications can be problematic because, with
continued use, serious side effects often develop:
diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, kidney problems, liver
problems, and bleeding ulcers.
A new class of cox2
inhibiting pain relief medications have
entered the market. These new medications are
reportedly safer alternatives to older NSAIDS
(which contain cox-1 plus cox-2 enzymes). Cox is
an abbreviation for "cyclooxygenase." There are
two primary cyclooxygenase enzymes: cox-1 and
cox-2. Cox-1 helps maintain platelet and kidney
function and are integral to maintaining
homeostasis ( state of equilibrium of the internal
environment of the body).Cox-2 is one of several
enzymes that lead to the formation of substances
that can cause joint and connective tissue
problems. Researchers discovered that cox-2 enzyme
is involved in several major diseases including:
alzheimers , rheumatic and osteo-arthritis,
cancer, kidney disease, and osteoporosis. The most
popular of these expensive drugs are Celebrex and
Vioxx. Unlike traditional NSAIDs, however, they do
not block the action of cox-1, an enzyme known to
protect the stomach lining. Therefore, drugs in
this cox-2 category reduce joint pain and
inflammation with reduced risk of gastrointestinal
ulceration and bleeding.
DMARDS
(disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs) are also
known as SAARDS (slow acting anti rheumatic
drugs. As their name might suggest these
medications take some time to be effective, up to
several months. Most of them were originally
invented to treat other diseases but were noted to
have a positive effect on rheumatoid arthritis.
Most of them do not have any common properties
other than their ability to slow down the
progression of the disease. The most common DMARDS
used include methotrexate, hydroxychloroquine,
sulfasalazine, gold and leflunomide (Arava). All
of them have significant and often, long term,
side effects. A decision to take these drugs
should be made with complete understanding of the
possible down sides as well as the benefits.
The newest RA
medications, biologic response modifiers,
are drugs that interfere with the autoimmune
response in RA. These are drugs that are
genetically engineered to target the immune
factors known as cytokines, particularly tumor
necrosis factor (TNF) and certain interleukins,
which play a major role in the destructive RA
process. Enbrel and Remicade fall into this
category. These are given by injection and can
have serious side effects, particularly if the
patient may be ‘immune system compromised. by
other drugs.
Oral
corticosteroids, such as prednisolone and
prednisone (Deltasone, Orasone) usually work
quickly to control inflammation. Due to the
potential for very serious side effects, long term
use is usually discouraged. Corticosteroids can
also be injected directly into the joint for
temporary relief of inflammation limited to one
particular joint. Continued injections can hasten
joint deterioration.
Another new
treatment is a device called the Prosorba
column. It mechanically removes inflammatory
antibodies from the blood. The blood is first
removed from the body through a catheter (a
process called apheresis) and then passes through
a column coated with a substance called protein A,
which binds to the antibodies. The blood is then
returned to the patient.
Recent studies have
shown the antibiotics in the tetracycline
family to have a positive impact on the
progression of rheumatoid arthritis. Dr. Thomas
McPherson Brown first promoted this treatment in
the 70’s and 80’s but his high success rate with
10,000 patients was not well received by
traditional rheumatologists. The antibiotic
treatment is usually continued over a period of
several years.
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Are there any "alternative" treatment choices without
side effects?
Many, like acupuncture
and massage which use to be considered "alternative"
are now mainstream and some are paid for by insurance
companies. Pharmaceutical companies are working hard
to convert beneficial "over the counter" herbal
remedies into profitable drugs versions of these
herbs.
Alternative treatments
are seldom suggested by the medical community. Doctors
are not able to recommend supplements that are not
currently listed among the treatments in their
"accepted standard of care" . This does not mean that
alternative treatments are no good, it only means that
no one has made available the millions of dollars
necessary to run the clinical trials that the medical
world in America and many other countries needs to be
able to offer a treatment. The nutritional supplement
suggested here (CMO+) is a simple ingredient that is
actually in butter (in small amounts). This simple
ingredient with a big name,
cerasomal-cis-9-cetylmyristoleate (CMO), has helped
thousands of people with autoimmune type illnesses for
many years. No harmful side effects have ever been
reported.
This author’s own
doctor suggested replacing her thumb joint 6 years go
because the pain was extreme from an old skiing
accident and she did not want to take NSAIDS on a
daily basis. One bottle of CMO was taken and three
months later the thumb was as good as new and
consistently pain free. Six years later the pain and
swelling are still “gone”. Mine was a case of
osteoarthritis, but joint pain, nonetheless. Chronic
neck pain was also eliminated by the same one bottle
of CMO. 6 months after taking CMO I gave away all the
fancy “neck pain relief” pillows I had bought. Now I
can sleep anywhere using whatever pillow is available.
X-Rays still show my neck as arthritic, but it is not
getting worse and I have no pain.
CMO+HPR, an
alternative supplement choice for rheumatoid arthritis
care: CMO+HPR is a joint supplement (CMO+) with
added digestive enzymes plus a homeopathic pain
reliever, (HPR). It is believed to have immune
adjusting benefits <
http://www.cerasomal-cis-9-cetylmyristoleate.com/cmo_facts.html
>and has helped many RA and osteo patients return
to a life so pain free that they no longer depend on
expensive, destructive drugs to get thru the day.
Those that have been
helped by CMO+HPR believe it is a gift from heaven.
Why? After one treatment of 10-20 days they have a few
extra dollars in their pocket because they no longer
spend hundreds of dollars each month on drugs. They
walk the malls again, or play a round of golf with
their buddies. They build sand castles with their
grandchildren and hug everyone they love without the
fear of experiencing pain! They don’t use up all their
annual sick days from work by June first because they
CAN now easily get out of bed each morning. They are
able to attend their son’s wrestling match, toss a
baseball with him or watch their daughter’s soccer
game and still have the energy to give a toddler a
bath before bed. They cook more of the family’s
favorite meals because they can - their hands hurt
less. They return to good living and leave behind the
life of COPING WITH PAIN!!
TRY
CMO+HPR for 20 days. If, after 30 days, you do not
feel better, move easier and require significantly
less (if any) of an occasional pain medication, we
will give you your money back.
. Adding omega 3 fatty acids (6,000mg per day) and a
quality, recommended (http://www.drtheo.com)
glucosamine sulfate/chondroitin sulfate supplement to
your daily diet for 4 months will help the joint
repair process. Adding appropriate exercise back into
your life is also vital to restoring full joint use.
<click here for some additional options of
alternative treatment choices
http://www.alternatives4arthritis.com>
Does
CMO+HPR help anyone with RA joint pain and stiffness?
NO, CMO+HPR is
ineffective for those presently taking any of the
steroids, DEMARDs, Enbrel or Remacide. WHY? These
drugs interfere with the positive function of the
immune system. CMO+HPR is believed to work by first
relieving pain temporarily and then by helping the
immune system adjust the “over-attack” on the joints.
Six years of experience marketing CMO has taught us
that only after immune suppressing drugs are
completely out of one’s system and immune function is
restored (over time) can CMO+HPR be effective.
Experts strongly
recommend that you add omega 3 fish oil to your diet
before during and after taking CMO. It has been proven
in many studies to be a major benefit to those
suffering from any arthritic condition.
Research summary: "Fish
Oil and Its Effects on Arthritis"
Celebrex, Vioxx and
older NSAIDS do not appear to interfere with CMO+HPR
and can be taken during the 20 day use of CMO+HPR. A
few customers may need extra days of treatment to
receive optimal benefits.
Good health is a matter
of wisdom. And wisdom is the ability to use knowledge
correctly.
We wish you good health as you make choices to
increase your vitality.
Read what some
former users have
said...
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