StemCell Therapy

Home Anti-Aging Arthritis Palindromic rheumatism (a cause of rheumatoid arthritis): Causes, symptoms, and treatment

Palindromic rheumatism is a rare inflammatory condition and a precursor of rheumatoid arthritis, with about a third of patients progressing to the disease. Palindromic rheumatism is considered a form of inflammatory arthritis and is also goes by the name palindromic arthritis. It is characterized by flare-ups that start in one joint but may spread to others before settling down. Flare-ups are episodic in nature.

Due to the rarity of the condition, little research on the topic has been done. However, previously done studies have shown that during episodes of palindromic rheumatism, inflammatory cells move into the lining of the joints, promoting the characteristic redness and swelling in the affected area. What triggers this reaction is unknown, though genetic factors have been suggested. Other possible reasons could include infection, imbalance of hormones, and even trauma. Palindromic rheumatism affects both men and women equally for all ages.

Symptoms often present with sudden and recurrent attacks of painful swelling in one or more joints, with attacks lasting as long as several days or just a few hours. It is common for patients to be symptom-free between these attacks. This inflammatory action may travel from joint to joint after the initial flare-up, but soon disappears with joints feeling normal after a short period. This inflammatory reaction is not known for causing damage to the joints. Over time, some individual with this condition may develop chronic joint inflammation and go on to develop rheumatoid arthritis. Other palindromic rheumatism symptoms may include:

Odds are, if you happen to have this rare condition, your physician may not recognize it right away. The symptoms may be confused with other similarly presenting disorders, like rheumatoid arthritis, which may prompt your doctor to perform various tests in this regard, but will often come up inconclusive, further prolonging the diagnosis of palindromic rheumatism. This lack of obtaining a definite diagnosis right away will most likely lead to you seeing a specialize that the recommendation of your doctor, which will very likely lead to an accurate diagnosis of your condition. Specialists for conditions such as this are often called rheumatologists.

Unfortunately, no specific tests exist to diagnose palindromic rheumatism, but instead with the eye of a highly-trained doctor in the conditions, such as a rheumatologist, a diagnosis based on symptoms alone is often enough. This conclusion will often come after all other likely causes of similarly presenting symptoms have been ruled out become making a palindromic rheumatism diagnosis

The most effective treatment strategy aims at decreasing the amount of inflammation occurring at the joint. Your doctor may recommend taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which can be effective in decreasing inflammatory episodes, as well as for controlling pain and stiffness.

Other medication such as hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) can help lower the frequency and length of attacks. It may also reduce the probability of developing rheumatoid arthritis in the future. This medication is typically not the first choice when treating palindromic rheumatism, but may be an option if your doctor feels it is the best form of therapy in your particular case. Blood monitoring, frequent checks for side effects, along with kidney and liver monitoring are often required for drugs like these for palindromic rheumatism treatment.

If you happen to have palindromic rheumatism, there are many things to keep in mind when facing recurrent attacks. The following can help ease your symptoms:

During an attack:

Exercise: It may be useful to see a physiotherapist as they may help you find your best balance of rest and exercise. Staying active helps keep your joints working properly, but it is important to know your limits and not to overexert yourself, as palindromic rheumatism and fatigue commonly come together.

Diet: While no food has been conclusively identified to help palindromic rheumatism specifically, keeping a well-balanced diet that helps lose weight may keep you from putting excess tension and stress of your joints.

Work: A mild form of the condition is unlikely to significantly affect your work, but frequent and more severe inflammatory episodes may cause some difficulties. By making some necessary adjustments, you can cope with such symptoms more effectively. If you find you are unable to work due to your condition, there may be programs available that help those with disabilities.

Sex and pregnancy: Constant feeling of fatigue and pain may be off-putting when thinking about having sex, but during the symptom-free times between episodes, having sex should be a relatively pain-free experience. If you are looking to become pregnant and are currently taking certain medications for the treatment of palindromic rheumatism, it is best to speak to your doctor first and make the necessary medication adjustments, as they may interfere with normal fetal development.

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http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/rheumatoid-arthritis/expert-answers/palindromic-rheumatism/faq-20058516 http://www.arthritis.org/about-arthritis/types/palindromic-rheumatism/ http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/arthritis-information/conditions/palindromic-rheumatism/diagnosis.aspx http://www.healthline.com/health/palindromic-rheumatism#treatment4

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Palindromic rheumatism (a cause of rheumatoid arthritis): Causes, symptoms, and treatment - Bel Marra Health

Stem Cells 101, the Value Proposition

The Key purpose of stem cells is to maintain, heal and regenerate tissues wherever they reside in our body. This is a continuous process that occurs inside the human body throughout its life.

If we did not have stem cells, our lifespan would be about 1 hour, because there would be nothing to replace exhausted cells or damaged tissue. In addition, any time the body is exposed to any sort of toxin, the inflammatory process causes stem cells to swarm the area to repair the damage.

As an example: Say you went to the gym in the morning and did some squats. As a result of that, you would get tiny tears inside the muscle. The stem cells that reside beneath the muscle would come out and repair those little tears.

The reason that, if you continuously go to the gym, you would start to build new muscle, is because those stem cells, hard at work underneath your muscle, are helping to repair and build that new muscle. This would apply to all of the tissues inside your body.

Sure, it is easy to think of stem cell therapy as a magic bullet,but is wise to implement strategies that nourish and thereby help optimize the stem cells we already have in our body.

As noted by Kristin Comella, named # 1 on the Academy of Regenerative Practices list of Top 10 stem cell innovators, has been a stem cell researcher for nearly 20 years: You have to create an appropriate environment for these cells to function in. If you are putting garbage into your body and you are constantly burdening your body with toxins, your stem cells are getting too distracted trying to fight off those toxins.

By creating an appropriate environment, optimizing your diet and reducing exposure to toxins, that will allow the stem cells that were putting in to really home in and focus on the true issue that were trying to treat.

The other thing weve discovered over the years is that [stem cell therapy] is not the type of thing where you take one dose and youre cured forever. Our tissues are constantly getting damaged Youre going to have to repeat-dose and use those stem cells to your advantage.

When you think about a lizard that loses its tail, it takes two years to grow back the tail. Why would we put unrealistic expectations on the stem cells that were trying to apply to repair or replace damaged tissue? This is a very slow process. This is something that will occur over months and may require repeat dosing.

In the past, stem cells were isolated from bone marrow, and were used for bone marrow transplants for cancer patients since the 1930s. But, stem cells come from just about any tissue in the human body, as every tissue contains stem cells.

Human bone marrow has very low amounts of mesenchymal stem cells now believed to be the most important, from a therapeutic perspective.

Mesenchymal stem cells help trigger an immunomodulatory response or a paracrine effect, which means they send signals out to the rest of your body, calling cells to the area to help promote healing.

What researchers have discovered recently is that a more plentiful source of stem cells is actually your fat tissue. Body fat can contain up to 500X more cells than bone marrow, as far as these mesenchymal type stem cells go.

One thing that is also critically important when youre talking about isolating the cells is the number of other cells that are going to be part of that population.

When youre isolating a bone marrow sample, this actually is very high in white blood cells, which are pro-inflammatory.

White blood cells are part of your immune response. When an injury occurs, or a foreign body enters your system, white blood cells will attack. Unfortunately, white blood cells do not discriminate, and can create quite a bit of damage as they clean the area out, Ms. Comella says.

Stem cells, in particular the mesenchymal cells, quiet down the white blood cells and then start the regeneration phase, which leads to new tissue.

Bone marrow tends to be very high in white blood cells and low in the mesenchymal cells. Isolating stem cells from fat tissue is preferred not only because its easier on the patient, but fat also contains a higher population of mesenchymal cells and fewer white blood cells.

The benefit also of isolating [stem cells from] fat is that its a relatively simple procedure. Theres typically no shortage of fat tissue, especially in Americans.

Also, as you age, your bone marrow declines with regards to the number of cells in it, whereas the fat tissue maintains a pretty high number of stem cells, even in older individuals.

We can successfully harvest fat off of just about anyone, regardless of their age or how thin they are. The procedure is done under local [anesthesia], meaning that the patient stays awake. They dont have to go under general anesthesia. We can harvest as few as 15 cubic centimeters of fat, which is a very small amount of fat, and still get a very high number of stem cells, Ms. Comella says.

A stem cell procedure can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $15,000, depending on what is being done, and rarely if ever will insurance cover it.

Still, when compared it to the cost of long-term medications or the out-of-pocket cost of getting a knee replacement, stem cell therapy may still be a less expensive alternative.

Also, a single extraction will typically yield enough stem cells for 20 to 25 future treatments, should one decide to store stem cells for future needs.

I think it is accessible for patients, Ms. Comella says. Its an out-patient procedure. One should plan to be in clinic for about 2 hours; no real limitations afterwards, just no submerging in water, no alcohol, no smoking for a week. But other than that, patients can resume their normal activities and go about their regular daily lives.

Interestingly, Ms. Comella notes that patients who eat a very healthy diet, focusing on Organic and grass fed meat, have body fat that is very hearty and almost sticky, yielding high amounts of very healthy stem cells.

We can grow much better and faster stem cells from that fat than [the fat from] somebody who eats a grain-based diet or is exposed to a lot of toxins in their diet, she says. Their fat tends to be very fluffy, buttery yellow. The cells that come out of that are not necessarily as good a quality. Its just been very interesting. And of note, patients that are cigarette smokers, their fat is actually gray-tinged in color. The stem cells do not grow well at all.

The beauty of stem cell therapy is that it mimics a process that is ongoing in the human body all the time. Our stem cells are continuously promoting healing, and they do not have to be manipulated in any way. The stem cells naturally know how to hone in on areas of inflammation and how to repair damaged tissue.

All we are doing is harnessing the cells from one location where theyre sitting dormant and relocating them to exactly where we want them and we need them to work, Ms.Comella says. Basically, anything inside your body that is inflamed, that is damaged in some way, that is lacking blood supply, the [stem] cells can successfully treat.

That means orthopedics, knee injections, shoulder injections, osteoarthritis, acute injuries, anterior cruciate ligament tears in your back back pain associated with degenerative disc disease or damaged tendons or ligaments, herniated and bulging discs. You can also use it in systemic issues, everything from diabetes, to cardiac, to lungs any tissue organ inside your body thats been damaged.

Autoimmune diseases [can also be treated]. The stem cells are naturally immunosuppressant, meaning they can help quiet down an over reactive immune system and help the immune system function in a more normal way. Neurological diseases, traumatic brain injury, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinsons. All of these have to do with tissue thats not functioning properly. The cells can be used to address that.

The list of different diseases that could benefit from this intervention is very impressive.

And one can dramatically improve the benefits of stem cell intervention by combining it with other healthy lifestyle factors that optimize mitochondrial function, such as eating a healthy Real Food diet, exercising, sleeping well, avoiding toxins and detoxifying from toxic influences.

Stem cells can be used as part of an anti-aging program. Ms. Comella has used stem cells on herself for several years, and report feeling better now than she did a decade ago.

The ability to reduce inflammation inside your body is basically making yourself live longer. Inflammation is what kills us all. Its what makes our telomeres shrink. Its what causes us pain and discomfort. Its what makes the tissues start to die. The ability to dose yourself with stem cells and bring down your inflammation, which is most likely caused by any sort of toxin that youve been exposed to breathing air is exposure to toxins this is going to lengthen your lifespan.

I typically will do a dose every 6 to 12 months, regardless of whats going on. If I have anything thats bothering me, if I tweak my knee at the gym, then I absolutely will come in and do an injection in my knee. I want to keep my tissue healthy for as long as possible.

I want to stay strong. I dont want to wait until something is wrong with me. I think that this is the future of medicine. This is what were going to start to see. People will begin to get their regular doses of [their own] stem cells and itll just be common practice.

Keep in mind there is a gradual and progressive decline in the quality and the number of stem cells as we age, so when considering this approach, it would be prudent and advantageous to extract and bank stem cells as early on as possible. There are stem cell banking services available.

Your stem cells are never as young as they are right now. Every minute that you live, your telomeres are shrinking. The ability to lock in the youth of your cells today can be very beneficial for you going forward, and for your health going forward. God forbid something happens. What if you have a heart attack? Youre not going to get clearance to get a mini-lipo aspirate procedure.

If you have your cells waiting in the bank, ready for you, it becomes very easy to pull a dose and do an IV delivery of cells. Its almost criminal that were not doing this for every single one of our cardiac patients. This should be standard practice. We should be having every single patient bank their stem cells at a young age and have them waiting, ready and available. The technology is there. We have it. Im not sure why this technology is not being made available to everyone,says.

I think stem cell therapy is very different than traditional medicine. Stem cell therapy may actually make it so that you dont have to be dependent on pharmaceutical medications. You can actually repair the tissue and thats it. This is a very different way of viewing medicine,Ms. Comella says.

The amniotic products available in the US are not so much stem cell products as they are growth factor products.

According to Ms. Comella, they can be useful in creating an immunomodulatory response, which can help to promote healing, but that differs from the living stem cell procedures that can be done by either isolating cells from body fat or bone marrow. As a general rule, clinical benefits are not achieved when using an amniotic product, primarily because they do not contain living stem cells.

I want to contrast that to what are called embryonic stem cells, Ms.Comella adds. The products obtained from cord blood, from women who are having babies, are not embryonic stem cells. Embryonic stem cells are when you are first bringing the egg and sperm together. Three days after that, you can isolate what is called an inner cell mass. This inner cell mass can be used to then grow cells in culture, or that inner cell mass could eventually lead to the formation of a baby.

Those are embryonic stem cells, and those are pluripotential, meaning that they have the ability to form an entire being, versus adult stem cells or stem cells that are present in amniotic tissue, [which] are multipotential, which only have the ability to form subsets of tissue.

When dealing with different diseases or damaged tissue or inflammation, mostly you want to repair tissue. If somebody has damage in their knee, they do nnot necessarily need embryonic cells because they do not need a baby in their knee. They need new cartilage in their knee.

Stem cell therapy is very different than traditional medicine. Stem cell therapy may actually make it so that we do have to depend on pharmaceutical medications. And we can actually repair the tissue and be done with it. This is a very different way of viewing medicine.

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The 360+ joints in the human body link bones and keep our bodies flexible. Until they become painful. Physical discomfort, where bones meet to form a joint, can be mild to intensely agonizing when the joints cartilage, ligaments, tendons, or muscles become inflamed and sore. Pain in one joint may be the result of an injury, or a condition such as tendonitis. Pain in multiple joints may indicate arthritis or gout.

Many joint pain problems in the knees, hips, and shoulders can be relieved with stem cell injection therapy, according to Dr. Frank Ostir, Director, Ostir Physical Medicine in Joliet. He explains that stem cells have anti-inflammatory properties plus growth factors. They relieve pain and rebuild damaged joints by regenerating into new tissue and cartilage. Stem cells can also heal torn ligaments.

They speed up the bodys own healing abilities. Theres no risk of tissue rejection, and no toxic substances or side effects. This regenerative treatment gives the best results in the shortest amount of time, Ostir says.

This phenomenal advancement in regenerative medicine makes it possible for patients to be pain-free and possibly avoid surgery through a minimally invasive procedure performed in the office. The actual procedure takes about 15 minutes. We used guided imaging from fluoroscopy and ultrasound technology to inject the stem cells to the exact site of affliction. The stem cells are mixed with a local anesthetic and injected through a small needle, to minimize any discomfort.

Ostir continues, The patient usually rests on the day of the injection, and resumes regular activity afterwards. About 80 percent of healing occurs in the first two months of treatment, due to the rate of stem cells replicating. Its our hope that this truly amazing therapy will eliminate the need for drugs and surgery.

For more information, contact Ostir Physical Medicine, (815) 729-2022, or visit http://www.ostirphysicalmed.com.

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Stem cell therapy relieves pain, restores joints - The Herald-News

Orthopaedic Tissues transplanted into humans are dead.

Thats right: Other than hearts, livers and kidneys for that must be kept alive for immediate transplantation, any tissue that is removed from a donor or a cadaver, frozen, washed, sterilized and finally delivered to a surgeon is dead. From there it may be used in new ACL grafts, meniscus replacements, rotator cuff patches, tendons for the hands and feet the list goes on.

The surgeon relies on the patients healing ability to recognize and revive the dead donor graft. The body does this by sending scavenger cells that open up pores for the new blood vessels to bore into, lacing new blood vessels into the tissue, and finally sending specialized cells that lay down new collagen and restore the graft to life. In ligaments, this wonderful tissue regeneration process is called ligamentization; in other tissues, remodeling.

But the process of remodeling takes time, and during that period of restoration the tissue is at its weakest stage. A new injury doesnt need to be very forceful to tear the healing tissue. And any illness might slow down the process. An early return to sports might put too much stress on the graft, leading to stretchingor, in the worst case, a complete failure to remodel.

But why, in the 21st century, do we rely on nature alone to heal our repaired and replaced tissues? Fortunately, the entire field of tissue regeneration is changing rapidlyand the Stone Research Foundation is at the forefront of this research.

We are now in what I call the Anabolic Era of orthopedics, where we add stem cells, growth factors, electrical stimulation and other factors to juice up the healing process. But stem cell science is advancing so rapidly that we now have off-the-shelf products with the highest desirable concentrations of stem cells and growth factors for every application.

Stem cells are pluripotent cells that produce a wide range of healing growth factors, along with anti-inflammatory, anti-scarring, and antimicrobial agents. A 50-year-old person has 1/4 the stem cells of a teenager.

Over the last few years, in the Stone Clinic, we concentrated and combined patients own stem cells and growth factors with donor tissues before using them to rebuild ACLs and meniscus tissue. This year, we have off-the-shelf amniotic tissue with validated live cells and 2 to 50 times the growth factor concentrations that we can obtain from the patients own blood. These tissues also contain millions of cellsmany times more than the few found in older peoples bone and fat. These off-the-shelf cells are immunoprivileged, meaning they are not rejected (for the same reason a mother does not reject the baby she carries) and do not form tumors.

Here is a short table of the stem cell sources today:

Pros: very vascular with many cells

Cons: Requires a surgical procedure; cell numbers decline with age.

Pros: Marrow cells are more similar to cartilage and bone

Cons: Painful bone marrow biopsy procedure; cell numbers decline with age

Pros: easy access with a needle puncture. Less expensive. Growth factors 2-5x normal

Cons: Very few stem cells.

Amniotic Fluid and Membranes:

Pros: 2-50x growth factor concentration. Very high concentration of stem cells. No second surgery.

Cons: Cost. Many preparations have dead cells. Quality control essential. If irradiated then low activity of growth factors.

Today, tissues transplanted in our clinic are pre-loaded with these amniotic growth factors and stem cells. We must now do the basic science to determine the optimal concentrations of these factors when infused into tissues and the clinical science to demonstrate if, and how much faster, the body heals with the use of these tissues.and if effective enough the application of stem cells and growth factors may quickly become widespread, leading to accelerated tissue repair.

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The Anabolic Era of Orthopaedics: Stem Cells which ones to use ... - Huffington Post

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Discussion has raged for years about which is the best tea to drink for weight loss. But a new study, published in Nutrition and Metabolism, reveals some groundbreaking findings that could put white tea at top of that list.

White tea uses the same leaves as green or black tea, but with minimal processing. The result is the purest form of tea, with high levels of polyphenols that help fight fat.

Heres the science behind how it works: The body stores energy from the food we eat in the liver and muscles. But when we eat more food than we need, evolution kicks in and the body tries to store that extra energy as fat, in case we need it in the future. The body transforms preadipocyte cells (stem cells that can develop into different kinds of cells, depending on how theyre triggered), into fat cells known as adipocytes.

In this new scientific study, researchers bathed human preadipocytes in extracts of white tea to see how it affected their development into adipocytes. They found that the solution slowed down the growth of those fat cells and helped break down existing ones.

Adrienne Youdim, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine at UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, explains why this study is unique. There have been studies in the past that have looked at rat or mouse models, she says. While those studies are very helpful, we know that different species of animal may function very differently on a cellular level. So this study is important because theyre actually using human fat cells.

It would be great to think that simply drinking white tea could be answer to all our diet problems. However, as amazing as it may sound, losing weight is not as straightforward as merely upping our intake. According to Dr. Youdim, the bodys drive to preserve calories is extremely complex.

Its driven by hormones that are released from fat cells in the stomach, from the intestines, and from the pancreas, as well as numerous different centers in the brain, she explains. To say that one pathway is going to completely change the way that we, as human beings, preserve energy would be far-fetched.

But neither does Dr. Youdim dismiss the health benefits of white tea in our fight against the flab.

There have been studies showing that 300mg (the equivalent of one mugs worth) can help suppress appetite and increase metabolism, she says. Has that ever been shown to result in tremendous weight loss when nothing else was done? Of course not. But it can be one component, as part of a holistic lifestyle change that employs diet and exercise modification.

Drinking white tea is unlikely to make much difference to your weight on its own. But when enjoyed as part of a balanced diet and an active lifestyle, it could be an important ally in your battle to stay slim and healthy.

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Tea for Weight Loss: Can White Tea Help You Lose Weight ... - Reader's Digest

(EnviroNews World News) Kobe, Japan For more than two million Americans, straight lines may look wavy and the vision in the center of their eye may slowly disappear. Its called age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and there is no cure. But that may change soon.

A surgical team at Kobe City Medical Center General Hospital in Japan recently injected 250,000 retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells into the right eye of a man in his 60s. The cells were derived from donor stem cells stored at Kyoto University. It marked the first time that retinal cells derived from a donors skin have been implanted in a patients eye. The skin cells had been reprogrammed into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS), which can be grown into most cell types in the body.

The procedure is part of a safety study authorized by Japans Ministry of Health that will involve five patients. Each will be followed closely for one year and continue to receive follow-up exams for three additional years. Project leader Dr. Masayo Takahashi at Riken, a research institution that is part of the study, told the Japan Times, A key challenge in this case is to control rejection. We need to carefully continue treatment.

A previous procedure on a different patient in 2014 used stem cells from the individuals own skin. Two years later, the patient reported showing some improvement in eyesight. But the procedure cost $900,000, leading the study team to move forward using donor cells. They expect the costs to come down to less than $200,000.

Among people over 50 in developed countries, AMD is the leading cause of vision loss. According to the National Eye Institute, 14 percent of white Americans age 80 or older will suffer some form of AMD. The condition is almost three times more common among white adults than among people of color. Women of all races comprise 65 percent of AMD cases.

The lack of a cure has led some to try unproven treatments. Three elderly women lost their sight after paying $5,000 each for a stem cell procedure at a private clinic in Florida. Clinic staff used liposuction to remove fat from the womens bellies. They then extracted stem cells from the fat, which were injected into both eyes of each patient in the same procedure, resulting in vision loss in both eyes. Two of the three victims agreed to a lawsuit settlement with the company that owned the clinic.

Stem cell therapy is still at an early stage. As of January 2016, 10 clinical uses have been approved around the world, all using adult stem cells. These include some forms of leukemia and bone marrow disease, Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma and some rare inherited disorders including sickle cell anemia. Stem cell transplants are now often used to treat multiple myeloma, which strikes more than 24,000 people a year in the U.S.

Clinical trials to treat type 1 diabetes, Parkinsons disease, stroke, brain tumors and other conditions are being conducted. The first patient in a nationwide clinical study to receive stem cell therapy for heart failure recently underwent the procedure at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. An experimental treatment at Keck Medical Center of USC last year on a paralyzed patient restored the 21-year-old mans use of his arms and hands. Harvard scientists see stem cell biology as a path to counter aging and extend human lifespans. But the International Society for Stem Cell Research warns that there are many challenges ahead before these treatments are proven safe and effective.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates stem cells to ensure that they are safe and effective for their intended use. But, that doesnt stop some clinics from preying on worried patients. The FDA warns on its website that the hope that patients have for cures not yet available may leave them vulnerable to unscrupulous providers of stem cell treatments that are illegal and potentially harmful.

While there is yet no magic cure for AMD, the Japan study and others may one day lead there. The Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) in Boston is currently researching retina stem cell transplants. One approach uses gene therapy to generate a molecule that preserves healthy vision. Another involves Muller cells, which give fish the ability to repair an injured retina.

But these therapies are far off. We are at about the halfway mark, but there is still a precipitous path ahead of us, Takahashi said.

Originally posted here:
World's 1st Stem Cell Transplant from Donor to Man's Eye Shows Promise of Restoring Sight - EnviroNews (registration) (blog)

A Russian television network has published a video of the attack on opposition leader Aleksei Navalny in which the face of the assailant is blurred, drawing fire from the activist who says his vision may be permanently damaged after the incident.

The video showing an unidentified man splashing a green antiseptic, known as "zelyonka," on Navalnys face first appeared on the website of Russias REN-TV network on April 28, one day after the attack.

But it only gained wider attention after the anticorruption crusader tweeted about it two days later.

Navalny suggested that the video was leaked to the Kremlin-friendly private broadcaster by authorities and accused Russia's Federal Security Service of involvement.

"They have no shame," Navalny wrote in the April 30 tweet.

In a separate post about the video on his website, Navalny wrote bitingly about the likelihood that investigators would use the video to track down the assailant.

"How nice. What do you think? Will they come to Ren-TV tomorrow to seize the video and establish how it was filmed and why the Ren-TV guys blurred out the attacker's face? Of course not," he wrote.

It was not immediately clear if the footage had also been broadcast by Ren-TV.

Earlier, on April 30, Navalny said his eye may be permanently damaged due to a chemical burn he suffered to his cornea and pupil in the April 27 attack.

He said that his doctor believes the green liquid contained another substance that may have caused the the burn.

Navalny added that he continues to apply eye drops every 15 minutes, and is receiving injections as well.

"We're fighting to ensure that the vision in the eye remains clear," Navalny said. "If it doesnt work out (and that's a possibility, alas), then Russia will have a president with a stylish white eye."

Kremlin critics are frequently targeted in guerrilla zelyonka attacks. Typically, however, these assaults do not cause permanent injuries.

Navalny on April 30 accused security services of providing information about his movements to those who have carried out attacks against him.

"I have no doubt -- and my confidence is based on facts -- that the presidential administration organized this attack," Navalny wrote.

The Kremlin has previously denied accusations by Navalny and his supporters that it is involved in efforts aimed at discrediting or intimidating him.

Navalny also made light of the incident on April 30 post, publishing a photoshopped image of himself as actor Arnold Schwarzenegger's one-eyed cyborg character in the Terminator franchise of science fiction films.

"I always said that Terminator 2 is my favorite film, so it's all my fault," he wrote.

Originally posted here:
Russian TV Network Shows Video Of Navalny Attack, Blurs Assailant's Face - RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty

Health April 30, 2017 5:00 AM ByHeather Donahoe Parade More by Heather

There are often no early warning signs for the very conditions that most threaten your eyesight, including glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration and diabetic eye disease, says Rachel Bishop, M.D., an ophthalmologist and researcher at the National Eye Institute. She suggests these proactive moves to keep your eyes healthy.

Have a comprehensive dilated eye exam

This is more than just a vision screening. An eye care professional places drops in each eye to dilate, or widen, the pupil. This illuminates the back of the eyes so that he or she can see signs of damage or disease.

Know your history

Eye diseases are often hereditary, so its important to know if anyone in your family has been diagnosed. This information will help determine your risk level and establish how frequently your eyes should be checked.

Eat right

Carrots are good for your eyes, but so are dark leafy greens such as spinach, kale and collard greens. Youll also want to eat plenty of fatty fish, such as salmon, tuna and halibut. They deliver a good dose of omega-3 fatty acids beneficial for eye health, research shows.

Stub it out

Smoking is linked to an increased risk of developing age-related macular degeneration, cataracts and optic nerve damage, all of which can cause blindness. If you need help quitting, ask your doctor.

Wear shades

Choose sunglasses that block out 99 to 100 percent of both UVA and UVB radiation.

Take a break

When using a phone, computer or any electronic screen, reduce eyestrain with the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, look away about 20 feet in front of you for 20 seconds.

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May Is Healthy Vision Month: 6 Proactive Steps for Protecting Your Peepers - Parade

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The Diabetes Education & Support Group at Griffin Hospital will host a free presentations on diabetes medication on Tuesday, May 9 at 2:30 p.m. Photo courtesy of Griffin Hospital.

The Diabetes Education & Support Group at Griffin Hospital will host a free presentations on diabetes medication on Tuesday, May 9 at 2:30 p.m. Photo courtesy of Griffin Hospital.

Griffin to host talk on diabetes, foot health

DERBY The Diabetes Education & Support Group at Griffin Hospital will host a free presentations on foot health on Tuesday, May 9 at 2:30 p.m. at the hospital, 130 Division St., Derby.

Podiatrist Dr. Luke Jeffries, of Yale Podiatry Group, will present Foot Care & Prevention of Foot Complications in the hospitals Childbirth Education Classroom A. There is free valet parking.

The Diabetes Education & Support Group meets September through June on the second Tuesday of each month to discuss the management of diabetes, its challenges, and day-to-day dietary concerns. Individuals with diabetes and their caregivers are welcome to attend.

No registration is required. For more information, call Mary Swansiger at 203-732-1137.

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Griffin to host talk on diabetes, foot health - CT Post

When it comes to diabetes in the United States, minority populations are hardest hit.

African Americans and Hispanics are almost twice as likely as non-Hispanic whites to be diagnosed with diabetes by a physician, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health and national examination surveys. African American and Hispanic Americans have higher rates of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) caused by diabetes and start ESRD treatment 2.4 and 1.6 times more often, respectively, compared with non-Hispanic whites.

Income, stable and affordable housing, access to healthy food, quality education and a host of other factors influence a person's health status and longevity. These factors, what public health professionals recognize as social determinants of health, contribute to higher rates of diabetes and associated illness in African American and Hispanic American communities.

During National Minority Health Month each April, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health (OMH) leads the nation in raising awareness about these disparities, their causes and the impact they have on minority communities and the nation as a whole.

The theme of this years National Minority Health Month observance Bridging Health Equity Across Communities, emphasizes the collaborative, community-level work being done across the

nation to help achieve health equity. Dannons partnership with WIC and Lenox Hill Hospitals partnership with leading health providers are two examples of collaborative efforts to bridge the health equity gap.

One way Dannon is helping to achieve health in minorities is by working to make healthier food choices readily available to WIC participants. The addition of yogurt to the WIC food packages, which began on April 1, 2015, brings important nutrients to pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and young children at critical life stages.

Yogurt is especially well suited for the WIC audience. Most yogurts provide three out of the four nutrients of concern -- calcium, potassium and vitamin D -- and eating yogurt regularly is associated with less weight gain over time. Overweight and obesity are two major risk factors for diabetes. Yogurt is also a source of high quality protein, which can help support bone and muscle strength, and most yogurts contain live and active cultures that help with lactose digestion.

Dannon offers a variety of WIC eligible products to meet WIC participants needs and preferences which can be found here.

Lenox Hill Hospital Partnership

The Gerald J. Friedman Diabetes Institute at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York along with a coalition of other leading health care providers, government officials, public- and private-sector companies, and community-based organizations, recently pledge to help build a sustainable path to health and wellness for the thousands of New Yorkers living with diabetes.

The coalitions new program Vida SI, Diabetes NO! (Life YES! Diabetes NO!), is a bilingual, long-term health initiative that will take a comprehensive and systematic look at diabetes among Latinos with the goal of uncovering the root causes, leading to more effective and efficient delivery of prevention, education, testing, and treatment.

Participants of Vida SI, Diabetes NO! (Life YES! Diabetes NO!) have access to bi-lingual diabetes educators, nutritionists, social workers, exercise trainers and other diabetes specialists to help improve the management of their diabetes and help them live longer healthier lives.

You can learn more about Vida SI, Diabetes NO! (Life YES, Diabetes NO!) on social media including Facebook https://www.facebook.com/VidaSIDiabetesNO on https://twitter.com/VSIDNO and on Instagram under user name @vsidno.

Dannons partnership with WIC and Lenox Hills Vida SI, Diabetes NO! (Life YES! Diabetes NO!) program are national and community level partnerships that will help close the diabetes disparities gap in African Americans and Hispanics.

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Closing the Diabetes Disparities Gap - Huffington Post

(CNN)

It's well-known that type 2 diabetes can cause medical complications in certain organs, including the brain. But overweight and obese people with early-stage type 2 diabetes have more severe abnormalities in brain structure and cognition than normal-weight people with type 2 diabetes, according to a new study in Diabetologia, the journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes.

Having type 2 diabetes and being overweight, then, can combine to have a greater effect on brain structures.

"There's a general agreement that type 2 diabetes is a risk factor for various types of both structural and functional abnormalities in the brain," said Dr. Donald C. Simonson, a co-author of the study and an endocrinologist specializing in diabetes. "Simple obesity also shows the same type of abnormalities ... in a milder stage. You can see where it's not quite exactly normal but not quite as bad as someone with diabetes.

"So, if you have both, will it be worse than if you have them alone? That's what we looked at in this particular study," said Simonson, who teaches at Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Dr. In Kyoon Lyoo, lead author and a professor at the Ewha Brain Institute at Ewha Womens University in Seoul, South Korea, wrote in an email, "As obesity has been known to be associated with metabolic dysfunction, inflammation, and brain changes independently of diabetes, we expected that brain alterations might be more pronounced in overweight/obese participants with type 2 diabetes."

Effects on the brain

Lyoo, Simonson and their colleagues designed a study around 50 overweight or obese people age 30 to 60 who had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

Fifty normal-weight people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and 50 normal-weight people without diabetes also participated. These additional participants were age and sex matched to the original group. Those diagnosed with diabetes were also matched for disease duration. Standard body mass index ranges defined "overweight" (having a BMI of 25 to 29.9), "obese" (greater than 30) and "normal weight" (18.5 to 25).

The researchers used magnetic resonance imaging to examine each participant's brain structure, including the thickness of the cerebral cortex and white matter connectivity. Gray matter in the brain contains the neuron cell bodies, whereas white matter contains bundles of nerve fibers and its job is to process and send signals along the spinal cord.

The researchers chose to study thickness and connectivity "because these could be sensitive markers of diabetes-related brain changes, and could be reliably quantified by using magnetic resonance imaging," Lyoo explained.

Participants also were tested for memory, psychomotor speed and executive function, since these are known to be affected in people with type 2 diabetes.

The results aligned with the researchers' initial assumptions, Lyoo said.

Clusters of gray matter were significantly thinner in the temporal, prefrontoparietal, motor and occipital cortices in the brains of diabetic participants than in the non-diabetic group, the study found. More thinning of the temporal and motor cortices could be seen in the overweight/obese diabetic group compared with normal-weight diabetics. Separately and collectively, these areas of the brain impact motor control, executive function, body awareness, concentration and other cognitive functions.

"Most of the things we looked at, you could see that there was a progression, and the obese patients with diabetes were worse than the lean patients with diabetes, and they were both worse than the age-matched controls," Simonson said.

In particular, the temporal lobe appears vulnerable to the combined effects of type 2 diabetes and being overweight or obese, the researchers say. The temporal lobe is implicated in language comprehension and long-term memory.

The brain has been the last frontier in the study of complications of diabetes, Simonson said.

Similarities to Alzheimer's disease

"Diabetic retinopathy, eye disease, is reasonably well-understood," he said. "The same is true of kidney disease, amputations -- we understand much better what causes them and how to prevent them.

"But the brain has been the proverbial black box. It's incredibly complicated, and you can't directly study it. You can't go in and take samples," he said. "The last several years, the techniques of MRI got good enough that we could really look carefully at the brain."

Most of the initial work in the very late 1990s was done in Alzheimer's, schizophrenia, depression and other classic psychiatric diseases, but then scientists began to look at other diseases including diabetes, explained Simonson. At this point, researchers around the world began to see connections.

"You can see a person with depression has thinning of the surface of the brain in certain areas, and you go in and do the same study with somebody with diabetes, and they have thinning in the exact same areas," Simonson said. And diabetes may be a predisposing or risk factor for developing Alzheimer's, he said.

"You see the same types of abnormalities in a milder form in the brain in people with diabetes that you see in people with Alzheimer's disease," Simonson said.

According to Dr. William T. Cefalu, chief scientific, medical and mission officer of the American Diabetes Association, the study is consistent with previous research.

"The presence of overweight and obesity have been shown in other studies to be associated with early structural changes in the brain, and may contribute to cognitive issues," said Cefalu, who was not involved in the new study. "The current study implies that obesity/overweight status in individuals with diabetes may also contribute."

That said, longer-term and more definitive studies are needed to evaluate that aspect.

In the end, Simonson said, another question is more important: "What can you do to prevent it? That's the big question."

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Diabetes, weight gain can alter your brain, says study - WLWT Cincinnati

wtkr.com

Are baby, wisdom teeth the next wave in stem cell treatment? wtkr.com Alison Bassetto's voice is steady and brisk as she explains why her husband's untimely death prompted her to have her 19-year-old son's wisdom teeth banked. The practice of cryopreserving children's baby or wisdom teeth is one that's been around for a ...

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Are baby, wisdom teeth the next wave in stem cell treatment? - wtkr.com

A woman who feigned blindness to receive veterans benefits has been sentenced to serve nine months in prison and repay hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office.

Veronica Dale Hahn, 60, was sentenced Friday in the Panama City federal court. She pleaded guilty during her jury trial on charges of defrauding the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairsfor years in order to receive about $400,000 in benefits. Hahn now will have to repay that amount after serving nine months in federal prison.

The U.S. Attorneys Office reported Hahn lied from November 2001 to February 2016 about being rendered blind in both eyes, which she claimed to be directly connected to her service in the military.

However, within a year of receiving her disability benefits for loss of vision, she obtained drivers licenses in New Mexico, Alabama and Florida with no vision restrictions, after passing vision exams in each state with at least 20/40 vision. During this time, Hahn also was observed driving her personal automobile on numerous occasions. Further, she worked full time as a case manager and transition counselor at several state correctional facilities, all of which required normal eyesight to perform her duties.

In the course of Hahns jury trial in January, several government witnesses took the stand before she abruptly decided to enter a guilty plea to the charges on the second day of trial.

Instead of providing benefits and assistance to worthy veterans who are justifiably in need, significant resources from the Department of Veterans Affairs were diverted to uncover an extensive and persistent fraud by Ms. Hahn, who repeatedly gave dishonest information and collected hundreds of thousands of dollars to which she was not entitled, said U.S. Attorney Christopher P. Canova. This case sends the message that you cannot make false disability claims and just walk away from such a crime.

2017 The News Herald (Panama City, Fla.). Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Woman Sentenced To Prison For Feigning Blindness To Defraud The VA - Task & Purpose

The Indian Express

Project to prevent blindness in premature infants launched The Indian Express Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is one of the leading causes of blindness in premature infants in India. The Public Health Foundation of India, in association with the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust, UK, is spearheading the project to address ...

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Project to prevent blindness in premature infants launched - The Indian Express

Florida woman admits faking blindness to get veterans benefits WNCN PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WMBB) A 60-year-old Florida woman was sentenced to nine months in prison and ordered to pay nearly $400,000 dollars in restitution after she pleaded guilty to faking blindness in order to receive veterans benefits. Federal ... and more »

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Florida woman admits faking blindness to get veterans benefits - WNCN

Advances in science, many of them from scientists at USDA or through research funded by USDA, have opened up new options for farmers responding to market needs and environmental challenges. Many new plant varieties being developed or grown by farmers have been produced using genetic engineering, which involves manipulating the plant's genes through techniques of modern molecular biology often referred to as recombinant DNA technology. These techniques are included in what is often referred to as "biotechnology" or "modern biotechnology."

USDA supports the safe and appropriate use of science and technology, including biotechnology, to help meet agricultural challenges and consumer needs of the 21st century. USDA plays a key role in assuring that biotechnology plants and products derived from these plants are safe to be grown and used in the United States. Once these plants and products enter commerce, USDA supports bringing these and other products to the worldwide marketplace.

Three federal agencies are involved in ensuring that plants produced using biotechnology and the many products derived from them are safe for farmers to use, safe to consume as food or feed, and safe for the environment. These are USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the Department of Health and Human Services' Food and Drug Administration, and the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The three agencies regulate these products based on the characteristics of the actual products and their intended uses, and they operate under the existing laws passed by Congress to ensure the safety of plants used in agriculture, the safety of pesticides used in agriculture, and the safety of foods we eat and feeds given to animals. Many other USDA agencies have roles in the development, use, and marketing of these products as well.

Learn more about How the U.S. Government Regulates Biotech Plants.

Since the first successful commercialization of a biotechnology-derived crop in the 1990s, many new crop varieties have been developed and made available to U.S. farmers and farmers worldwide. U.S. farmers have rapidly adopted many of these new GE varieties, so that in 2012, 88 percent of the corn, 94 percent of the cotton, and 93 percent of the soybeans planted in the U.S. were varieties produced through genetic engineering. A large proportion of the production of other crops, such as alfalfa, and papaya, and sugar beet, is also biotech-derived.

Read more about the reasons behind this trend and about how farming practices and the marketplace have changed on USDA's Economic Research Service Biotechnology page.

The United States is the largest exporter of agricultural products, which helps feed the world's population, and our export markets are critical to the health of U.S. farm communities around the country. Most of the corn and soybeans we export are biotechnology-derived, and this means that working with our trading partners is critical to help them understand the technical aspects of new products and how we have determined that they meet our high safety standards, to open up new markets, and to ensure that our products are treated fairly in the global marketplace.

The increasing use of biotechnology in agriculture has changed, and will continue to change, farming and the work of USDA in the long-term. To help understand and address these changes, USDA established the Advisory Committee on Biotechnology and 21st Century Agriculture (AC21). One critical area where the committee has focused its attention is how farmers who produce different crops intended for different customers-biotechnology-derived, conventional, or organic-can best co-exist and produce the crops that meet their customers' needs. The AC21 has provided a report to USDA, with recommendations, on this subject.

Visit the AC21 page to learn more.

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Biotechnology | USDA

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Puma Biotechnology Inc (PBYI) Expected to Announce Earnings of -$2.08 Per Share The Cerbat Gem Puma Biotechnology logo Equities analysts expect that Puma Biotechnology Inc (NYSE:PBYI) will announce earnings per share (EPS) of ($2.08) for the current quarter, Zacks Investment Research reports. Zero analysts have made estimates for Puma ... Focusing the Lens on Puma Biotechnology, Inc. (NASDAQ:PBYI)Rives Journal Stock Jumping Abnormally High: Puma Biotechnology, Inc. (PBYI)HugoPress Brokerage Firm Analysts Consensus on Puma Biotechnology, Inc. (NYSE:PBYI) SharpSpring, Inc. (NASDAQ:SHSP)Midway Monitor Concord Register -Post Analyst -The USA Commerce all 8 news articles »

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Puma Biotechnology Inc (PBYI) Expected to Announce Earnings of -$2.08 Per Share - The Cerbat Gem

By Isabella Zhong

Shenyang-based 3SBio (1530.HK) is a biopharmaceutical pioneer that offers a unique play on Chinas rising demand for healthcare.

The company is best known for its rheumatoid arthritis drug YSP, which accounts for 33% of revenues, and TPIAO, a hormone used in the treatment of platelet deficiencies.

While YSP and TPIAO are expected to deliver strong sales growth in coming years, a recent price cut for anemia drug EPIAO and limited R&D upside in the near term could weigh on 3SBio. Jefferies analyst Eugene Huang initiated coverage of the stock today with a hold rating and an HKD11.50 a share target price, which implies 11% upside.

Huang has more on 3SBios drugs pipeline:

3SBios HER2 (breast cancer) and CD20 (lymphoma) candidates were withdrawn, leaving peers like Fosun potentially to become FTM generics. Besides, we factored in Rmb20/50/110m 17/18/19E sales from Bydureon (exenatide ER, GLP-1, diabetes), which is pending NDA approval. We are concerned there might be a lack of synergy between 3SBio and AstraZenecas diabetes team as well as integration risks.

Shares of 3SBio are up 37% this year and trade at 23 times forward earnings, which is in line with its five year average. Analysts surveyed by FactSet expect 3SBio to grow earnings at a 28.3% average annual pace over the next three to five years. While the stocks scarcity value and long-term growth potential look appealing, investors may want to wait for a better entry point.

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3SBio: Is this Chinese Biotechnology Stock a Buy? - Barron's (blog)

People who see dermatologists for the skin condition psoriasis should not take the presence of joint aches and pains lightly, as the two things might be connected. The National Psoriasis Foundation notes that psoriasis is a precursor to psoriatic arthritis in 30 percent of patients.

What is psoriatic arthritis?

Psoriasis is an autoimmune condition that affects the rate of skin cell reproduction. People with psoriasis may experience redness, itchiness and raised bumps (plaques) of skin on various areas of their bodies. Psoriatic arthritis is a chronic form of arthritis that typically occurs in people with skin psoriasis, but also can be present in those without the skin condition, but particularly among those who have relatives with psoriasis.

The American College of Rheumatology says that psoriatic arthritis typically affects the large joints, especially the lower extremities, distal joints of the fingers and toes and the back and sacroiliac joints of the pelvis. Early recognition, diagnosis and treatment of psoriatic arthritis are crucial to relieving inflammation and preventing permanent joint damage.

Symptoms

Symptoms of psoriatic arthritis can develop gradually or quickly, and some symptoms can be severe. NPF indicates that common symptoms of psoriatic arthritis include

morning stiffness and tiredness;

tenderness, pain and swelling over tendons;

swollen fingers and toes;

reduced range of motion;

nail changes, including pitting, and

redness and pain in the eyes.

Symptoms of psoriatic arthritis are similar to rheumatoid arthritis, gout and reactive arthritis. Doctors will rule out other symptoms that may be indicative of those conditions. The American College of Rheumatology also indicates that psoriatic arthritis is typically blood test negative. The diagnosis is typically made by a rheumatologist after reviewing a clinical history and performing a physical exam.

Treatment

Doctors will need to assess symptoms before deciding on a course of treatment. Mild cases may respond to over-the-counter, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen. However, antirheumatic drugs and newer biologic drugs may be prescribed to treat more aggressive cases of psoriatic arthritis.

Corticosteroid injections can be useful for swollen joints, and surgery may be necessary to repair badly damaged joints.

Individuals who suspect their arthritis may be linked to psoriasis can first speak with a dermatologist or primary care physician. The NPF also offers a screening tool at http://www.psoriasis.org/psa-screening. TF175007

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Arthritis linked to another condition | News | thesnaponline.com - Stanly News & Press

I saw my Doctor about my shoulder pain. He took an X-ray and told me nothing is wrong.

A more appropriate response would have been, theres nothing broken. Most sources of shoulder pain are not obvious on an X-ray. The shoulder is a remarkable joint with more movement than any other joint in our body. Thus, diagnosis of the specific cause of pain in the shoulder can be difficult.

The earliest signs of arthritis in the shoulder typically appear in the joint connecting the collar bone to the shoulder blade (acromio-clavicular or AC joint). In the absence of injury, this joint can show signs of arthritis on x-ray as early as age twenty-five. Pain associated with this joint is increased with lying on the side, using the arm at shoulder height or higher, pulling things toward you or away from your body. The pain does not make motion impossible but the use of the shoulder increases the pain.

Rotator cuff tears may be partial or complete. Risk factors for rotator cuff problems include male gender, high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol. Trauma is also a major cause, fall on shoulder or outstretched hand, shoulder dislocation, lifting or pulling heavy objects. Partial tears are more painful, full thickness tears result in loss of motion and weakness. Many partial tears do not require surgery. Full thickness tears will not heal without surgery. But with therapy, the patient may regain an acceptable motion and use, depending on the patients needs.

A cartilage ring surrounds the socket of the shoulder. This cartilage ring, the rotator cuff and the joint capsule provide a stable joint with an extensive range of motion. Tears of this cartilage ring cause pain and mechanical symptoms. They usually result from shoulder dislocation or an unexpected pulling injury to the arm. The bicipital tendon, one of two tendons to the bicep muscle is attached to this cartilage ring. Tears of the bicipital tendon are common. Usually the result of lifting heavy objects. Tears of this tendon usually do not require surgery. The patient will lose ten to fifteen percent of strength bending the elbow. A cosmetic deformity of the bicep contour will occur, but does not contribute to significant weakness.

The shoulder joint contains cartilage and is prone to developing arthritis. The onset is gradual. Primary complaint is pain. As the arthritis becomes more severe the patient will eventually lose motion. The pain is described as constant, increased with use and many times associated with painful catching and grinding.

Another frequent source of shoulder pain is actually referred from the neck. The patients neck may not hurt! The pain is typically in the back of the shoulder blade. The majority of time, the pain will go below the elbow sometimes causing numbness and tingling in the fingers. Pain that is solely due to a shoulder problem may go to the elbow but not below. Unfortunately, having an injured shoulder does not mean you dont also have a neck problem, and vice versa.

The key to minimizing shoulder pain lies in maintaining muscle fitness not only the rotator cuff, but the muscles that stabilize your shoulder blade. The shoulder allows us an incredible ability to perform complex tasks. Shoulder pain consequently can be a source of severe dysfunction.

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MEDICAL MATTERS: Shoulder pain can be early sign of arthritis or other injury - Odessa American