The Arthritis foundation primarily aims to improve lives through helping people in preventing, controlling and curing of arthritis and its related diseases. By providing health education and conduction arthritis awareness programs it helps the general public to take control of the most painful disease i.e. arthritis. As a result of the funding provided by the Arthritis Foundation, researchers have been able to breakthrough a lot regarding this disease.
Some of the latest developments for treating rheumatoid arthritis are a comparison of the benefits and harmful effects of three classes of drugs. The research says that when one synthetic drug is used in combination with one of the six biological medications, it works best in reducing swollen joints and tenderness in the patients. There are three main classes of drugs used in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. They include synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs or DMARDS, biological DMARDS and Corticosteroids. Research says that when methotrexate, which is a synthetic DMARD, when combined with any one of the biologic DMARDs, shows very effective results in reducing the pain and swelling. But this combination may have a serious side effect of possible infection or tuberculosis.
Another latest development is in the treatment of tendonitis of shoulder. Tendonitis is a condition where small calcium deposits form within the tendons of the rotator cuff of the shoulder. So for reducing the pain and restoring mobility of the shoulder, researchers are using ultrasound-guided non-surgical therapy. The ultrasound-guided percuataneous therapy (i.e. through the skin) is an effective alternative to open surgery. It is also inexpensive and less stressful to the patient. It is a 10 minute procedure wherein a saline solution injection is inserted into anesthetized shoulder to wash off the area and break the calcium deposits. A second needle is used to withdraw the calcium residue. In an hour’s time the patient is fully recovered. This new treatment for tendonitis is also useful in preventing bursitis.
Another new development is in the field of diet. It is said that a gluten-free vegan diet can protect rheumatoid arthritis patients against strokes and heart attacks. This type of arthritis is known to be a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. So, a gluten-free vegan diet helps to reduce cholesterol, low density lipoprotein or bad cholesterol and oxidized low density lipoprotein. This diet helps to raise the level of antibodies which work against free radicals causing rheumatoid arthritis.
