As medical and recreational marijuana becomes more accessible, researchers seek creative ways to study the cannabis plant and explore the complexities of the endocannabinoid system in pain relief. Rheumatologists currently face an influx of patients asking if marijuana can help them. Here’s a look at the evolving research on cannabinoids for rheumatologic pain management and how doctors are discussing it with their patients…
Despite our best efforts and modern interventions, we still have patients in the intensive care unit with organ failure. Although renal failure can be mitigated by dialysis, patients with cardiac or respiratory failure secondary to active autoimmune disease raise difficult clinical and ethical issues. Two recent cases, both with organ failure, led us to examine…
When Marc McClintock first began experiencing back pain, he chalked it up to the rigors of his racing career. For more than 36 years, Mr. McClintock has built and raced stock cars, high-powered race vehicles that compete on short oval or circular dirt or paved tracks. “I live in a commercial building, with my residence on…
SAN DIEGO—At the 2017 Thieves Market, held Nov. 6 at the ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting, rheumatologists from around the world presented patient cases to an audience of colleagues, who then voted via text messaging to choose the cases they felt were most perplexing or intriguing. The winner received a free 2018 Annual Meeting registration, and the…
New research from the CDC evaluated the prevalence of healthcare provider counseling for physical activity as a management strategy for arthritis. Researchers found that although healthcare provider counseling for exercise has increased during the past decade, 40% of patients with arthritis do not receive this counseling, resulting in a greater prevalence of physical inactivity for this patient population…
Patients with severe RA can struggle with walking, getting dressed, carrying items and more, all of which can negatively affect their quality of life. But according to Bharat Kumar, MD, service dogs can help RA patients by providing both physical and emotional support, aiding patient mobility and quality of life…
A lack of quality sleep may exacerbate depression and pain in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, according to Michael R. Irwin, MD. Here are some tips for rheumatologists on how to discuss sleep with patients and help patients reduce sleep disturbance…
A person living with lupus may feel isolated. They receive information from their doctor, but it’s never enough to fully understand the disease. So where do they turn? Social media, where they can connect, share information and learn. A new social media initiative, Hablemos de Lupus—which translates to Let’s Talk About Lupus—focuses on sharing…
When a patient has fibromyalgia, sleep troubles are the last thing they need. Unfortunately, sleep problems affect a large number of fibromyalgia patients, and those problems can turn into a vicious cycle that interplays with daytime pain and fatigue. “Pain and sleep disturbances are a double-edged sword,” says Elika Kormeili, MFT, a licensed clinical psychologist…
SAN DIEGO—Exercise, within limits imposed by an individual’s circumstances, is an almost universally beneficial medical therapy. In fact, Teresa J. Brady, PhD, senior behavioral scientist with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Arthritis Program, labeled it “medicine” in a session on exercise at the 2017 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting Nov. 3–8. Dr. Brady asked whether…