Swollen Lymph Nodes and RAOne must always be careful to not automatically attribute any new medical symptom with RA. There are, however, many comorbid (occurs alongside) conditions with an autoimmune disease like RA. These... By Andrew Lumpe, PhD3 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments4 comments
Why Are RA Drugs So Expensive?A recent report noted that prescription drug prices rose 13 percent last year. Most of the increase in costs is attributed to specialty drugs designed to treat chronic conditions.Rheumatoid arthritis... By Andrew Lumpe, PhD3 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments4 comments
Why Do I Feel So Rotten? Sickness Symptoms from RAIt’s been a rough few months with an increase in fatigue, a noticeable lack of energy, difficulty sleeping soundly, and low motivation levels. It just feels like I’m sick all... By Andrew Lumpe, PhD3 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments39 comments
Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Treating RA – Possibilities and LimitationsIn a recent edition of the Mirror, a gossipy newspaper in the United Kingdom, the headline read “Arthritis miracle cure: Tiny electrical implant brings hope to millions of rheumatoid arthritis... By Andrew Lumpe, PhD2 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments2 comments
Surgery May be Part of Your Battle With RAA sixth RA-related surgery is scheduled for a few weeks. The goal is to remove damaged bone and tendon in the elbow and to reattach tendons to the joint using... By Andrew Lumpe, PhD3 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments3 comments
What’s the Latest on RA from the Rheumatology World?The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) is an organization for rheumatology healthcare professionals with a mission of education, research, advocacy and practice support. Your rheumatologist is probably a member of... By Andrew Lumpe, PhD2 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments2 comments
Jaw Pain and Rheumatoid ArthritisThe temporomandibular joint (TMJ) encompassing the jaw is one of the most complex and misunderstood joints in the body. There are multiple muscles, bones and soft tissues involved in motions... By Andrew Lumpe, PhD3 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments10 comments
A unique partnership for RA researchThe National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently established an exciting new research funding partnership. Over $230 million will be invested over the first five years of the network. Alzheimer’s disease... By Andrew Lumpe, PhD2 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Switching RA Medicines – Don’t Wait Too Long or Try Too ManyI’ve been on 7 - count them - 7 different biologic medicines since being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. I started with several anti-TNF biologics and then moved to several others... By Andrew Lumpe, PhD4 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments12 comments
What’s All the Noise About? Joint Sounds and RAWhen battling rheumatoid arthritis, staying in one position for long is not feasible as joints become stiff and uncomfortable. After a few minutes the urge to stretch hits. When doing... By Andrew Lumpe, PhD3 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments5 comments
RA Fatigue Is Complex, Poorly Understood, and Not TreatedHardly a day goes by on the rheumatoid arthritis Facebook site that a person doesn’t mention their persistent battle with fatigue. It’s one of the most frustrating symptoms of RA... By Andrew Lumpe, PhD2 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments63 comments
Skin Issues Associated with RAAbout the time I first ventured into a rheumatology clinic after being referred by my general practitioner, I had been battling a nasty case of hives for the previous year... By Andrew Lumpe, PhD3 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments13 comments
Do You and Your Doctor Agree on the Severity of Your RA?We’d like to think that medicine is cut and dry and always based upon objective science. We get a blood test, take a drug, and get better. But most diseases... By Andrew Lumpe, PhD3 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments9 comments
Differences between Rheumatoid Arthritis and OsteoarthritisMay is Arthritis Awareness month and RheumatoidArthritis.Net is joining in the recognition. “Arthritis” is a general term and, according to the American College of Rheumatology, is used for over 100 diseases... By Andrew Lumpe, PhD2 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments2 comments
Chronically Ill Patients and Legislated Health Insurance ChangesToday I received a rather long email from the Director of my Human Resources department carefully outlining the options for health insurance for the new fiscal year that begins July... By Andrew Lumpe, PhD3 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments6 comments
What to Expect When Getting an Infusion Medicine for RANeedles and RA go hand-in-hand. When patients are prescribed injectable methotrexate or one of the first line biologic medicines like Enbrel or Humira, they tend to stress over the fact... By Andrew Lumpe, PhD4 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments6 comments
Massage, Exercise, Heat Pads, and Electrical Stimulation – Just Another Day at the Physical TherapistIn the recent RA in America poll reported on this website, 41% of respondents indicated that they had partaken in physical therapy and 11% in occupational therapy as part of... By Andrew Lumpe, PhD2 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments0 comments
How Do You Know When It's Time to Change Your RA Treatment?My rheumatologist always states that her goal is for me to not pay much attention to RA throughout the day. This sounds like everyday language for the ultimate target for... By Andrew Lumpe, PhD3 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments6 comments
Dealing With RA is Like Having Another JobOne important thing I learned as a result of having RA is that there is never a dull moment – there’s always some new “adventure” waiting around the corner. The... By Andrew Lumpe, PhD3 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments4 comments
The Need for Better Diagnostic and Individualized Tests for RAThere are several blood tests that rheumatologists currently use to diagnose and monitor rheumatoid arthritis disease activity. Rheumatoid factor (RF) is an antibody identified with RA and other autoimmune diseases... By Andrew Lumpe, PhD4 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments5 comments
