The Cleveland Clinic Arthritis Advisor

Volume 9
Number 8
August 2010

Many of the charts & tables found on this site are PDFs.

August 2010

Diet and RA: A Questionable Link
Can your diet affect your rheumatoid arthritis (RA) symptoms? A recent review of scientific literature confirms what previous studies and reviews have shown—namely, no conclusive evidence exists to show that particular foods make rheumatoid arthritis symptoms flare up or decrease. Published in the May 2010 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, the review looked at evidence from studies of the following diets aimed at reducing RA symptoms.

NSAIDs: Great Pain Relievers, But Use With Caution
When you need relief from your aches and pains, you probably don’t think twice about reaching for your bottle of ibuprofen or naproxen. These and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are among the most widely used medications in the U.S., due to their ability to ease pain. But that pain relief may come at a price. NSAIDs can cause gastrointestinal (GI) side effects ranging from simple indigestion and heartburn to life-threatening ulcers.

Arthritis and Sports: It May Be Time to Modify Your Game
If you have arthritis and want to continue your participation in a sport, there are several things you can do to minimize or even avoid the pain, stiffness, or swelling that might occur as a result of light, moderate, or intense physical activity. "The first step is to train properly," says Susan Joy, MD, a primary-care sports medicine physician with Cleveland Clinic Sports Health and director of Women’s Sports Health.

Ease Your Pain with Ice and Heat
When a joint aches, the questions arise: Ice or heat? "We generally tell people that if something is sore, start with ice," says Susan Joy, MD, director of Women’s Sports Health at Cleveland Clinic. "If it doesn’t make you feel better, switch to heat." But, as with most everything, one size doesn’t fit all, and your choice of heat or cold depends largely on your situation and personal preference.

Can Acupuncture Relieve Your Arthritis Pain?
Nearly 70 percent of adults over age 50 use some kind of alternative medicine, and for many, that alternative medicine is acupuncture. The practice of inserting thin needles into specific body points to improve health and well-being originated in China more than 2,000 years ago. Today, acupuncture is an accepted pain-treatment option for many people with arthritis, even though the evidence of its effectiveness is largely "anecdotal," says Santhosh A. Thomas, DO, MBA, a staff member of Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Spine Health.