La buena noticia es que en los últimos diez años se ha avanzado mucho en la identificación precoz de los pacientes y en el tratamiento más agresivo de la enfermedad. Si reciben el tratamiento adecuado, los pacientes con AR pueden llevar un estilo de vida relativamente normal. Se trata de un marcado contraste con la existencia de veinteañeros postrados en una silla de ruedas. Los expertos en la materia consideran que la artritis reumatoide de inicio precoz es una emergencia médica. Su mortalidad y morbilidad son comparables a las de la diabetes, el asma y las cardiopatías. La artritis reumatoide ataca las articulaciones de forma asimétrica (cada lado del cuerpo se ve afectado por igual), siendo las zonas más comunes las muñecas, los tobillos...
Reheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis patients often experience severe fatigue and stiffness in addition to swelling and pain. Rheumatoid is an autoimmune disease that affects not only the joints but also internal organs like the blood vessels, lungs and heart. Patients with RA are more at risk of heart attack, stroke, lymphoma, and other complications. It is important to be careful when diagnosing RA. There are pitfalls to laboratory testing. A blood test for rheumatoid factors, which is positive in approximately 80 percent of patients with RA, can also be positive in people with other diseases.
This, combined with the fact that 20% of patients with RA will have a negative rheumatoid factors test, makes it clear that a diagnosis should not be based solely on blood tests. Imaging procedures can also be misleading. Conventional xrays can miss erosions that are common in early disease. Newer imaging technologies like ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), are more sensitive. There is still hope for patients today, even after a diagnosis has been made.
Entendámoslo
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), were once considered a cornerstone in therapy. This is no longer the case. Earlier, disease-modifying anti-rheumatic medications (DMARDS), were being used. Methotrexate (Arava), leflunomide, azathioprine(Imuran), and sulfasalazine [Azulfidine], cyclosporine (Plaquenil) are some of the DMARDS currently in use. These drugs target the immune cells that are responsible for chronic inflammation. Although DMARDS are effective when taken in combination, they are not specific. Combinations of DMARDS may be required. Biologic Response Modifiers, (BRMS), can target the disease more precisely than DMARDS.
RA is a disease that depends on the signaling between immune cells. Special chemical messengers known as cytokines are responsible for the signaling. BRMS work at both the cytokine level (chemical messenger) and the cellular level, allowing for better control of the disease and sometimes even remission. Biologic response modifiers (drugs that suppress tumor necrosis factors (TNF)) are particularly effective. The immune cells produce tumor necrosis factor, which is a protein. TNF is the main culprit for inflammation-inducing injury. TNF can be blocked to reduce RA.
There are currently three anti-TNF drugs available: Enbrel, Enbrel, and Humira. Anakinra (Kineret), a biologic drug, blocks interleukin (a different cytokine). These drugs allow patients to control their disease to the point that they can live a normal life with work and leisure.
Biomarkers
Rheumatologists can now treat patients who have not been able to take anti-TNF medications with second-line biologic agents like Rituxan or Orencia. Other biologic drugs are on the horizon that target different parts of the immune system, on different cytokines, and on different pathways to provide greater control over the disease. Because rheumatoid is a complex disease that involves many cellular mechanisms and cytokine, it makes sense to attack the disease at different points.
Future research may make it possible to identify patients using specific tissue signals (called “biomarkers”) These biomarkers will enable doctors to identify patients and provide the best treatment. Once this is done, the possibility of a cure is possible. It is important to get a diagnosis early. The chances of remission are dramatically reduced if damage is allowed to develop.
Acupuntura
Acupuncture is a miracle cure for those terrible body pains that other medicines and antibiotics fail to treat. Acupuncture can provide relief for severe pains such as headaches, back pain, joint pains, and arthritis. How does acupuncture help to relieve body pains? Acupuncture is the practice of inserting needles into your skin at specific points to release stored energy. It is believed that energy can be conjured up at specific points and not spread throughout the body. This causes intense pain and suffering. The re-flowing of energy into the body is improved by acupuncture or the insertion of needles. This reduces pain. Arthritis can be described as inflammation of the joints, ligaments, or tendons. It can happen in any part. Arthritis can cause mild to severe joint stiffness and even crippling disability. It can be rheumatoid, osteoarthritis, or gout. This causes unimaginable pain.
The Acupuncture arthritis knee and ankle pain treatment is unique in that it reduces the pain in just 3-4 sessions. After at least four to ten needles have been inserted into your skin, you will be asked to relax for between 30 and 40 minutes. The needles are inserted along the meridians, which run through the skin, into the muscles and other tissues, but not into the spine, brain, chest, blood vessels or veins.
Migraine and Sinus
Migraine and sinus, severe headaches, are characterized by the throbbing, pounding and pulsating sensations in your head. Sinus can be described as pain in all parts of the head. Migraine is pain in one area, but sinus is pain in the entire nose, temples, and eyes. Sinus and migraine are often not curable with antibiotics. However, acupuncture can be used to treat migraine headaches. Manual acupuncture and Auricular acupuncture are the best options for these pains. This means that no electro-acupuncture is used, but each needle is manually handled by an acupuncture practitioner. Auricular acupuncture is the insertion of needles in the earlobes to stimulate the body.
Fibromyalgia, back and soft-tissue pains are the most common conditions that Acupuncture treats. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition characterized by pain, tingling, and numbness in the fingers, hands, and sometimes radiating to the elbow. Carpal tunnel syndrome is treated with acupuncture through scalp needling. This involves inserting acupuncture needles into various points on the scalp, and in meridian point in the hands and face. To get immediate relief and improvement, magnets, taped metal pellets, and staples are used on the body, earlobes and tongue of the person.