Medicine Information Articles
Medicine Information To Keep You Safe And Healthy!
Medicine Information Article:
Doc, My Tummy Aches and My Joints Hurt! Is there a connection?
Inflammatory disease of the bowel- regional enteritis (Crohn's disease) and ulcerative colitis- are often associated with arthritis. This occurs because inflammation in the bowel and the joints may share a common immunological abnormality.
Patients can present with abdominal pain, weight loss, and diarrhea.
Clinically, the arthritis that accompanies inflammatory bowel disease occurs in two different ways. The first pattern typically affects the larger joints of the lower extremities such as the ankles and knees. The heels may also be affected. Sometimes the fingers or toes can swell and look like little sausages. This type of "peripheral" arthritis occurs in about 20 per cent of patients who have inflammatory bowel disease. The activity of the arthritis parallels the gut activity.
In the second type, the arthritis can affect the low back- the sacroiliac joints that join the pelvis to the lower spine. This type of arthritis occurs in about 15-20 per cent of inflammatory bowel patients. A genetic marker called HLA-B27 is present (found through a blood test) in 50 per cent of patients who have inflammation of the sacroiliac joints. Stiffness in the low back along with limited range of motion is seen. This type of arthritis does not parallel the gut activity.
The diagnosis is usually suspected from the presence of bowel symptoms such as diarrhea and abdominal cramping. Rarely, the arthritis may precede the bowel symptoms.
The diagnosis is confirmed by laboratory testing, x-rays, bowel visualization (colonoscopy), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
The treatment for the arthritis associated with inflammatory bowel disease is remarkably similar to that involving other types of arthritis. Typically anti-inflammatory drugs and disease-modifying drugs are both used. Anti-inflammatory drugs should be used with caution since they may cause the bowel disease to flare up. More recently, biologic drugs have been used with success to treat inflammatory bowel disease. The arthritis not surprisingly, also responds.
Dr. Wei (pronounced "way") is a board-certified rheumatologist and Clinical Director of the nationally respected Arthritis and Osteoporosis Center of Maryland. He is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and has served as a consultant to the Arthritis Branch of the National Institutes of Health. He is a Fellow of the American College of Rheumatology and the American College of Physicians. For more information on arthritis and related conditions, go to: http://www.arthritis-treatment-and-relief.com
Related Medicine News and Articles From ezinearticles.com
Did you know that you most likely live within a short distance of cheaper prescription medicine than you are now paying? If you are having to choose between filling your prescription or buying food for you and your family, you may want to read on. This article will not only explain how you can save thousands of dollars in prescription medicine but also where you can get it for a lot less.
Is oral chelation therapy more effective than IV chelation therapy? It depends on the patient and his or her needs and desired outcome. When oral chelation therapy is done correctly with the correct dose of cysteine, the effects are often high quality and quite useful when treating heavy metal toxicity or treating hardened arteries.
Fentanyl isn't exactly a household name. However, it's considered in the same league as other recreational drugs, such as heroin an ecstasy, albeit for the fact that it's much more dangerous. As a matter of fact, this drug has a potency that is eighty times that of heroin. What makes it slightly redeemable in the eyes of the scientific community is its medicinal properties.
With winter fast arriving, what steps will you take to prevent your workplace being crippled by the Flu? Discover the benefits of in-house flu vaccinations and how you can prevent your business becoming a part of this costly virus.
More than 15,000 people in the United States are currently waiting for liver transplants according to UNOS, the United Network for Organ Sharing. However, only 4500 - 5000 cadaver donor livers become available each year, and more than 1700 people in the US die each year awaiting a donor liver. Since there is no dialysis for liver failure as there is for kidney failure, patients must either get a transplant or die.
You Can Own This Website!
This website is an example of a new product called article site manager developed especially for people who wish to own Adsense sites or sites to promote their own websites and products but do not have the technical ability to own or maintain a website.
Details about this site and other article sites in different categories can be found at the link below. Prices start at $259 for a complete website like this!
Related Aerobics & Cardio Information Articles:
4 Reasons Why You Should Use Canadian Pharmacies
Let's face it: purchasing prescription drugs in the U.S. can be a costly undertaking. By filling your prescriptions online through Canadian pharmacies, your savings can be substantial. Here's why you should consider having your drugs shipped to your home from Canada:
Traditional Treatments for Back Pain... Which Ones Work and Which Ones Don't?
When Dorothy followed the yellow brick road, she was told to do so by those who wanted her to get where she wanted go. Well as humans when we blindly follow recommendations even by individuals who have good intentions, it may not always be your best option. So I'm preparing this article to compare and contrast what are known as traditional treatments vs. complementary or alternative treatments for back pain. Remember there is rarely only one reason for your back pain and almost never one silver bullet fix? you may need to try several approaches till you find what works for you.
A wee bit of fluoride makes teeth and dentists happy, we're told. Dr. Happy Tooth's smiley face turns into a frown when his favorite decay buster is busted as a killer. Anything in large doses kills, bristles Drill & Fill, DDS, even Dihydrogen Monoxide, they often tease. Ha, ha, get it - water - H2O. Stop picking on fluoride, they say, you make us look bad.