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Archive for the ‘Arthritis’ Category

Beat Arthritis by checking your teeth – The Nation Newspaper

Saturday, February 11th, 2017

Gum/tooth disease is a common complaint that comes with aging, which is the reason many elderly people lose their natural teeth with age. One thing many physicians and their patients are yet to realize is that tooth/gum trouble is a symptom of a much more serious health challenge. Pain in the joints is a well known symptom of Rheumatoid Arthritis, but a much less known fact is the relationship between arthritis and gum/tooth troubles. Physician/researcher Al Sears points this out when he says, But one problem with modern medicine is that specialists often miss the bigger picture. Every part of your body is biologically connected. And whats going on in your mouth can reveal a lot about your health.

New research studies published in the Nature Reviews Rheumatology journal provide evidence to corroborate Sears theory. Sears states, In a study published just a few weeks ago in the journal Nature Reviews Rheumatology, researchers followed 6,616 people for more than 10 years. They found that those who had moderate to severe gum disease had more than twice the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis.

Sears continues, Other research suggests that clearing up gum disease could help prevent or treat Rheumatoid Arthritis. Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine found that people who were treated for gum disease had significantly more improvement in their Rheumatoid Arthritis symptoms than those who were only treated for their Rheumatoid Arthritis.

There are a lot of bacteria in your mouth, something like 100 billion bacteria. The bacteria form a sticky film called plaque that hardens into tartar. Plaque and tartar cause inflammation in your gums. If you have plaque and tartar buildup, your gums may bleed when you brush your teeth. But those bacteria can also travel around your body. And left unchecked, they can cause inflammation in other parts of your body, like in your joints.

The good news is that treating gum troubles could treat or prevent Rheumatoid Arthritis. The Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine study found that people who were treated for gum disease had significantly more improvement in their RA symptoms than those who were only treated for their Rheumatoid Arthritis. Sears continues, Scientists found that one of the bacteria involved in Periodontitis may trigger a process called citrullination. Researchers who study this process believe its what sparks the immune system and drives the cascade of events that lead to Rheumatoid Arthritis.

The secret of Healthy Teeth is therefore Healthy Joints. To prevent and treat your RA, simply take care of your teeth. Besides just brushing and flossing, do the following for healthy teeth AND joints:

To do this, in the morning before eating or drinking anything, gently swish one tablespoon of coconut oil in your mouth and between your teeth for 10 to 20 minutes. Dont swallow. Spit the used oil into the trash or a jar, not the sink. It will clog your plumbing. Rinse your mouth and brush your teeth as normal.

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Bacteria links Crohn’s disease to arthritis — ScienceDaily – Science Daily

Friday, February 10th, 2017
Bacteria links Crohn's disease to arthritis -- ScienceDaily
Science Daily
Patients with Crohn's disease, a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes abdominal pain and diarrhea, can also experience joint pain. In Crohn's ...

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NIH awards $1.7 million to develop new arthritis treatment via silk … – ScienceBlog.com (blog)

Friday, February 10th, 2017

A twisted ankle, broken hip or torn knee cartilage are all common injuries that can have medical ramifications long after the initial incident that causes them. Associated pain, inflammation, joint degeneration and even osteoarthritis can sideline a variety of different people: athletes, weekend warriors and patients who are either aging or inactive.

A team from Washington University in St. Louis was awarded $1.7 million from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop a new therapeutic treatment that can deliver disease-modifying compounds in a manner to delay the development of inflammation, joint degeneration and arthritis with all the associated discomfort, disability and pain.

Were starting to see that many areas cant be reached via oral drug delivery, said Lori Setton, the Lucy & Stanley Lopata Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the School of Engineering & Applied Science. For example, synovial joint fluid in the knee is almost optimized to rapidly clear compounds out of the joint. So were trying to trick the joint into being a good host for the therapeutic drugs we are delivering.

Setton, whose lab focuses on the role of mechanical factors in the breakdown and repair of soft tissues, says an intracellular compound called nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB) is a main culprit in cellular breakdown, inflammation and pain after an injury. Shes working in the lab on a new solution using silk to deliver two specific molecules that can inhibit NF-kB at the site of a fracture or injury in an effort to stave off long-term joint damage.

Silk naturally doesnt interact with water, and, when you mix it with these molecules that also dont interact with water, they bind to each other very strongly, Setton said. We believe these selective compounds are therapeutically effective, but weve never been able to get them to their target site. By delivering them with the silk, we hope to get large doses to the target site with low toxicity and to have them remain in that compartment for longer periods of time.

In preliminary work with Tufts University investigator David Kaplan, Setton showed that model compounds can reside in the joint space about 5 times times longer if delivered with silk microparticles than if delivered alone. Silk is an attractive delivery vehicle because of its long history of safe clinical use, and Kaplan has received NIH support to promote translational uses of silk for medical and other applications. It was initial work in delivering silk to the knee joint that drove Setton to identify a suitable, disease-modifying compound for treatment of arthritis through collaborations with the Musculoskeletal Research Center at the Washington University School of Medicine.

Setton and her co-investigators at the School of Medicine including Youssef Abu-Amer, professor of orthopaedic surgery; Farshid Guilak, professor of orthopaedic surgery; and Gabriel Mbalaviele, associate professor of medicine in the Division of Bone and Mineral Diseases will soon start testing the new delivery system in animal models.

Delivering drugs orally to combat NF-kB-mediated problems at specific locations in the body, such as the injured knee, can be associated with harmful biological functions, Abu-Amer said. So this type of site-targeted approach to inhibit elevated NF-kB is essential if we want to provide effective treatment to the targeted site.

According to Setton, the enhanced drug-delivery system has the potential to prevent the onset and progression of joint damage in patients suffering from acute injuries, like minor joint fractures, ligament or meniscal tears.

Patients with joint trauma tend to go on to develop osteoarthritis at a higher rate compared to someone who doesnt have the injury, Setton said. Its a whole different type of arthritis development that we dont know a whole lot about, but we believe we can intervene early with new drug delivery and treatments, and prevent onset at a later stage.

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Etanercept vs. Monoclonal Antibody Tx Assessed in Rheumatoid Arthritis – Monthly Prescribing Reference (registration)

Friday, February 10th, 2017
Etanercept vs. Monoclonal Antibody Tx Assessed in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Monthly Prescribing Reference (registration)
HealthDay News For patients with rheumatoid arthritis, etanercept is associated with lower risk for general infections and tuberculosis compared with monoclonal antibody treatment, according to a meta-analysis published online February 3 in the ...

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Bacteria links Crohn’s disease, arthritis, researchers find – Cornell Chronicle

Friday, February 10th, 2017

Dr. Kenneth Simpson/College of Veterinary Medicine

E. coli bacteria (red), which are abundant in the immunoglobulin-A-coated microbiota of patients with a Crohn's disease-associated condition called spondyloarthritis, promote systemic inflammation. The blue circular structures depict the nuclei of cells called epithelial cells.

Patients with Crohns disease, a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes abdominal pain and diarrhea, can also experience joint pain. In Crohns disease, which affects about 800,000 Americans, the immune system can attack not only the bowels, but the musculoskeletal system as well, leading to spondyloarthritis, a painful condition that affects the spine and joints.

Research published Feb. 8 in Science Translational Medicine helps explain the connection between these seemingly unrelated symptoms, and could help physicians identify Crohns disease patients who are more likely to develop spondyloarthritis, enabling them to prescribe more effective therapies for both conditions.

New technology helped the researchers identify a type of E. coli bacteria found in people with Crohns disease that can trigger inflammation associated with spondyloarthritis, according to the study led by principal investigator Dr. Randy Longman and scientists from the Jill Roberts Center for Inflammatory Bowel Disease at NewYork-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medicine and the Jill Roberts Institute for Research in Inflammatory Bowel Disease at Weill Cornell Medicine, microbiologists at Cornells College of Veterinary Medicine, and rheumatologists at the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS).

The researchers used fecal samples from patients with IBD to identify bacteria in the gut that were coated with antibodies called immunoglobulin-A (IgA) that fight infection. Using flow cytometry, in which fluorescent probes are used to detect IgA-coated bacterial species, the researchers discovered that IgA-coated E. coli were abundant in fecal samples from patients with both Crohns disease and spondyloarthritis. Using patient samples and mouse models, they then linked these bacteria to cells that help regulate inflammation, known as Th17 cells, in people with autoimmune disorders.

Our findings may allow us to develop diagnostic tools to stratify Crohns patients with spondyloarthritis symptoms as well as patients at risk, said senior author Longman, assistant professor of medicine and director of the Jill Roberts Institute Longman Lab at Weill Cornell Medicine.

The investigators found that patients with Crohns disease and spondyloarthritis had higher levels of Th17 cells and that a protein called IL-23 triggers their activity. With the recent FDA approval of an anti-IL-23 medication for Crohns disease called ustekinumab, the findings may help physicians select therapies that target symptoms of both the bowels and the joints in these patients, Longman said.

Just sequencing the gut flora gives you an inventory of the bacteria, but does not tell you how they are perceived by the host immune system, said co-author Dr. Kenneth Simpson, professor of small animal medicine at the College of Veterinary Medicine, whose laboratory characterized theE. coli identified in the study. This approach is giving you a functional readout versus just an inventory.

Longman led the translational study along with co-author Dr. Ellen Scherl, director of the Roberts Center at NewYork-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medicine and the Jill Roberts Professor of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine, in collaboration with HSS rheumatologists and co-authors Dr. Lisa Mandl and Dr. Sergio Schwartzman. Initial funding for the work was provided by a pilot seed grant to foster collaborations between researchers in Ithaca and New York City, and has since been funded by the New York Crohns Foundation, the Charina Endowment Fund, the Center for Advanced Digestive Care, the Jill Roberts Institute for Research in IBD and the National Institutes of Health.

We knew there was smoke, but we didn't know where the fire was, said Simpson, who added that each collaborator provided unique expertise to uncover the findings. If we can block the ability of bacteria to induce inflammation, we may be able to kick Crohns disease and spondyloarthritis into remission.

Longman added: In IBD therapy, this is a step toward precision medicine to be able to clinically and biologically characterize a subtype of disease and then select the medicine that would best fit the patient with this type of inflammation. The results of this innovative study will start to inform our decision of which of our available medications will give the best chance of helping the individual patient.

Jen Singer is an editorial consultant for Weill Cornell Medicine.

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8 Women Share The Diet Changes They Made To Get Their Rheumatoid Arthritis Under Control – Prevention.com

Thursday, February 9th, 2017

Prevention.com
8 Women Share The Diet Changes They Made To Get Their Rheumatoid Arthritis Under Control
Prevention.com
An estimated 1.5 million Americans suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, and it can sometimes feel like there are just as many theories about how to manage its symptoms. "There's no one-size-fits-all approach," says Ashley Boynes-Shuck, who's been living ...

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‘Lifestyle is important in treating arthritis’ | Ahmedabad News – Times … – Times of India

Wednesday, February 8th, 2017

AHMEDABAD: City-based rheumatologist Dr Vishnu Sharma, at a press meet on Tuesday, spoke about an alarming increase in incidence of arthritis in people, especially younger people, and how a lack of awareness is causing health problems and deformities."There are as many as a hundred types of arthritis, of which more than 90% are curable if diagnosed on time. Some 80% to 90% of patients respond positively to treatment. We want to improve these results and hence want to raise awareness about rheumatology," Dr Sharma said. Dr Sharma then shed more light on 'inflammatory arthritis', the type more prevalent among young and middle-aged people. According to Dr Sharma, inflammatory arthritis has two causes, the first is a genetic tendency and the second is environmental factors like simple viral infections or physical and mental stress. About the influence of lifestyle on arthritis, Dr Sharma said: "Experts have found significant correlation between smoking and arthritis.Arthritis, conventionally a problem for old people and women, is increasing in male patients and the severity is greater in men who are frequent smokers." Dr Sharma said that as part of healthy lifestyle, the patient should have minimal stress levels, a high protein diet and should engage in exercise and yoga.

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What to Know About the Link Between Vitamin D and Psoriatic Arthritis – Health.com

Wednesday, February 8th, 2017

If you have psoriatic arthritis, you may have heard that people withthe conditionwhich causes painful, swollen, stiff jointsoften havelow levels ofvitamin D.In a 2015 study published in Arthritis Research & Therapy, researchers found that 40.9% of participants with psoriatic arthritis had a vitamin D deficiency, compared to 26.7% of control participants.Other autoimmune diseases have also been linked to low levels of the sunshine vitamin (so-called because the body produces vitamin D when it's exposed to sunlightyou can also get some vitamin Dfrom food, but sunshine is the main source). In the same study as above, 40.5% of rheumatoid arthritis patients were found to havea deficiency, as did 57.8% of psoriasis patients in earlier research from the British Journal of Dermatology.

Experts believe inflammation may have something to do with this.Autoimmune diseases like psoriatic arthritis and psoriasisinvolve an inflammation process,explainsWaseem Mir, MD, a rheumatologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City."We think that inflammation causes a decrease in vitamin D," he told Health."[Its] not because [people] dont have enough vitamin D in their body, but theyre not processing it correctly."

It makes sense. The body needs vitamin D to absorb calcium. Both calcium and vitamin D work to promotehealthy bones, and vitamin D also seems to be involved in proper functioning of the immune system. And the bones and immune systemare both compromised in people who have psoriatic arthritis.

RELATED: 31 Ways to Manage Your Psoriatic Arthritis

Dr. Mir points out that there's been some research to suggest that vitamin D treatment may help ease joint pain in certain people with psoriatic arthritis. One such treatment is vitamin D supplements.If you have psoriatic arthritis, speak to your doctor about your vitamin D levels to find out if supplements are right for you.

Another treatment is phototherapy (careful exposure to ultraviolet rays), but there isn't enough research to recommend this for psoriatic arthritis patients.And although you can feel free to add morevitamin D-rich foods to your plate (think: fatty fish like salmon and tuna, certain kinds of mushrooms, and fortified milk) it's unlikely that you'd be able to reverse a true deficiency through diet alone.

In his own practice, Dr. Mir usually prescribes liquid vitamin D to patients, which he says helps get a better response.

"That is the most effective," he says. "A lot of it is absorbed through the mouth."

However, it is possible to get too much vitamin D, which can result in a build-up of calcium in the bloodand possibly lead to nausea, vomiting, and kidney problems.Speak to your doctor before adding any new supplements to your diet.

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Kaden Hadfield, 5, died from arthritis after doctors failed to diagnose … – Metro

Tuesday, February 7th, 2017

Kaden Hadfield was just five years old when he died from arthritis (Picture: MEN)

A five-year-old boy who suffered arthritis so bad he could barely walk at times died after doctors failed to diagnose him, his family has said.

Kaden Hadfield attended hospital more than 20 times over a two-year course, but nobody diagnosedhis arthritis and sent him home with Calpol and Ibuprofen.

Despite the pain and struggling to walk at times, Kaden continued to go to school.

It was only when he was finally referred to Alder Hey two years after his symptoms began that he was diagnosed and prescribed steroids.

But by that time the disease had ravaged his body and although treatment seemed to work at first, he sadly died.

Mum Caitlin Tattersall, 25, from Bolton, and dad Lee Hadfield, 29, of Oldham, are now awaiting an inquest this month, when they hope to discover the truth surrounding his death.

Meanwhile, the Trust which runs Blackpool Hospital where he was originally treated has confirmed launching a case review into his treatment.

Caitlin, who lived in Blackpool at the time after she and Lee separated, said: It was heartbreaking, the last time I saw Kaden he was in intensive care, they had his chest open, I could see his heart and lungs.

They tried to save him for 13 hours. But I dont understand. I feel like if Kaden had just had the medication he needed earlier he would be here today.

He had been so unwell for so long he never even complained from the pain, but he needed help. I was taking him to school he was sitting through it and not complaining.

It took two years to get Kaden an appointment at Alder Hey, they diagnosed him straight away but it was too late.

The familys ordeal began two years ago, when Kaden woke up one day with pain in one of his ankles, which a GP diagnosed as a sprain.

But the pain grew worse, and 18 months ago later when it moved to his other ankle, Caitlin took him to Blackpool Victoria Hospitals A&E.

Blood tests showed him to have a vitamin D deficiency and anaemia.

In hospital for a week, he was discharged with a bottle of Calpol and Ibuprofen as well as vitamin D and iron tablets.

The pain spread to Kadens knees then all his joints.

Referred to Rheumatology at Blackpool, Caitlin claims they gave him more Calpol despite an ultrasound showing tissue damage.

Caitlin added: It was worse in the morning, he couldnt walk, he couldnt even scratch his own nose his hands were so swollen and stiff.

We got referred to a physio the therapist said I was doing too much for Kaden and thats why he wasnt able to do things himself. I felt like I was banging my head against a brick wall.

At Blackpool Hospital, blood tests showed again showed that he was anaemic, despite the iron tablets.

Finally, after months of delays, Kaden got an appointment at Alder Hey Hospital, where doctors were so shocked they suspected leukaemia.

They diagnosed systemic onset juvenile arthritis and started a course of steroids which immediately began to ease his pain.

But the arthritis was already attacking Kadens joints and organs and he was placed on a high dependency unit.

After six weeks in hospital, he finally turned a corner and his family celebrated with the nurses as he took his first steps in months.

But the next day, Kaden complained of a stabbing pain in his stomach and he was taken to intensive care where his heart stopped.

Caitlin added: They had all these wires on him, they had to open his chest, I could see his heart and his lungs. They were trying to stop him bleeding but it was just pouring from him.

I knew he was going and there was nothing they could do. I was just screaming at them to try.

Kaden died the following day and doctorstold the family it was caused by sepsis as a result of his arthritis.

Caitlin, who is training to be a social worker, added: I want to know exactly what happened.

I want everyone to know. How can a healthy boy go from having a sore ankle two years ago to being gone?

Im training to be a social worker, I know what the standards should be.

Why did it take so long to get a diagnosis?

Describing Kaden as loving, kind and caring, she added: If he was in pain he would just entertain himself, play on his computer. When his friends came round Sometimes he was too weak to play with them. I had to take him to school in a pram in the end, he didnt like it, he said everyone would think he was a baby.

He was in agony every day and he never moaned. Everyone who ever met him loved him.

A spokesman for Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: Our thoughts are with Kadens family at this sad time. Upon hearing of his death the trust initiated a case review which is ongoing and is standard procedure in all childrens deaths.

A spokeswoman for Alder Hey Childrens NHS Foundation Trust said: Our thoughts remain with the family at this extremely difficult time.

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Muscle Speed Affects Arthritis Prevention as Much as Strength, Study Finds – West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Tuesday, February 7th, 2017

Studies have found that strengthening the quadriceps or thigh muscles may help prevent knee osteoarthritis. But a new study has found that how fast the quadricep muscle is able to generate force for example pushing the leg out may impact knee osteoarthritis too.

More than a third of West Virginian adults report experiencing arthritis, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The studys authors followed 3,996 participants for 12 months, 3,820 for 24 months and 3,623 for 36 months. They measured quadricep speed and force by using a special chair with a cable that recorded muscle strength when pushing the leg out. They also tested how well participants walked for 20 and 400 meters and how well the participant was able to stand from after being seated in a chair. Finally, participants completed self-assessments of how well they were able to do daily activities like bathing, getting in a car and getting dressed.

The studys authors found that people with slower muscle responses are more likely to suffer from worse physical function in the future.

We know that maintaining quadriceps strength is important for protection against painful knee OA, said Neil Segal, one of the studys authors. Now, we know the ability to move the muscle quickly is important for keeping people able to walk, stand from a chair and do other functional activities.

Appalachia Health Newsis a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, with support from theBenedumFoundation, Charleston Area Medical Center andWVUMedicine.

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GB Sciences Files Patent Application for the Treatment of Chronic Arthritis, Crohn’s Disease, Inflammatory Bowel … – Investing News Network (press…

Tuesday, February 7th, 2017

GB Sciences, Inc. (OTCQB:GBLX) announced filing the second in a series of patent applications for life science inventions by its wholly-owned subsidiary, Growblox Life Sciences, LLC.

Inflammatory disorders represent a serious health and economic burden in the US with over $200 billion spent annually. GB Sciences novel cannabis-based therapies could significantly help both patients and society. According to the CDC, arthritis affects 22.7% (52.5 million) of adults in the US (2010-2012), and the prevalence is projected to increase to an estimated 26% (78 million of the projected total adult population) by 2040. The total costs associated with arthritis were $128 billion in 2003, and they have been increasing over time. Additionally, 8.6% (7 million) children and 7.4% (17.8 million) adults had asthma (2014), which costs the US $56 billion per year. Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), which includes Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis) affected between 1 and 1.3 million people in the US (2007). Per the CDC, IBD is an expensive, chronic disease, which cost the US $11.8 billion in 2008, despite the lower prevalence rates.

The current provisional patent application covers cannabinoid-containing complex mixtures (CCCM) capable of preventing and treating a spectrum of inflammatory disorders. The application focuses on the use of CCCM to disrupt the signaling pathways in certain immune cells that lead to the initiation and maintenance of inflammatory responses. Both common and uncommon inflammatory disorders, ranging from chronic arthritis to acute responses to insect stings, are likely to be effectively targeted by this therapeutic approach.

Although inflammatory reactions are a necessary part of human immunity in some situations (e.g., fighting pathogens), humans (and animals) suffer from multiple inflammatory disorders involving hyper-inflammatory responses. Our novel CCCM strategically target multiple arms of these hyper-inflammatory responses in parallel for maximal effect, rather than inhibiting a single arm like other commonly available anti-inflammatory therapies, explains Dr. Andrea Small-Howard, Chief Science Officer of GB Sciences. For example, anti-histamines are partly effective, but leave untouched those inflammatory pathways that lead to release of other pro-inflammatory mediators, such as bioactive lipids and cytokines. GB Sciences approach is to simultaneously target as many inflammatory outputs as possible with our CCCM, leading to more comprehensive relief from tissue inflammation.

John Poss, CEO, GB Sciences states: GB Sciences is committed to developing cannabis-based therapies for inflammatory disorders that affect large numbers of patients (arthritis, dermatitis, allergic asthma, eczema, IBD, Crohns disease, etc.). Our CCCM products will be developed to the same efficacy and safety standards as other commercially available anti-inflammatory therapies; however, cannabis-based medicines often have more favorable side effect profiles than traditional pharmaceuticals.

About GB Sciences, Inc.

GB Sciences, Inc. (GBLX) is a diverse cannabis company, focused on standardized cultivation and production methods; as well as biopharmaceutical research and development. The Companys goal is creating safe, standardized, pharmaceutical-grade, cannabinoid therapies that target a variety of medical conditions. To learn more about GB Sciences, Inc., go to: http://growblox.com

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain statements relating to future results or events, which are forward-looking statements. Words such as expects, intends, plans, may, could, should, anticipates, likely, believes and words of similar import may identify forward-looking statements. These statements are not historical facts, but instead represent only the Companys belief regarding future events, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of the Companys control. It is possible that the Companys actual results and financial condition may differ, possibly materially, from the anticipated results and financial condition indicated in these forward-looking statements. Further, information concerning the Company and its business, including factors that potentially could materially affect the Companys business and financial and other results, are contained in the Companys filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, available at http://www.sec.gov. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are made only as of the date of this press release, and we do not undertake any obligation to publicly update or correct any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that subsequently occur or of which we hereafter become aware.

Note: Although the Companys research and development activities are not illegal, the production and sale of cannabis products violate federal laws as they presently exist.

Contact Information

Corporate: GB Sciences, Inc., 3550 West Teco Ave., Las Vegas, NV 89118 866-721-0297, or Liz Bianco Publicity Director, liz@gbsciences.com, http://growblox.com Investors: John Poss, j.poss@gbsciences.com

creating safe, standardized, pharmaceutical-grade, cannabinoid therapies that target a variety of medical conditions. To learn more about GB Sciences, Inc., go to: http://growblox.com

SOURCE Growblox Sciences, Inc.

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Health Short: Arthritis pain supplements fare poorly in new study – Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Tuesday, February 7th, 2017

Arthritis pain supplements fare poorly in new study

Many people take glucosamine and chondroitin supplements for arthritis pain, but a controlled trial has found no evidence that the combination works. In fact, in this study, the placebo worked better.

Spanish researchers randomized 164 men and women with knee osteoarthritis to take a single daily dose of 1,500 milligrams of glucosamine and 1,200 of chondroitin, or an identical looking placebo. The study is in Arthritis & Rheumatology.

The researchers used a scale that shows 10 faces with increasingly pained expressions and asks patients which picture matches their degree of pain. People who took the medicines had a 19 percent reduction in pain scores after six months on the regimen. But those who took the placebo had a 33 percent reduction.

On scales measuring how well the knee worked, there was no difference between the treatment and control groups.

A lot of money is spent on these drugs, and people have thought they were useful to decrease pain and increase function, said the senior author, Dr. Gabriel Herrero-Beaumont, a professor of medicine at the Autonomous University of Madrid. But its difficult to demonstrate that they work. We have not found any kind of pharmacological effect of these drugs.

Nicholas Bakalar, The New York Times

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Local effects of adipose tissue in psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis – Dove Medical Press

Tuesday, February 7th, 2017

Back to Browse Journals Psoriasis: Targets and Therapy Volume 7

Ilja L Kruglikov,1 Uwe Wollina2

1Scientific Department, Wellcomet GmbH, Karlsruhe, 2Department of Dermatology and Allergology, Hospital Dresden-Friedrichstadt Academic Teaching Hospital of the Technical University of Dresden, Dresden, Germany

Abstract: The structure and physiological state of the local white adipose tissue (WAT) located underneath the lesional psoriatic skin and inside of the joints affected by psoriatic arthritis play an important role in the pathophysiology of these diseases. WAT pads associated with inflammatory sites in psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis are, correspondingly, dermal WAT and articular adipose tissue; these pads demonstrate inflammatory phenotypes in both diseases. Such local WAT inflammation could be the primary effect in the pathophysiology of psoriasis leading to the modification of the local expression of adipokines, a change in the structure of the basement membrane and the release of keratinocytes with consequent epidermal hyperproliferation during psoriasis. Similar articular adipose tissue inflammation can lead to the induction of structural modifications and synovial inflammation in the joints of patients with psoriatic arthritis.

Keywords: psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, pathophysiology, adipose tissue, dermal adipocytes, articular adipose tissue

This work is published and licensed by Dove Medical Press Limited. The full terms of this license are available at https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php and incorporate the Creative Commons Attribution - Non Commercial (unported, v3.0) License. By accessing the work you hereby accept the Terms. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. For permission for commercial use of this work, please see paragraphs 4.2 and 5 of our Terms.

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Rheumatoid arthritis and feet: The connection and feet arthritis pain relief tips – Bel Marra Health

Monday, February 6th, 2017

Home Anti-Aging Arthritis Rheumatoid arthritis and feet: The connection and feet arthritis pain relief tips

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease involving the immune system, in which joints undergo inflammation. causing pain and stiffness.People with rheumatoid arthritis generally find difficulty performing simple movements that involve the joints, such as walking, standing up, and sitting down.

This condition has also affected individual performance at work or school, prompting the medical field to identify an effective treatment. Having this inflammatory condition affecting the joints may also be responsible for certain emergency visits to the hospital, especially when a person suffers from a decreased ability to operate a motor vehicle or machine. In other cases, visits to the emergency room may be due to extreme pain experienced by a patient with rheumatoid arthritis.

Common treatment plans for rheumatoid arthritis include anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen. It is also possible to prescribe disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, although this type of treatment may also increase the risk of developing severe side effects, which may also require emergency medical attention. More recent improvements in treatment include the use of biologics, which are proteins that influence the immune system to slow down the progression of rheumatoid arthritis.

In extreme cases of rheumatoid arthritiswhere drug treatment appears to be ineffectivesurgery may also be recommended. It is important to understand that this disorder involves the immune system and the joints, and may also decrease the ability of a person to move. Many emergency calls involving the elderly are caused by rheumatoid arthritis increasing slips and falls.

Based on the severity of rheumatoid arthritis and its association with emergency medical treatments caused by accidents, health groups and researchers have looked into specific signs and symptoms that could be detected at an early stage. Using this information, people who are at a higher risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis may be educated on how to maintain their healthy bodies at an earlier age and possibly prevent the development of this immune system-related inflammatory disease. This information may also decrease the incidence of emergency visits to the hospital and ultimately lower the need for aggressive treatment of the disease.

According to a recent medical report, the features of the feet may serve as a reliable indicator for signs of rheumatoid arthritis at its early stages and the condition of an individuals immune system. For example, the ankle is composed of several joints and generally responsible for the stability of the body while standing upright. Any signs of stiffness, swelling, and pain in the ankle may indicate that this foot area may need emergency treatment in order to prevent further deterioration.

The report presented the findings of 100 individuals with rheumatoid arthritis who were interviewed during their earlier stages of the disease. The results of the study showed that the earliest symptoms of foot problems involved the ankle, followed by the forefoot. Years after, these individuals also experienced pain and stiffness in the hindfoot and midfoot. The study participants also admitted that they used insoles as primary treatment of the pain they encounter in their feet. The report also showed that aside from early foot problems, these patients also presented higher body weight, so it is possible that the rheumatoid arthritis development was faster due to this specific feature.

This recent medical report provides direct proof that certain foot features could serve as indicators of rheumatoid arthritis.

Below are some tips that may help you manage foot pain caused by arthritis. Be sure to check with your doctor before making any changes to your pain relief regimen.

Visit your doctor: The first step in seeking pain relief should always be to see your doctor to obtain a proper diagnosis. Your family doctor can refer you to a podiatrist or rheumatologist, who will check your feet annually to look for signs of arthritis and evaluate if any medications or exercise regimens are working.

Pick the right shoes: Ensure that your shoes have arch support, are wide enough for your feet, and are comfortable enough to minimize any pain you may feel. Toning athletic shoes with rocker bottoms are a good choice for a supportive, comfortable shoe.

Stretch: Stretching your Achilles tendons, along with the tendons in the balls of your feet and toes, can help improve joint mobility and relieve pain.

Get a foot massage: A foot massage that focuses on the balls of your feet and your toes can help relax the muscles in your feet and provide pain relief.

Topical ointments: Ointments that contain capsaicin can help reduce inflammation when applied topically to problem areas. Try using one of these creams or ointments on your feet for arthritis pain relief.

Related: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA): Causes, symptoms, and treatment

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New Synthetic Cartilage Being Used To Treat Common Foot Arthritis – CBS Local

Monday, February 6th, 2017

February 3, 2017 6:18 PM

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) Logan Snyder has grown up playing softball, but then her big toes started to bother her.

Once I got to about 12 or 13, says Logan, I started to experience some pain and it just sort of escalated from there.

Her problem: hallux rigidus, or arthritis of the big toes the most common form of arthritis in the foot. The joint degenerates and becomes stiff.

Steps, walking, even just standing became agony.

Aching, almost like a stabbing. Any time the toe would bend, it would hurt. So that was pretty much all the time, Logan said.

Usual measures include shoe inserts, rocker sole shoes, anti-inflammatories, and steroid injections.

Logan had a number of operations to cut away some of the toe bones to relieve pressure, but it didnt help, and she got sick from the pain medicines after surgery.

She sought another opinion from West Penn Hospital foot orthopedist Dr. Victor Prisk, who brought up a new synthetic cartilage.

Its a hydrogel, kind of brings in water. Almost like a contact lens can breathe and bring in water, says Dr. Prisk. Its almost squishy, but firm. It has very similar wear characteristics to our own human cartilage.

It was just approved by the FDA a few months ago. So, Logan was a little hesitant.

Not only is it brand new, but its brand new to him, as well. It was his first one if I remember correctly. So that made me a little nervous, and the fact that it was approved the morning of my surgery, which I didnt know until afterwards, Logan said.

The procedure involves drilling the end of the toe bone and inserting the implant with a special instrument.

The other main surgical option is to fuse the bones together. You gain pain relief, but lose motion.

Using a plug of synthetic cartilage has some advantages.

When they come back in for the two-week post-op visit, they have more motion than they had after any other procedure. And they have more pain relief than with the other procedure, which has been amazing even to me, because I did not expect that, says Dr. Prisk. Its a very fast recovery compared to other procedures. Most people are kind of getting into a shoe within three weeks.

Aside from passive stretching prevent stiffness, there is no required physical therapy.

I had to do it a couple times a day. Just pull it back and like hold it there for as long as I could, which was really rough. But, it was necessary, though, says Logan.

In studies, there is a 4 percent failure rate. The implant was removed because the foot pain persisted, not because there were any problems with the implant. Its not for patients with gout, rheumatoid arthritis certain deformities, or for patients under 18.

It is covered by insurance, but out of pocket, the implant itself runs about $3,500.

I have a lot of movement out of it compared to the previous surgeries, Logan said. Im not quite up to running yet, but walking is still good, going up stairs is good. So, now that I can do that without pain, its just a huge change. Its really nice.

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Local woman honored for arthritis advocacy – Brainerd Dispatch

Monday, February 6th, 2017

For more than 8 years, Sundquist has been learning to manage and overcome juvenile rheumatoid arthritisa diagnosis she received when she was 7 years old, according to a news release. Now, as a young adult, she is becoming an outspoken advocate for the Arthritis Foundation.

As the Arthritis Foundation's signature, national fundraising event, the Walk to Cure Arthritis brings together communities to fight arthritis and is a great way to experience the power of giving back to your community. The local Walk to Cure Arthritis is May 20 at the Paul Bunyan Trailhead in Baxter. For more information, visit http://www.walktocurearthritis.org/northernlakes or call Brekka Nessler at 651-229-5368.

In the United States, more than 50 million adults and 300,000 children live with arthritis and it affects one in five Americans. The Walk to Cure Arthritis will help those living with arthritis by supporting programs, research and advocacy initiatives as well as fund crucial research aimed at finding a cure for the disease.

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Fred Lee’s Social Network: Full house for arthritis poker; sipping wine to aid Cambodia children; Year of the … – The Province

Monday, February 6th, 2017

Dianne Watts, the MP for South Surrey White Rock, and Liberal MLA hopeful Karen Wang, right, helped usher in the Year of the Rooster at the Bell Centre for Performing Arts. Fred Lee / Postmedia News

John and Nina Cassils once again fronted their eighth annual Taste the World Gala benefiting Cambodias Angkor Childrens Hospital.

After vacationing and falling in love with Myanmar and its people, the couple has rallied others to visit, and created Taste the World to support Cambodias Ankor Childrens Hospital a non-profit pediatrics teaching hospital and the countrys need for better health education and care.

As usual, a raucous crowd filled the Four Seasons Hotel ballroom in Vancouver for the wine and cheese grazer and fundraising event, held in partnership with the Import Vitners and Spirits Association.

Brenda McAllister and Karen Carmichael steered this years tipple fest the first major wine shindig of 2017. Oenophiles sipped and swirled to their hearts content, while bidding on an array of silent and live auction items in support of the worthy cause.

Event emcees Sophie Lui and Brad Jefferson saw for themselves the need to support the effort. Their travel stories to Southeast Asia along with others in the room buoyed the well-heeled crowd to empty their designer purses and wallets of $180,000 and change.

The impressive tally pushed the Cassils humanitarian efforts beyond the $1 million mark. The evenings proceeds will treat some 35,000 children this year who otherwise would not be able to afford health care, says McAllister.

Nina and John Cassils Taste the World event in Vancouver has generated more than $1 million for Cambodias Angkor Childrens Hospital, thanks to the generosity of friends and British Columbians.

Brenda McAllister and Karen Carmichael held the prestigious positions as event co-chairs of the annual Taste the World tipple fest. Their efforts resulted in $180,000 being raised which will help treat some 35,000 patients at the non-profit pediatrics hospital.

Goldcorps David Garofalo escorted his girlfriend Christie King to the wine and cheese grazer at the Four Seasons Hotel in Vancouver. The eighth annual event netted organizers $180,000 for Angkor Childrens Hospital.

Bill Sanford and Danielle Roberts of Appellation Wine offered oenophiles a taste of their Rocca delle Macie wines from Italy and Lake Sonoma wines from California.

After visiting the Angkor Childrens Hospital in Cambodia, Richard and Heidi Coglon were moved to help the children and families there that otherwise could not afford to access basic health care.

The White Rock Chinese Association ushered in the Year of the Rooster at the Bell Performing Arts Centre.

A gala celebration featuring 80 international and local musicians, singers and dancers, the Spring China at White Rock festival sponsored by local developer Landmark Premier Properties benefited the Peace Arch Hospital Foundation and its $15 million ER Campaign.

Several hundred guests, including a gaggle of glad-handing politicos, took in the multicultural arts extravaganza. The yearly party which began in South Surreys Life Church marked its sophomore year at the Bell Centre; a recognition of the growing Chinese community in White Rock and South Surrey.

Yours truly orchestrated the live auction in advance of the two-hour gala performance led by WRCA president Joanne Ding, Landmark PropertiesRaymond Chen and event emcee Lisa Wu.

Auction proceeds contributed to the $18,000 haul. That number quickly rose when Landmark matched every dollar. Not to be outdone, Dave and Rani Mann of Isle of Mann Construction further matched donations.

Before the final curtain fell on the cultural exchange, $72,000 was presented to hospital foundation chair Siobhan Philips and executive director Stephanie Beck.

Stella Chen and Bingqing Lin were among a host of local and international musicians, singers and dancers that performed at the Spring China at White Rock New Year Festival.

Building community, Raymond Chens Landmark Properties sponsored, and Jennifer Dings White Rock Chinese Association produced, the multicultural extravaganza Spring China at White Rock.

Beneficiary of the Chinese New Year party, Peace Arch Hospital Foundation board chair Siobhan Philips and executive director Stephanie Beck collected a $72,000 cheque for its ER Fundraising Campaign.

More than 650,000 British Columbians young and old live with arthritis. And three out of five people are under the age of 65.

The idea that there are more than 100 types of arthritis, and that many can be devastating, debilitating and even fatal, is shocking.

Putting a spotlight on an underestimated, often invisible disease, the B.C. and Yukon chapter of the Arthritis Society presented its inaugural All-in for Arthritis Poker Gala.

Fronted by party chair Dave Turner, tournament chair Sameer Ismailand executive directorChristine Basque, a capacity crowd filled the Stanley Park Pavilion for the charity poker tournament and a chance to play a hand to send kids with arthritis to summer camp.

Celebrating its 35th year, the Arthritis Camp provides a unique opportunity for children to meet others who understand what its like to grow up with the disorder.

Keynote speakerAdrienne Dalla-Longa knows first hand the magic of the camp. Diagnosed with juvenile arthritis, she had to wear ankle, knee and wrist braces in school, and was prevented from participating in many activities.

Bullied by peers who did not understand why she was unable to play, the camp introduced her to others with shared challenges and highlighted she was not alone in her journey. Dalla-Longas compelling story helped table $85,000 for the society.

Rheumatologist Dr. Jean Gillies was all-in for Samantha Rogers poker charity tournament. The inaugural event raised $85,000 for the Arthritis Societys B.C. and Yukon chapter.

Arthritis ambassador Adrienne Dalla-Longa joined Arthritis Society executive director Christine Basque and gala emcee Dawn Chubai for all the fun and games at the Stanley Park Pavilion.

Tournament chair Sameer Ismail congratulated Clark Wilsons Ryan Tam, the inaugural winner of the Arthritis Societys All-In for Kids Poker Championship. Monies will go toward sending children with arthritis to summer camp.

Drew McArthur, past chair of the national board of The Arthritis Society, and his wife Heather, helped mark the 35th anniversary of the arthritis kids camp, a summer program that gives children with arthritis the chance to meet others who live with similar challenges and to make lasting memories.

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Discovery of new T-cell subtype opens window on rheumatoid … – Science Daily

Monday, February 6th, 2017

A research team led by scientists from Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) has carefully scrutinized the immune cells from patients with rheumatoid arthritis, revealing a striking new subset of T-cells that collaborate with other immune cells to drive inflammation in peripheral tissues. The work, which was propelled by technologies that enable the detailed analysis of even a handful of cells, opens a critical window on the biology of the disease and suggests a strategy for the development of more precise, powerful treatments. The study appears in the February 1st advance online edition of the journal Nature.

"While the newest therapies for rheumatoid arthritis have helped transform our ability to treat the disease, they are fairly blunt instruments -- blocking components of the immune system in a non-specific, global way," said first author Deepak Rao, who co-directs the Human Immunology Center at BWH. "Our results help illuminate a path toward treatments that are much more precise and focused only on the most relevant immune cells."

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition in which the immune system attacks the joints, causing inflammation, pain, and eventually destruction of the tissues that make up this essential body part. The disorder affects roughly 1 percent of the world's population, and disproportionately afflicts women. Although there is significant evidence implicating T-cells -- particularly their interactions with B-cells, which produce antibodies -- it has been unclear which T-cell subtypes help orchestrate the damaging immune responses that underlie rheumatoid arthritis.

Rao, together with senior author Michael Brenner, set out to explore these questions by studying patient samples in remarkable detail not achieved in earlier studies. This "disease deconstruction" approach relies on sophisticated technologies, such as mass cytometry, which allowed the researchers to rapidly sift through blood, joint tissue, and the fluid surrounding joints to isolate specific cells, defined by the assortment of molecules on their surfaces. Rao and his colleagues also harnessed RNA sequencing methods that can characterize even very small numbers of cells, revealing which genes are turned on or off.

By using these and other high-tech tools, the researchers homed in on a unique population of T-cells that are highly prevalent in the joints of rheumatoid arthritis patients. These cells, a kind of CD4+ or "helper" T-cell, represent roughly one-quarter of the helper T-cells found in patients' joints. Yet abundance is not their only noteworthy attribute.

"These cells don't adhere to the conventional view of helper T-cells, and that is really interesting," said Rao.

By taking a deep look at these unique helper T-cells, Rao and his colleagues discovered that they display some unusual biological features. These T-cells are programmed to infiltrate parts of the body that are inflamed, and there they stimulate B-cells to produce antibodies. Antibodies are specialized proteins that usually recognize foreign substances and help rally the immune system to eliminate them. In autoimmune diseases, so-called autoantibodies instead recognize normal components of the human body and contribute to tissue damage. The Nature study represents the first detailed description of a type of T-cell with these features.

To extend their initial findings, the researchers seek to understand the signals that coax these cells to develop, and whether they play roles in other autoimmune diseases, such as lupus, multiple sclerosis, and type 1 diabetes. The BWH team also plans to explore whether targeting these unique T-cells hold promise as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis.

"This work is a remarkable illustration of the power of our disease deconstruction approach," said Brenner, who also directs BWH's Human Immunology Center together with Rao. "We hope it will prove equally illuminating as we apply it to other immune-mediated diseases."

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Materials provided by Brigham and Women's Hospital. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

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Drug combination effective against chikungunya arthritis in mice … – Science Daily

Monday, February 6th, 2017

Combining a drug for rheumatoid arthritis with one that targets the chikungunya virus can eliminate the signs of chikungunya arthritis in mice in the disease's earliest stage, according to researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

The findings could lead to a drug therapy for the painful, debilitating condition for which there currently is no treatment.

"We found that combining these two drugs could abolish the signs of arthritis in mice during the acute phase," said Deborah Lenschow, MD, PhD, an associate professor of medicine and the study's co-senior author, referring to the phase in the first weeks after infection.

The study is published Feb. 1 in Science Translational Medicine.

Until about a decade ago, chikungunya virus, which is transmitted by mosquitoes, mainly was restricted to East Africa and South Asia. But in recent years the virus has spread around the world. The first case originating in the Western Hemisphere was reported in late 2013, and by the end of 2015, the virus had infected an estimated 1.8 million people in the Americas.

Chikungunya infection causes fever and severe joint pain, as well as rash, muscle pain and fatigue. The majority of patients continue to experience joint pain six months after infection, and for some, the arthritis continues for years.

"We were seeing people at our rheumatology clinic whose signs and symptoms really mimicked rheumatoid arthritis but who had been infected with chikungunya," Lenschow said. "This raised the question in our minds, 'Would therapeutics we use to treat rheumatoid arthritis be of any benefit to patients with chikungunya arthritis?'"

To find out, Lenschow, co-senior author Michael Diamond, MD, PhD, and colleagues tested a panel of six rheumatoid arthritis drugs -- all approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in patients -- on mice infected with chikungunya virus.

All six drugs work by suppressing the activity of the immune system. Although different in many ways, rheumatoid arthritis and chikungunya arthritis both involve out-of-control immune activity in the joints.

The researchers injected seven groups of mice with the virus and three days later administered one of the six arthritis drugs or a placebo to each group of mice. A week after infection -- when the mice's arthritis signs were at their peak -- the researchers measured the amount of swelling around the joints as well as the numbers of immune cells and molecules in the affected areas.

Two of the drugs -- abatacept and tofacitinib -- significantly reduced the swelling and the levels of immune cells and molecules. Importantly, the levels of live virus did not increase in the animals given the immunosuppressive arthritis drugs.

"There was a significant concern that administering any immunosuppressive drug would allow the virus to escape from immune control, leading to worse outcomes in the long term," said Diamond, the Herbert S. Gasser Professor of Medicine. "We've seen that with other viruses, but in this case, none of the drugs seemed to exacerbate viral replication. This raises the possibility that these drugs can be safely investigated in humans."

The treatment was only partially successful at resolving the arthritis, however, which led the researchers to test whether adding a human antibody against chikungunya virus could improve the effectiveness.

As before, the researchers infected mice with the virus and three days later dosed them with the arthritis drug abatacept, the antiviral drug or both. Each drug individually reduced joint swelling a week after infection. But when abatacept and the antiviral drug were used together, the joint swelling and the infectious virus in the animals' joints were eliminated.

"We saw real improvement in the acute phase, but unfortunately, the drug interventions we tried failed to correct the chronic phase," Diamond said.

In humans, the chronic phase of chikungunya arthritis starts three weeks after initial infection and lasts as long as the patient continues to experience joint pain, which can be three or four years. During the chronic phase, infectious virus is no longer detectable in the joints, but viral genetic material persists and may be sufficient to trigger an ongoing immune response, causing the tissue damage that patients perceive as arthritis.

The researchers found a similar pattern in the mice treated with the drug combination: By four weeks after infection, live virus was no longer present in the animals' joints, but viral genetic material remained, suggesting that the drugs had not eliminated the chronic phase of the disease.

It is possible that a treatment that reduces arthritis symptoms in the first weeks after infection could lower the chance that the disease becomes chronic, but no data has yet been published for or against the possibility. Still, any effective treatment, even if short-lived, would be a boon for chikungunya patients, who currently have no proven treatment options. Lenschow has discussed beginning a human study with colleagues in Brazil, but plans are not yet finalized.

"In those first weeks, people are really very sick with a high fever and a lot of pain, so if further studies show that this combination treatment is effective in humans, that will have real benefits for patients," Diamond said. "As for the chronic phase, we're going to continue looking for other treatment strategies."

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Taking on Arthritis: 3 Unique Ideas for Pain Relief – Care2.com

Monday, February 6th, 2017

Few people escape the daily aches and pains that come with aging. But persistent joint pain and stiffness can be a sign of something more: arthritis.

Arthritis affects more than 50 million adults and 300,000 children, according tothe Arthritis Foundation, making it the most common cause of disabilityin America. Maybe you know a parent or grandparent who suffers from arthritis; ormaybe you deal with it yourself.

There are two types of arthritis: rheumatoid arthritis, which is an inflammatory disease, and osteoarthritis, a type that is caused by the wearing away of joint cartillage. Either way, the most common symptom is pain and stiffness around the joints knees, hips, hands, etc.

Most people who suffer from arthritis turn to solutions like pain medications and stretching exercises to find relief. However, there are a number of other natural ways to soothe arthritis pain!

Here are a few oddball ideas you may not have heard of before.

3 Unique Ideas for Arthritis Pain Relief

Drink White Willow Tea

Before there was aspirin, white willow tea was the pain killer of choice. In fact, this remedy stretches all the way back to Hippocrates, a Greek physician who was operating back in 5th century BC!

White willow contains an active ingredient called salicin, a chemical that is converted in the body into salicylic acid. Sound familiar? Its essentially a less irritating form of acetyl salicylic acid, theactive ingredient in aspirin.

How to Make White Willow Tea:

Massage Sore Joints with Olive Oil

Extra virgin olive oil (sometimes abbreviated to EVOO)has anti-inflammatory properties that can actually inhibit inflammation just like aspirin or Advil.

To soothe your joints, gently massage a bit of cold-pressed, extra virgin olive oil into your sore joints, twice daily or more. You can also take a spoonful or two internally to reap its benefits as a reducer of swelling.

Related: 4 Myths About Olive Oil Debunked

Enjoy Turmeric-Based Foods

Turmeric(an earthy yellow spice you may recognize from Indian and East Asian dishes) is well-known for its anti-inflammatory properties. Its active ingredient is a naturally-occurring chemical called curcumin, which is a powerful antioxidant that lowers the levels of the enzymes responsible for causing inflammation.

There are several ways to enjoy turmeric, so stock up on those recipes; however, the simplest way to enjoy its benefits is through delicious golden milk or a lovely turmeric and ginger tea.

How to Make Turmeric & Ginger Tea:

Arthritis is a challenging, painful disease that can be hard to manage, but you dont have to suffer without aid. Test these three natural remedies throughout your day and trust what works. You may just find the relief youve been looking for.

How do you manage arthritis in your body? Do you have any tips that may help someone else find relief?

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

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