Arthritis Advisor

Ask The Doctors 01/07

Subscribers Only Weight-bearing activities stimulate our bones to react by increasing bone density. The term "weight-bearing" means your bones are working against gravity to support your body weight or, in the case of weight lifting, other weight.

Milk, Good For Bones, Fights RA Inflammation Too

Subscribers Only Your mother always knew a glass of milk would produce strong bones. What she didn’t know at least until recently is that milk, besides being a proven calcium-producer, may also ward off the pain of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Reducing Your Risk Of ‘Bone Death’

Subscribers Only Your bones, like all living tissue, need a constant source of oxygen-rich blood. If the blood supply is disrupted, cells in the bone begin to die and osteonecrosis, or bone death, results. Ultimately, the bone weakens and collapses.

5 Ways To Save On Drug Costs

Subscribers Only Split pills. Ask your doctor to prescribe your pills in double strength. Then, using a plastic pill-cutter (available at any pharmacy), split them in half. Note: Some medications time-release pills, capsules, and coated tablets lose their effectiveness when split.

Can Aromatherapy Relieve Pain?

Subscribers Only The scent of lavender in bloom, the smell of freshly cut green apples, or a brewing cup of chamomile tea are among the aromas that elicit feelings of comfort and relaxation in many of us.

Ending Elbow Pain

Subscribers Only The pain may have started with an ache or stiffness in your elbow. Then it became persistent and now it’s unbearable. You’ve tried anti-inflammatory medicines and physical therapy, but you’re not getting any better

It May Be Impingement, Not Arthritis

Subscribers Only Textbook illustrations of hip joints show perfectly shaped bones moving in smooth harmony. Unfortunately, reality can throw you a curve, giving you hip joints with too much bone in a key location where the ball of the femur sits within the cup of the pelvis (acetabulum).

In The News 01/07

Subscribers Only Although the level of function prior to knee or hip replacement has been shown to be strongly related to how well a patient functions after surgery, little has been known about the effects of pre-op exercise on post-op rehab.

9 Steps To Pain Relief You Can Take Now

Subscribers Only Coping with arthritis pain can be a full-time and frustrating pastime. The effort is apt to be especially fruitless if you try to ease your discomfort in solitude, relying only on over-the-counter drugs, foregoing consultation with a physician, and thereby missing out on the abundant medical and surgical treatments that might provide the relief you desperately need.