New arthritis treatment which injects genes directly into affected joints could help millions

From thesun.co.uk

This is the world’s first gene therapy for arthritis and it has been approved in South Korea and US trials are due

AN arthritis treatment which injects genes directly into affected joints could help millions.

The jabs deliver lab-created DNA which creates “treatment genes” within the joint.
It has been used for osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis with patients showing a “dramatic clinical improvement”.
The jabs, which can be self-administered, spare the rest of the body from being exposed to drugs.
Professor Terence Flotte,editor in chief of Human Gene Therapy, where the review study is published, said: "Arthritis is the most common disorder that is likely to be treatable with gene therapy within the next several years.
"This latest instalment of our Target Organ series provides a comprehensive review of the optimal platforms for treating these potentially disabling disorders."

                                The jab injects 'treatment genes' directly to the affected area

Traditional non-surgical treatments for the most common types of arthritis include using painkillers, anti-inflammatory drugs and corticosteroids.
The gene therapy technique was previously challenging because of the speed injected treatments leave the synovial space, which is formed of connective tissue around the joint.
Previous studies have showed a 'dramatic clinical improvement' in 30 to 40 per cent of arthritis patients who used similar treatments, the researchers said.
The study said: "Gene transfer provides a way to overcome the problem of delivering biologics to joints in a focal, local, sustained, and efficient manner.
"This capability offers new ways to address some of the most common, debilitating, and intractable conditions of modern medicine.
"Although gene therapy for arthritis and related conditions has been discussed for more than 25 years, progress toward clinical application has been slow.
"Its approval should stimulate interest in the entire field leading to more rapid development of genetic drugs for conditions that affect joints."
The world’s first gene therapy for arthritis has been approved in Korea and US trials are due.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/5411519/new-arthritis-jab-goes-directly-to-affected-area-could-help-millions/

Simple, Yet Effective Home Remedies For Arthritis Pain Relief

From simplifiliving.net

Arthritis is an inflammation of the cartilage. Cartilage is a substance found in the joints of the body is made of collagen. In the same way, the cartilage prevents friction between the bones, also allows the movement of all joints. Without the cartilage, there would be a rubbing between both bones that can cause a bone fracture. Arthritis is caused by multiple reasons, some reasons are:
Autoimmune process: This means that the antibodies attack the cartilage of the body, destroying it. Some autoimmune diseases are: Sarcoidosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, psoriasis, Hashimoto`s disease and others autoimmune diseases.
Fractures: Bone fractures can cause arthritis, because it can cause inflammation of the cartilage.
Infections: Certain types of bacteria and viruses can cause arthritis such as Staphylococcus, Mycobacterium (Tuberculosis), Gonorrhea, Syphilis and others bacteria and viruses.
Wear or deterioration of the joint: Over the years, the cartilage becomes thinner and weaker which can cause inflammation of the cartilage.
Accumulation of uric acid: This disease is known as “Gout” and it consists of the accumulation of uric acid in the joints.
Obesity: It is another cause of arthritis, because the overweight can generates more wear and deterioration on the joints.
Lyme disease: This disease is caused by the sting of a tick and produces arthritis.
The main symptoms and signs of arthritis are: Joint pain, joint stiffness, decreased range of joint movements, joint inflammation and deformation of the joints (Fingers in swan neck). Currently the treatment for arthritis is steroids to decrease inflammation of the joint. However, the treatment is very expensive, for this reason a lot of doctors recommend changing some aspects of daily life, such as:
Loss of weight: It is advisable to lose weight in those patients who suffer arthritis so that there is a lower weight on the joints and less deterioration.
Supplements with Omega 3: It is also suggested to patients suffering from arthritis to consume supplements with omega 3. A lot of studies have been shown to reduce joint stiffness and pain.
Using of cold and hot therapy: Patients suffering from arthritis are recommended to take warm water baths in the morning. It is also recommended to apply cold compresses and then hot compresses in the joints.
Acupuncture: A lot of patients suffering from arthritis try acupuncture to reduce pain.
Increasing physical exercise: Many doctors recommend low impact exercises to avoid stiff joints. It is recommended to take short walks, swimming or riding a bicycle.
Physiotherapy: A lot of patients attend physiotherapy reducing the pain caused by arthritis.
Topical steroid ointments: These ointments are used by patients to relieve pain in the affected joints.
Adequate diet: The diet of a patient suffering arthritis should include a high intake of fatty acids such as omega 3, linoic acid, flaxseed, among other fatty acids.
In the same way, there are a lot of home remedies that can be taken if you have arthritis. Some of those remedies are:
Vitamin C Supplements: Vitamin C supplements can be purchased in herbal stores. Vitamin C helps the production of collagen, which is the main element of the joints.
Glucosamine supplements: Supplements with glucosamine sulfate reduce pain caused by arthritis. These supplements can be obtained in herbal stores. It is taken a daily capsule of 1500 mg.
Vitamin D supplements: Those supplements increase the fixation of calcium to the bones and these prevents osteoporosis; they also help to reduce pain in osteoarthritis.
Boswellia Supplements: This supplement comes from India. Boswellia is a bark of a tree that reduces the inflammation of arthritis
Chondroitin sulfate: supplements Chondroitin sulfate helps reduce pain caused by arthritis, these supplements can be purchased in herbal stores and it is taken a daily capsule of 1500 mg.
Supplements that contain ginger: Ginger reduces pain and inflammation caused by arthritis.
Supplements that contain Harpagofito: These supplements have an analgesic and anti-inflammatory power on the joints
Vitamin E Supplements: Supplements that contain vitamin E help reduce the pain of arthritis, because vitamin E decreases free radicals that damage the cartilage.
Supplements that contain selenium: These supplements can be purchased in herbal stores. A lot of scientific studies affirm that selenium helps to reduce pain and inflammation in arthritis. They are taken in a daily capsule 500 mg.
Magnesium supplements: Supplements that contain magnesium help to decrease the pain of arthritis. They are taken in a daily capsule of 400 mg.
Arnica supplements: Arnica reduces pain and inflammation, because this plant is analgesic and anti-inflammatory.
Turmeric supplements: Turmeric reduces the pain caused by arthritis. You can buy this supplement at the naturist store.
Linseed oil supplements: Flaxseed oil helps to reduce arthritis pains, because it has analgesic properties. It takes 3 capsules in the day, one every eight hours.
Supplements that contain collagen: These supplements, like those of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate, help to reduce inflammation of the joints.
Supplements with rosemary, chia and even thyme are also recommended for patients suffering from arthritis, because they have an analgesic power.
There is a wide variety of home remedies that can be used in case of arthritis, but it is recommended to lose weight and exercise, as this will reduce the symptoms of arthritis. Likewise, home remedies should be used in a complementary way to your medical treatment with steroids or immune suppressants.
Also some doctors recommend prescription antidepressants because a lot of patients with arthritis may have depression. Some home remedies that can be used to treat depression caused by arthritis are supplements that contain tryptophan. Supplements containing tryptophan can be purchased at herbal stores or if you prefer you can eat foods such as fish and eggs that contain tryptophan. Many of the supplements that are explained in this article can be acquired in the daily diet.
Although arthritis is a disabling disease, doctors recommend that patients continue with their daily lives.

http://www.simplifiliving.net/2018/01/20/simple-yet-effective-home-remedies-for-arthritis-pain-relief/

A bowl of muesli each morning could help prevent arthritis – study

From irishtimes.com

Eating a bowl of muesli every morning can make your bones stronger and could help prevent arthritis later in life, new research has found.

German scientists from the Friedrich-Alexander Universitat Erlanden-Nunberg (FAU) have discovered that eating a fibre-rich diet can have a positive influence on chronic inflammatory joint diseases while helping to build stronger bones.

In an article published earlier this month in Nature Communications, FAU scientists found that the metabolites (the molecules which aid our metabolism) in the bacteria in our gut can affect our immune system and thus have a knock-on effect on auto-immune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.

While many people perceive bacteria as a negative organism, there are many positive types of bacteria in our intestine which help digest our food. Intestinal bacteria or flora is made up of many different species of bacteria which aid digestion by breaking fibre down into individual components so they can be absorbed by the body.

This process also creates short-chained fatty acids which are important for the body, provide energy, stimulate intestinal movement and have an anti-inflammatory effect.

Intestinal flora can either protect against illness or cause illness, depending on its composition. If the different types of bacteria co-exist harmoniously in the gut, they can protect the intestinal wall and stop infections from passing through.

Scientists in Germany say the short-chain fatty acids produced in our gut can be found in joint fluid, leading them to believe that they have an important effect on the functionality of the joints. They also found that a high concentration of short-chained fatty acids in bone marrow could slow down bone degradation.

They concluded that eating a healthy diet rich in fibre could positively change the bacteria in our gut while creating more of these short-chained fatty acids.

“We were able to show that a bacteria-friendly diet has an anti-inflammatory effect, as well as a positive effect on bone density,” said Dr Mario Zaiss who led the team behind the study.

“Our findings offer a promising approach for developing innovative therapies for inflammatory joint diseases as well as for treating osteoporosis, which is often suffered by women after the menopause. We are not able to give any specific recommendations for a bacteria-friendly diet at the moment, but eating muesli every morning as well as enough fruit and vegetables throughout the day helps to maintain a rich variety of bacterial species.”

Evidence has shown that eating plenty of fibre also helps lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer. Eating foods with fibre also makes us feel fuller and can prevent constipation. People trying to incorporate more fibre into their diet should switch from starchy foods like white bread and pasta to a wholegrain version. They should eat plenty of vegetables, fruit, beans, lentils and seeds. Dried fruits and nuts are also a good source of fibre.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/a-bowl-of-muesli-each-morning-could-help-prevent-arthritis-study-1.3354852

Stiff joints in the morning could be a sign of arthritis

From thehealthsite.com

In recent research, a team of researchers have found that morning stiffness that lasts for an hour could be an early sign of rheumatoid arthritis.

Morning stiffness is one of the more common complaints doctors hear about from patients with fibromyalgia, arthritis, rheumatism and those whose bodies no longer rebound after a day of activity.
Similarly, morning stiffness that lasts less than 30 minutes could be a sign of osteoarthritis, reports Daily Express. The researchers said, “Stiffness is a classic arthritis symptom, especially when waking up in the morning or after sitting at a desk or riding in a car for a long time. Morning stiffness that lasts longer than an hour is good reason to suspect arthritis. ”Stiffness can vary from slight stiffening of the fingers, to near-complete immobility. Patients can be woken up early in the morning by the searing pain. The hands are mainly affected by morning stiffness, although the entire body could be at risk. Rheumatoid arthritis patients may also experience swollen hands in the early morning.”

The basic causes of morning stiffness are lack of daily physical activity, being overweight, having a poor diet or not sleeping properly. Exercising on a daily basis (even walking while swinging your arms) is a great way to release those feel-good endorphins, gets blood moving, and help clear nasty toxins from the body.
You’re most at risk of developing the condition if you’re a woman, a smoker, or have a family history of rheumatoid arthritis. There’s currently no cure for the arthritis, but early diagnosis and some treatments could help to reduce the severity of symptoms.

http://www.thehealthsite.com/news/stiff-joints-in-the-morning-could-be-a-sign-of-arthritis-ag0118/