Spotlight on rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis as defined by arthritis.org is a chronic disease, mainly characterized by inflammation of the lining, or synovium, of the joints. It can lead to long-term joint damage, resulting in chronic pain, loss of function and disability.

Did you know that women who suffer from RA are less likely to experience relief from bouts of remission from the conditions? Well it’s true, according to a Swedish study of nearly 700 adults who suffer from RA (2/3 were women). The results?

At two years, 48 percent of men and 32 percent of women were in remission. At five years, 52 percent of men and 31 percent of women were in remission. At both time points, men were more than twice as likely as women to be in remission, the study said.

Initially, the women in the study did not have more severe rheumatoid arthritis than men. However, the disease quickly became more severe and progressed more rapidly in the women than in the men, according to the research team from University Hospital Lund.

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All hope is not lost though. You may know what I’m going to suggest now…massage therapy helps! It will not cure rheumatoid arthritis but therapeutic massage (neuromuscular therapy in particular) can bring about tremendous relief. Send me a comment if you want more details.