Arthritis Associates of Redding

Glucosamine / Chondroitin supplements may have a problem. A recent study showed an increase in eye pressures in the group receiving glucosamine. Glucosamine is a precursor for molecules called glycosaminoglycans, which may elevate eye pressure. Darn.

Cherry Juice for Gout. A recent simple study suggested there may indeed be benefit. It appears Cherry Juice decreases the uric acid levels a couple of ways and it may even be anti-inflamatory. These effects are mild but may just be enough! A more detailed study i being planned. Check back in a couple of years.

US Centers for Disease Control research has shown most adults in the US don't meet "the Federal physical activity recommendations for both aerobic exercise and muscle-strengthening activity." The research reveals approximately 79 percent of adults don't get "at least 2 hours a week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity such as brisk walking, or one hour and 15 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, such as jogging." The Federal guidelines also recommend adults "do muscle-strengthening activities, such as push-ups, sit-ups or exercise using resistance bands or weights" at least twice a week. has shown that regular physical activity can reduce weight, prevent heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and stave off depression and some forms of cancer. Seems pretty important to get out there.. Let's go.

2 - 5 years of bisphosphonates, the medications, like Fosamax, that we use for osteoporosis reduced the risk for joint implant failure and subsequent hip or knee revision surgery. This is important as the revision surgery is not as straight forward as the original joint replacement and more likely to have complications.

Just observed ! People with short, wide hands and square-shaped wrists are more likely to develop carpal tunnel syndrome. The limited free space around the median nerve in square-shaped wrists and the increased pressure this shape places on the nerve could further hurt it, causing Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

Have you heard about the Choosing Wisely Campaign? This is all about asking specialist groups to identify the most common wasteful things done $$$ within their area of special interest. Number ONE has to do with the ANA test also known as Antinuclear Antibody and sometimes referred to as the "lupus test". Once it is positive that's good.. no need to keep repeating it! But, I see this test done over and over by doctors, nurse practitioners and physician assistants. Everybody seems to think that a positive test is connected with ACTIVE lupus... and the more positive the worse things are. Wrong. Just wrong. So if you have a positive ANA. You probably do not need to have this test repeated. Its just $$$.

A new study found that children who receive the full schedule of vaccinations have no increased risk of autism. The study, in the Journal of Pediatrics, is the latest of more than 20 studies showing no connection between autism and vaccines, given either individually or as part of the standard schedule. This is the first study to consider not just the number of vaccines, but a child's total exposure to the substances inside vaccines that trigger an immune response. Boy, they ...did alot of work! For adults we recommend annual flu vaccination. Then, depending on age and health issues, there should be consideration of pneumonia vaccine, shingles vaccine and Hepatitis B vaccine. Did you know that the Hepatitis B vaccine is one of the standard childhood vaccines? Just about every one under the age of 25 has had it. Did you know that there are now 2 different pneumonia vaccines. They work together for more complete protection.

Did you know that our Patient Portal has an iPhone app? "Healow" It can be set up to remind you when to take your medications ! Have you ever forgotten? Something useful, very useful. It also does all the usual useful stuff like email to the office, requesting medication refills and getting lab results.

Arthritis Care and Research reports study finding that exercising more often may help to reduce certain symptoms of fibromyalgia. The study included 170 fibromyalgia patients who were participating in a larger NIH-funded study.

We are going to see big changes in how narcotic pain medications are prescribed and controlled. Federal regulators are being encouraged to impose tougher rules on the way pharmaceutical companies market narcotic painkillers to physicians, noting that such drugs are involved in more than twice as many deaths as heroin and cocaine combined. The FDA is being encouraged by various agencies to adopt stricter limits on OxyContin, Vicodin and similar medications to 'safeguard the A...merican public.' If such a change were approved, it would make it more difficult for drug companies to market the drugs for chronic, noncancer pain. In addition to the labeling change the DEA and others also have sought tighter restrictions on opioid prescribing by asking the FDA to change the way opioids containing hydrocodone (Vicodin and Norco) are categorized, what is known as a scheduling change. This may mean that prescription quantities will be reduced, that there will be no automatic refills and that each prescription will require a visit to the doctor. We shall see what happens over the next few months See more

More children have juvenile arthritis than juvenile diabetes, muscular dystrophy and cerebral palsy COMBINED

Obesity, Smoking and Diabetes all increase the risk of developing Rheumatoid Arthritis. A small amount of alcohol daily seems to decrease the risk... Go figure.

For the nearly 20 percent of Americans considering surgery to fix their knee pain, a new Brigham and Women's Hospital study suggests that they may want to hold off for a bit - even if an imaging scan reveals a torn meniscus, the rubbery disc that cushions the knee joint. Most older individuals with meniscus tears that often occur with aging and arthritis get the same long-term relief with time and physical therapy as they do with surgery