Rheumatic DiseaseInfo Center

Needles Not Needed for Arthritis Drug
Many parents know this scenario: the nurse at the doctor's office pulls out a needle and your child starts bawling. For many children, shots are scary. Now it seems some kids with arthritis don't have to face the needle.
Boosting Activity for Arthritis
Exercise is a crucial part of staying healthy for any human being. Physical activity is especially important for arthritis patients trying to reduce pain.
Heart Risk Often Overlooked in RA Patients
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients are at a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease, yet not all doctors are considering the added heart risk, a new study reveals.
Quit Smoking To Save Your Joints
You've heard it before: smoking is bad for you. And it's not just your lungs that are harmed from you cigarette habit. Your joints can be affected too.
Smoking Worsens Back Arthritis
A little over half a century ago, cigarettes were not seen as a danger. Some doctors even recommended them. Today, we know that cigarettes are linked to a variety of health problems, including arthritis.
Bone Loss Common in AS Patients
People with ankylosing spondylitis can develop weak and brittle bones, or osteoporosis. But it can be hard to spot osteoporosis in these patients because of certain traits of ankylosing spondylitis.
High Infection Risk in Kids with RA
For many children with rheumatoid arthritis, drug treatment is one of the few ways to stop the pain. Some of these medications, however, may be raising patients' risk of infection.
Spotting Spinal Arthritis Early
Ankylosing spondylitis is not the most common cause of back pain. As such, it might be over-the-top to screen every back pain patient for ankylosing spondylitis . So, how can doctors more easily spot those with the disease?
Arthritis Anxiety
Arthritis affects an estimated 50 million people in the United States alone. Physical joint pain may not be the only negative effect, psychological disorders may accompany arthritis as well.
Why Do Women with RA Start Treatment Later?
If there is one thing that makes us different from one another, it is our gender. For whatever reason, diseases can affect women differently than men. Doctors may need to consider this when choosing treatment.