Rituximab is used as
an anti-cancer drug which has some uncomfortable side effects, and it may take a couple of
years for researchers to repeat the trials and get the dose right for arthritis, so
don’t expect to be handed any miracle cures at the surgery for some time.
Present drug
NSAIDs (nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs) caused all sorts of stomach problems, including ulcers and
stomach bleeding. So drug companies came up with a new breed of anti-inflammatories, the
COX-2 (cyclo-oyygenase) drugs, which were designed to be kinder to the stomach. Now, these too are seen to be causing ulcer
bleeding according to a report in the New
England Journal of Medicine. For more information
about NSAIDS and the treatments for arthritis, see The WDDTY Arthritis Handbook, available
from the website:
http://www.wddty.co.uk/shop/
details.asp?product=5http://www.wddty.co.uk/
New treatment
 Reports of a trial with the drug Gabapentin,
suggest it reduces pain and improves quality of life when used for a wide range of chronic
pain syndromes. Under its trade name
Neurontin, the drug is used for epilepsy, but the study, carried out in 35 hospital
outpatient pain clinics in the UK and Ireland, showed that it improved symptoms of burning
pain and high sensitivity. It can, however,
cause drowsiness and dizziness. Available on
prescription only.
Tried and tested alternatives
1. Cod
liver oil. A rich source of Omega-3 fatty acids (of which more in our feature on DHA), cod liver oil can reduce pain and increase mobility
in people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, and can also slow or even reverse
destruction of cartilage according to Professor Bruce Caterson of the University of
Cardiff, so can be helpful for osteoarthritis. Take
it as a daily supplement.
2. Glucosamine
and Chondroitin. These are naturally
occurring substances in the body, important for the growth of cartilage. Taken as a daily supplement (1500 mg of glucosamine),
trials have shown that they reduce pain and stiffness, especially for osteoarthritis.
3. Selenium,
vitamin E, beta-carotene. Reported in the
British Journal of Nutrition as benefiting people with rheumatoid arthritis.
4. Green-lipped
mussel. Again a rich source of Omega-3
fatty acids. A three-month trial in Scotland
showed that it gave relief to those with
rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, easing stiffness and tendeness. Green-lipped
mussel is available in the form of capsules.
5. Bromelain. This one is an enzyme complex derived from
pineapple stems, said to work as an anti-inflammatory. One
study using Lichtwer Pharma’s Bromelain, achieved good results in helping to relieve
pain and swelling according to Dr Rafe Bundy, department of Nutrition, University of
Reading.
6. Mud
compresses. No one knows quite how or why
they work, but several studies, the latest from Ben Gurion University in Israel, confirm
their effectiveness. Rheumatoid arthritis,
osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthritis, fibromyalgia, improve symptoms alone or part of a set
of therapies offered at many spas. Not any old
mud can help. Studies comparing mineral-rich
mud compresses with the common-or-garden type show that only the former are effective.
Exercise
(check with your doctor or physio before attempting the following)
1. Good for knees. Regular
exercise can result in long-term pain relief for people with osteoarthritis. Researchers at Wake Forest University, North
Carolina, have come up with this finding after putting patients suffering from knee pain
on an exercise schedule for 1 hour every other day and then recording their pain levels. They found that there was a significant increase in pain
immediately following exercise, but on the next day pain levels were significantly lower
than normal. Other studies in Sydney and
Toronto support the evidence that exercise has a long-term
beneficial effect on pain from hip and knee osteoporosis, despite the immediate negative
effect.
2. Stretch the right way. Don’t do a full neck roll. Lower head forward, roll side to side but never
back. Stretch neck by clasping hands behind
head and gently pull down, then take right hand over left ear and gently stretch to right,
take hand to back of head and stretch diagonally. Change
to opposite side.
3. Go to classes. Best
stretch exercises are yoga and Pilates. Some
centres offer remedial classes in yoga.
Magnetic magic
Pain patches use magnetic fields to relieve pain. They are basically plasters applied to acupuncture points. Makers of Acumed claim that they relieve all kinds
of physical pain from arthritis to migraine. See
their website www.acumed.co.uk.
Pulsed
electromagnetic fields are the newest, high-tech way to attack pain. The MSL MicroAce Programme is
based on low voltage pulsed electrical stimulation that mimics natural electrical currents
in damaged tissue to stimulate repair and regeneration.
Scientists at Nottingham University Medical School are using the MicroAce Programme
to test effectiveness, and studies from the US show significant reduction in knee pain
using the same principle. There are no side
effects beyond some local tingling.
MSL, makers of MicroAce, say it is of
benefit in 80 to 85 per cent of cases. They
can provide many testimonials to show the effectiveness of the MicroAce Programme for
arthritis, back pain, sciatica and other chronic pain conditions.
They are
offering a special free
8-week home trial and free video to visitors to laterlife.com. Cost is £139 plus vat if you decide to buy after
the 8-week trial.
PS on TENs. This pulsed electronic programme achieves pain
relief by blocking transmission of pain along nerve fibres. It
works quite differently from machines like the
MicroAce Programme. TENs machines have a
beneficial effect in 20 to 30 per cent of cases and provide
pain relief during use, but have no healing affect.
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