Ankylosing spondylitis
Arthritis in the workplace: productivity suffers in early stages of arthritis
Many people experiencing the early stages of arthritis find their productivity at work decreases, says research published in Arthritis Care & Research.
The French study looked at work productivity loss (in terms of rates of sick leave, permanent disability and early retirement) during the first three years of disease in 664 people with early arthritis. At the start of the study, 81.6% of the participants were workers. The research team found that during the first three years of disease: Continue reading
New joint lubrication technique for people with arthritis
A new way of lubricating arthritic joints has been developed in the US – one that mimics one of the body’s natural functions, a team reports in Nature Materials.
Scientists have been able to bind a molecule naturally found in the fluid surrounding healthy joints, creating surfaces that can deliver long-lasting lubrication at specific spots throughout the body. Continue reading
Rheumatologic diseases such as lupus and ankylosing spondylosis can initially look like neurological disorders, delaying diagnosis
Some rheumatologic diseases (such as lupus, systemic vasculitis and ankylosing spondylosis) can initially seem to be neurological disorders (such as headaches and seizures) and this can delay diagnosis for many months, says research published in Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports.
The experts involved also found that rheumatologic disorders can cause adverse neurological effects.
“Rheumatic disorders presenting as neurological syndromes may pose diagnostic challenges,” explains Dr Sean Ruland and colleagues, outlining the following in their research: Continue reading
Stuart Blake completed a gruelling Ironman challenge after his diagnosis with ankylosing spondylitis. His inspiration? Winners are not people who never fail, but people who never quit
I live in Essex with my wife and three children and was a full-time London cab driver until my diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis in August 2011. Since then I have had to reduce my hours to part-time and my wife resumed full-time employment due to the severity of my condition.
A long journey to diagnosis
In 1999 I began suffering from a stabbing pain in my left buttock, which gradually got worse. I found I was no longer able to run, which resulted in me having to give up playing football. I loved the sport and missed the dressing room banter. I was in pain for over seven years and after numerous MRI scans, one showed I had a slipped disc. The surgery took place in 2000 and I hoped it would be the end of my misery. Unfortunately I was wrong. Continue reading
New class of anti-arthritis drugs could treat multiple inflammatory diseases
A new class of anti-arthritic drugs reduces both arthritic joint inflammation and periodontitis (gradual loss of bone and tissues that support the teeth) says a study in The American Journal of Pathology.
One of the issues with current drugs is that medication effective for one disorder may exacerbate the other – making it difficult to treat people with more than one inflammatory disease.
The new class of drugs (DTrp) are known as MC receptor agonists. Continue reading
