Rheumatoid Arthritis

a woman with hands deformed by rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is inflammatory and results in hot swollen joints. It is an autoimmune disorder that causes the body’s immune system to attack the joints.

Causes

Infections are likely common triggers for this attack.

Diagnosis

The American College of Rheumatology has defined the following criteria for rheumatoid arthritis:

  • Morning stiffness lasting over 1 hour
  • Arthritis and soft-tissue swelling in over 3 of 14 joints or joint groups
  • Arthritis of hand joints
  • Symmetric arthritis
  • Subcutaneous nodules
  • Rheumatoid factor at a level above the 95th percentile
  • Radiological changes suggestive of joint erosion

At least four of these criteria need to be met for a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis, although patients are sometimes treated despite the criteria not being met.

The childhood form of this disease is called "Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis."

Treatment

The treatments discussed in the section on arthritis apply to rheumatoid arthritis as well. In addition to those, add the following:

General Diet Advice

  • Anti-inflammatory diet

    It is worth considering dietary changes. Diet can play a major role in inflammatory arthritis.

    A recent study tested the role of diet in 60 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. 30 patients were given a standard American diet and the other 30 an anti-inflammatory diet low in meat and high in fish oil for eight months, with supplements given to supply high levels of omega 3 fish oils daily. The patients on an anti-inflammatory diet had a 28% decrease in the number of tender joints.

    In addition, decreasing inflammation by giving borage seed oil (supplying 1.4 g of Gamma Linolenic Acid, or "GLA") decreased the swollen joint score by 41% in the active group vs. a 40% worsening in the placebo group.

Recommended Supplements

  • Multi-Nutrient Powder

    Many other nutrients, including pantothenic acid, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, boron, copper, zinc, and selenium have been found to be deficient in those with rheumatoid arthritis, and supplementation with these can be helpful in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. These can be found in a good multi-nutrient powder.

  • Fish Oil

    Fish oil: 2 Vectomega tablets a day, or 16 fish oil capsules, or 2-3 tsp of fish oil daily.

  • Willow Bark and Boswellia

    Willow Bark and Boswellia 1-2 tabs 3 times a day.

  • Curcumin

    Take Curamin, a highly absorbed Curcumin that contains Boswellia (1 tablet 3x day).

  • MSM

    MSM 3,000+ mg a day.

Medications

  • Antibiotics

    Long term antibiotic therapy with minocycline can be very helpful in rheumatoid arthritis.

Contributor

Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum, MD

Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D. is a board certified internist and author of the popular free iPhone application “Cures A-Z,” which was ranked in the top 10 of all health/wellness downloads on iTunes.

Dr. Teitelbaum is the author of the perennial bestseller From Fatigued to Fantastic! (Avery Penguin), which has sold over half a million copies; Pain Free 1-2-3 (McGraw-Hill); Three Steps to Happiness: Healing Through Joy (Deva Press); the Beat Sugar Addiction Now! series (Fair Winds Press);  Real Cause, Real Cure (Rodale Press); The Fatigue and Fibromyalgia Solution (Penguin/Avery); and his latest, The Complete Guide to Beating Sugar Addiction (Fair Winds Press, 2015).

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