A recent study has taken a more detailed look at the relationship between physical activity and the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Researchers found the more patients exercised weekly the lower their overall risk, specifically brisk and very brisk walking paces, along with longer cumulative average walking hours weekly were associated with a reduced risk for RA…... [Read More]
Dan Reynolds, the lead singer of the Grammy award-winning band Imagine Dragons, has partnered with Novartis to increase awareness of ankylosing spondylitis.... [Read More]
Sir William Osler, widely regarded as one of the greatest physicians of the 20th century, once said, “He who studies medicine without books sails an uncharted sea, but he who studies medicine without patients does not go to sea at all.”1 This sentiment is particularly true in the field of rheumatology, in which understanding the… [Read More]
As a young child, Jim O’Dell, MD, spent hours with his grandfather in his basement, making bird houses and bird feeders. “My grandfather, who was a woodworker, was one of the most influential people in my life,” Dr. O’Dell says. “He probably cringed at the crude things I made, but he certainly never let me… [Read More]
Pain can deter patients with rheumatic disease from engaging in physical activity. But the latest research shows exercise helps reduce pain, & other influences may also affect patients’ activity levels, particularly after surgery…... [Read More]
(Reuters Health)—People with pets may be able to use their companion animals to practice techniques for managing chronic pain without medication, researchers say. In focus group interviews, pet owners over age 70 with chronic pain said their pets brought them joy and laughter, helped them relax, kept them active and promoted other good habits that… [Read More]
What attracts physicians to a career in rheumatology? Traditionally, the foundation of clinical training at both the medical student and house staff level is based on inpatient services. There are many reasons for this, predominantly revolving around access to patients available for teaching. The result: Trainees are predominantly exposed to a group of conditions that… [Read More]
A 53-year-old man was hospitalized for pericarditis, abdominal lymphadenopathy of unknown origin and non-bloody diarrhea. He was admitted for four days, and then he was discharged home without incident. Two months after his initial presentation, he was readmitted for the evaluation of several new issues, including symmetric arthralgias, hypovolemia with associated electrolyte abnormalities and concurrent… [Read More]
Kim Steinbarger, PT, MHS, knows how physical and occupational therapy can make a difference for patients with rheumatic diseases. Ms. Steinbarger was just two years into her career as a physical therapist (PT) when she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in 1991. “I’ve seen how regular exercise serves as an important tool in managing… [Read More]
The FDA has approved rizankixumab to treat adults with plaque psoriasis and added boxed warnings to sleep medications…... [Read More]