Encouraging News For Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

For the more than 2.1 million Americans suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, there's encouraging news about how antibiotic therapy could be a safe, low-cost solution to manage many of the outward indications of the disease.

Arthritis rheumatoid causes pain, stiffness, warmth, redness and swelling, affecting a variety of joints.

A recent survey of nearly 200 people who have rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or scleroderma, another disabling rheumatic condition, revealed that by firmly taking antibiotic therapy because of their disease, they experienced many positive benefits over traditional prescription drugs. These patients reported a decrease in pain and improved standard of living, and their overall condition was reported to be less severe.

These survey results suggest antibiotics such as for example minocycline may offer a highly effective option for patients newly diagnosed or patients who either fail with or cannot tolerate conventional medications commonly prescribed for the treating rheumatoid arthritis. Minocycline is a low-cost and commonly prescribed antibiotic with minimal side effects. The analysis was conducted by Harris Interactive.

"We know a growing number of RA along with other rheumatic patients are embracing antibiotic therapy to successfully manage their disease. These results claim that others, too, could possibly benefit from this kind of treatment," said David Trentham, M.D., a noted rheumatologist and Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, and Medical Director for the street Back Foundation, a nonprofit organization providing support and education to people experiencing rheumatic diseases.

Patients giving an answer to the survey who have been on antibiotic therapy and had also taken traditional prescription drugs were asked to compare the two programs. They overwhelmingly reported improvements in slowing the progression of the disease, decreased levels of pain, and reduced stiffness, swelling and fatigue, all commonly reported symptoms. Patients also discovered that antibiotic treatment improved their overall standard of living and was better tolerated than traditional therapies.

festival encourages patients to talk to their doctors about their treatment and, if appropriate or needed, discuss the usage of antibiotic therapy in the management of their disease.