Muscle tissues can be damaged in many ways during routine activities. Pain management programs provided at reliable healthcare centers can reduce the pain and improve the quality of your life.

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About Rheumatoid Arthritis and its
Treatment
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease
characterized by inflammation of joints and the
surrounding tissues. Effective treatment is available at
leading multi-specialty healthcare centers.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an autoimmune disease
characterized by inflammation of joints and the
surrounding tissues, is a major cause of disability, mortality
and morbidity. The disease affects “synovium” the
membrane that lines and lubricates the joints. In this type of
arthritis, the body’s immune system attacks its own
connective tissue destroying the cartilage that protects the
joints. It causes inflammation, stiffness and swelling of
joints, pain, and general fatigue.
The disease can develop at any age, but typically starts
between the ages of 40 and 60. It is more common among
women. According to the American College of
Rheumatology, the disease affects less than one percent of
adults or 1.3 million people in the United States.
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Weight a Key Factor in Treating Rheumatoid
Arthritis says, New Study
An article in Reuters Health reports on a new study
published in the Annals of the
Rheumatic Diseases, which
suggests that people who are
overweight when diagnosed with
rheumatoid arthritis are less likely
to be able to control the disease in
its early stages than people with an ideal or healthy weight.
Researchers observed 500 adults diagnosed with RA (in the
early stages) between the year 2006 and 2009. The database
of rheumatology patients was analyzed that included their
self-reported height and weight at diagnosis. It also
included complete information and evaluation about the
progress of the disease over the next six months. About
90% of patients were put on disease-modifying
antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) at the time of diagnosis
(usually methotrexate).
The main findings of the study are as follows:
• On a group level, about 33% of obese and overweight
people have lesser chances of achieving good disease
control within the first six months when compared to
those with a healthy weight.
• Obese or overweight people also tended to suffer from
more pain and discomfort within three to six months
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and had less chances of the symptoms subsiding than
healthy patients
• Body fat could affect the course of the disease itself
and possibly lead to more inflammation.
It is also reported that there will be obese patients with
positive response and normal and healthy patients without
good response.
Effective Non-invasive Therapies for Rheumatoid
Arthritis
The study emphasizes the importance of maintaining a
stable or normal weight by patients with this chronic
disease. This can be achieved by following healthy diet and
active lifestyle and moderate exercises. Patients who are
overweight should enroll in a weight loss program. Besides
weight, family history also increases a person’s risk of RA.
Once the condition is diagnosed, treatment should begin as
soon as possible. Leading multispecialty healthcare centers
offer a slew of non-invasive therapies for the condition
such as physical therapy, chiropractic care, TENS, and anti-
inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). They also offer pain
management options for patients with acute and chronic
pain as well as orthopedic surgery to resolve severe cases
of arthritis.
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