Suffering Chronic Pain? Sorry, Much of the Burden to Get Better Falls to You

By Scott Mowbray

As I sit through session after session at PainWeek, an annual medical conference held this year in Las Vegas, the message I hear is that much of the responsibility for effective chronic pain treatment rests on the patient’s shoulders. Whether pain comes from a bad back, migraines, arthritis, fibromyalgia, or—in one case cited by a psychologist—from getting a leg blown off by an improvised explosive device in Iraq, a lot of the heavy lifting is the patient’s. Read More

High Co-Pays Cause Seniors to Go Without Meds

(HealthDay News) -- Seniors enrolled in Medicare plans that charge higher co-pays for brand name or non-preferred medications fill almost 15 percent fewer prescriptions than their peers who have a flat co-pay for all prescription medications, a new study finds.

The data highlights a tough decision for older Americans: Spend more or skip some of their medicines, including those for chronic diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

"Consumers are sensitive to price. When they have to pay more, they tend to consume less," senior researcher Boyd Gilman said in a prepared statement.

Gilman and colleagues at Cambridge, Mass.-based Mathematica Policy Research Inc, analyzed spending on prescription drugs among almost 353,000 Medicare beneficiaries with employer-sponsored retiree drug coverage.

They compared spending by those in single-tiered plans to those in three-tiered prescription drug plans. Three-tiered plans charged retirees higher co-pays for using drugs that were not generic or preferred name brands, or that were less obviously medically necessary, whereas single-tier plans charged a flat $5 or $10 co-pay for all prescribed medications.

Writing in the online September issue of Health Services Research, the researchers reported that people enrolled in three-tiered plans spent 14.3 percent less on prescriptions and filled 14.6 percent fewer prescriptions compared to their peers with single-tier plans. Those in three-tiered plans typically relied on generics when they purchased medications, reported Gilman.

The data also showed that people with three-tiered plans had 57.6 percent higher out-of-pocket costs and filled 11.5 percent fewer prescriptions for ongoing medical needs such as diabetes, arthritis and high blood pressure.

"The use of prescription medications is fairly predictable. People know what drugs they need, and they can find out whether their drugs are covered by a plan, and -- if they are covered -- whether they belong to a lower-cost tier or a higher-cost tier," Gilman said.

More information
To learn more about choosing a Medicare drug plan visit the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

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Women Slower to Recover From Knee Surgery

(HealthDay News) -- Women have a more difficult time recovering from knee surgery in the short term than men, according to a new study.

Researchers reporting at the annual meeting of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, this weekend also noted that people with osteoarthritis have a tougher time recovering from knee surgery during the first year after the procedure.

These factors are different from those that affect long-term recovery, such as tear size, amount of tissue removed, advanced patient age and obesity.

In the study, Yale University medical student Peter Fabricant and colleagues studied 126 patients who underwent arthroscopic knee surgery.

"We couldn't find anything in the literature to predict recovery during the first year," said Fabricant in a prepared statement. "Physicians need to be able to discuss with patients how long it might be before they can return to optimal function levels in work and activities of daily living."

The researchers noted that osteoarthritis may be a marker for worse overall knee function and suggested that patients with severe osteoarthritis should not have knee surgery because of the cartilage and soft tissue they have already lost.

The investigators could not explain how gender complicates recovery, except to note that gender might affect the way in which the original injury occurred. Women in the study reported more knee pain and decreased function prior to the surgery than men.

More information
To learn more about osteoarthritis, visit the U.S. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.

Steam & Sauna Bathing Offers Multiple Rejuvenating & Healing Benefits

Written by The International Steam Therapy Association

Part 1
Most people laugh when they hear that the Finnish Olympic team lugs a portable sauna with them wherever they go. However, the fair-haired Nordic athletes might be doing more than simply acting out a home-sick longing for the slender birch trees and island dotted lakes of the homeland. They could be on to a secret, non-drug-induced means of giving themselves an edge in the fierce competition of modern-day Olympics.

Although most people simply consider it a pleasant means of relaxation, sweat therapy might in fact have powerful heath-enhancing effects.

In the test of time is any measure, steam bathing has certainly withstood it. For thousands of years people of all cultures have indulged in the soothing warmth of sweat baths. The Romans are well-known for their elaborate baths. The wealthy of 200 B.C. India did not consider their mansion complete unless it included a bathhouse with a steam room. The Muslim Hamman, or bathhouse, with its domed, central steam chamber is stall an integral part of life in Muslim countries. A derivation of the Hamman, the Turkish bath, has been popular in Europe for centuries.

Today, steam and sauna facilities are an integral part of the hydrotherapeutic offerings at European and American spas, and steam rooms and saunas are a common feature of health clubs and public pools. Yet, there is surprisingly little awareness of the wide ranging benefits of steam and sauna bathing. There is evidence that these sweat-inducing treatments stimulate the immune system, improve circulation, and help the body to purge itself of impurities.
Hippocrates, the founder of Western medicine more than two-thousand years ago said, "Give me the power to create a fever, and I shall cure any disease."

Although often misunderstood as a symptom of disease, fever actually is a part of the body's natural healing response. Steam baths, sauna, and other heat-inducing treatments elicit similar healing responses in the body, and consequently are often called "artificial fevers".

During a fever, the functioning of the immune system is stimulated, while the growth of bacteria and virus is forced to slow down. The production of white blood cells, the primary agents of the immune system, is increased, as is the rate of their release into the blood stream. The generation of antibodies speeds up, as does the production of interferon, an anti viral protein that also has powerful cancer-fighting properties.

Apart from stimulating the immune system, fever slows down the proliferation of invading organisms by creating an inhospitable environment. At 104 degrees F., for example, the growth rate of the polio virus is reduced up to 250 times; at 106 degrees pneumococcus, a bacterium responsible for pneumonia, dies.

Part 2
Before the advent of antibiotics, syphilitics were often infected with malaria to prevent the spread of the disease. In addition, there is evidence that the frequent fevers of malaria might function as a cancer-protecting factor. Dr. Paavo Airola in his book, Worldwide Secrets of Staying Young relates the story of the Pontine swamps near Rome in Italy, which, until a few decades ago, were a breeding ground for malaria-carrying mosquitoes. The swamps were dried out, and the malaria disappeared. However, during the next decades, that area, which had before been almost free of cancer, saw an increase in cancerous diseases. After a generation, the cancer incidence level of that area had reached the level of the rest of Italy.

Malignant cells are selectively destroyed at temperatures of 106 to 110 degrees F., so the frequent fever attacks of people in the malaria-infected area might have mobilized the body's own defenses too frequently for a cancer to take hold.

Although the artificial fever induced by sweat therapy does not have the comprehensive effect of real fever, it still produces a striking effect on a number of bodily processes.

There is evidence that artificial fever works as an immune system stimulant by increasing the number of white blood cells in the body. In a 1959-review of studies on the effects of heat treatments, Mayo Clinic researcher Dr. Wakim and colleagues cite findings indicating that the number of white blood cells in the blood increased by an average of 58% during artificially induced fever. Researchers also have found increases in the activity of the white blood cells during induced fever.

In addition, as in the case of bodily induced fever, the raised temperature during the artificial fever reduces the growth rate of most bacteria and viruses, giving the immune system time to mobilize its own forces. Indeed, many regular steam or sauna bathers have experienced that a good, long sweat bath at the early onset of a cold or flu can help ward off the disease before in manifests as actual symptoms.

Apart from the immune system-stimulating effects of sweat therapy, many thought it as one of the most effective and painless detoxifying treatments available.

Dr. Veronica Butler, medical co-director at the Raj, a health center based on principles of Ayurveda, recommends herbalized steam baths, called swedenas, to clients as part of the ancient Ayurvedic purification treatment, known as panchakarma.

According to the classical Ayurvedic texts, for maximum results, a swedena or steam bath should be given while keeping the head cool and the client supine.

"A swedena clears the shrotas, the channels through which the biological intelligence flows," says Dr. Butler. "If impurities clog these channels, the flow of intelligence in the body becomes more susceptible to disease."

Part 3
Heat speeds up the chemical processes in the body, making steam and sauna bathing one of the simplest and most comfortable ways to rid the body of accumulated toxins. As the pores open up and the million of sweat glands start to excrete, the body rids itself of metabolic and other waste products. Sweat contains almost the same elements as urine, and for this reason, the skin is sometimes called the third kidney. It is estimated that as much as 30% of bodily wastes are eliminated by way of perspiration.

However, more than common metabolic waste products are secreted through the skin. Natural health practitioners often notice that when heavy smokers get a steam bath for a body wrap (where the body 'simmers' for up to 45 min. Under hot covers), they will leave a yellow residue on the towels. Reino Tarkianinen, President of Finlandia Sauna, reports that when the company replaces sauna benches from public baths, a thick, black layer of accumulated tar can be found underneath the benches.

In Finland, research is being done on the use of sweat therapy in the treatment of people who are chemically affected. The purifying effects of perspiration could also be behind claims that steam and sauna treatments can help cur or control such ailments as acne and arthritis.

Last but not least, steam and sauna bathing produces powerful therapeutic effects simply by increasing circulation. As the carrier of the rebuilding forces of the nutrients to all parts of the body, the bloodstream plays a crucial role in the maintenance of health.

Steam and sauna treatments have a stimulating effect on the cardiovascular system. The pulse rate increases from 75 beats per minute to between 100-150 beats per minute during a 15-20 minute treatment. This increases blood circulation, but not blood pressure, since the heat also causes the tiny blood vessel in the skin to expand, accommodating the increased blood flow. The dilation of the capillary vessels enables the bloodstream to carry great amounts of nutrients to the skin, enhancing the nutritive status of the skin. The flushed, youthful look that steam and sauna bathers maintain for up to several hours after treatment is due to this effect.

Which is the best way of taking a steam or sauna treatment?
First of all, it is good to be aware of the distinction between the two. Most people think of the heat of a sauna as dry heat and the heat of a steam room as wet, humid heat. This distinction is only partially correct. Sauna bathers in Finland splash water on the heated stones in the sauna, raising the humidity level to as much as 40%. Without that, the hot, dry sauna air can irritate the mucus membranes.

Part 4
In the hydrotherapeutic tradition used at European and America spas, sweat therapy is used in preparation for massage as a means of increasing the suppleness of the muscles and creating a deep sense of relaxation in body and mind. In the Ayurvedic tradition of India, which has gained popularity in the U.S. in recent years, steam treatments are part of the traditional purification treatment panchakarma, where they are used after massage to help the body get rid of toxins dislodged during the treatment.

Sweat treatments can also be enjoyed on their own, as a workout for the cardiovascular system, a deep-cleansing treat for the body, an immune system booster, and a soothing and invigorating refreshment for the mind.

There are a few precautions to keep in mind. Because of the increase in cardiovascular activity caused by the high heat, sweat therapy is not recommended for people with heart disease or other cardiovascular problems. Individuals with high blood pressure pressure should first consult their doctor.

In addition, the treatment is not advised for pregnant women, small children, or the elderly. Do not take a sweat treatment if you have a fever or an open wound. If you have been working out, be sure that your body has had time to cool down before exposing it to the heat of a sweat bath.

Limit treatment time to 10 to 15 minutes. Drink plenty of water of herbal tea before and after the sweat bath to replace fluids lost during the treatment. The sweat glands can secrete up to 30 grams of sweat per minute, or almost one pint per 15 minutes, so dehydration is a very real possibility, if you are not careful. Fatigue and other indications of dehydration can occur with as little as 1 to 2% loss in body weight.

The main thing to keep in mind is to enjoy the process. Do not push your body beyond its comfort level; the point is not to sweat it out the longest, but to allow your mind and body to luxuriate in this health-enhancing and invigorating miniature spa treatment.

Working up a sweat is one of our oldest folk remedies. "Give me an opportunity to create fever and I will cure any illness," said the Greek physician Paramenides two thousand years ago.

Today, besides creating a relaxing sense of well-being, relaxes and loosens muscles tissue, reducing daily buildup of tension and increasing muscle flexibility:
-boosts blood circulation, which helps aching and injured muscles to recover faster, because the stronger the flow of blood, the faster metabolic waste products are carried off. -stimulates vasodilatation of peripheral blood vessels, which relives pain and speeds healing of sprains and strains; -speeds up the metabolic processes of vital organs and endocrine glands resulting in a calorie loss of between 200 and 450 in a 20 minute session.

Part 5
According to Michael Marino, research associate at Lennox Hill Hospital's Institute of Sports Medicine and Athletic Trauma in New York City:
"….. heat exposure stimulates the hypothalamus, the gland that normally maintains and stabilizes body temperature to dissipate the excess heat. Heart rate increases as more blood flow is diverted from the inner organs towards the extremities of the skin. This automatic "cooling" reaction is actually a form of beneficial stress, a passive kind of cardiovascular exercise that helps to keep the body's system alert and functioning well."

The beneficial stress of heat on the heart is confirmed by physical fitness expert Bernard Gutin, Professor of Applied Physiology and Education at Teacher's College, Columbia University:
"Heat acts as a form of mostly beneficial stress on the body that produces physiological changes in heightened blood pressure, stepped-up heart rate and an increase in stress hormones."
According to Dr. Paavo Aviola, an author in health matters:

"The sauna increases the eliminative, detoxifying and cleansing capacity of the skin by stimulation of sweat glands. A steam bath provides a mild cleansing process for the skin as certain body fluids are released through the skin. It also promotes healthy skin tone and texture due to increased blood circulation."

more info at:

ozone_oxygen

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The Benefits of Steam Sauna and Ozone

The use of a sauna should be an important part of any detoxification program.

The sauna increases the eliminative, detoxifying and cleansing capacity of the skin by stimulation of the sweat glands and also promotes healthy skin tone and texture due to increased blood circulation.

Using the steam sauna with ozone allows the steam to surround the body and ozone can be introduced through the skin.

Humid heat opens the pores, which allows the ozone through the skin to the bloodstream, where it can travel to the fat and lymph tissue. It is very important to cleanse the lymph tissue of toxins and the ozone/steam sauna is the easiest and best way to accomplish this.

Artificially induced hyperthermia (rising body temperature results in the destruction of bacteria and viruses) combined with heavy sweating and a cleansing effect initiated by ozone will result in elimination of toxins accumulated mainly in the lymphatic system relieving the liver from the difficult task of dealing with them.

Through the centuries, men and women have used steam to purify the skin, soothe sore muscles, boost circulation and to simply relax.

The combined action of moist heat and ozone cleanse the lymphatic system, which carries 90% of the body's fluids.

Ozone brings oxygen to the tissues for enhanced health and vitality.

The combination of steam and ozone is a natural, effective way to promote a refreshing sense of well-being.

We believe that a an Ozone/Steam Sauna cabinet represents a pleasant and easy to follow form of body cleansing.

Benefits of ozone sauna: Relaxes and loosens muscles by reducing the buildup of lactic acid and increasing muscle flexibility. Oxidizes toxins so they can be eliminated through the skin, lungs, kidneys and colon.

Boosts blood circulation, helping injured muscles to repair quicker. Stimulates vasodilatation of peripheral blood vessels relieving pain and speeding the healing process. Eliminates bacterial and viral infections of all kinds.

Speeds up the metabolic processes of the inner organs and endocrine glands resulting in a loss of 200-450 calories in a 20 minute session.

Newest research shows steam hyperthermia an effective treatment for: * Detoxification programs * Immune system deficiencies * Pain management * Cancer * Arthritis * Stress and muscle tension * Increasing body metabolism * Elimination of toxins * Blood circulation

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http://www.dreddyclinic.com/integrated_med/ozone_oxygen.htm


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Constipation and Bowel Movements

By: Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, ND, Ph.D, DACBN





Have You Had Your Bowel Movement Today?
Many people are under the impression they need to have only one bowel movement a week or fewer. Bowel disease, constipation, colon cancer, and stomach pain are all disorders that are leading to what I call the "Silent Killer in America". Colon health and colon problems are the most over-looked health problems in today's society.

Due to the poor diet in America, 200 million people suffer from constipation and do not have the required two to four bowel movements daily. The average person, by the time they are 30 years old, in America, has between 10 to 15 pounds of hard compacted fecal matter in their bowel.

The intestinal tract is composed of the small intestine which is attached to the lower part of the stomach then moves into the large intestine and finally the colon. Whatever you eat has to be properly digested and then move its way through a long, approximately 35 feet in length, intestinal lining to finally exit the rectum. So don't you think the most important area to keep clean in your body would be that 35 feet of food processing wasteland?

Constipation and Bowel Movements
It's important to understand how the digestive track breaks down food into smaller particles and then ultimately into the vitamins, minerals and nutrients you need to survive. As we age, we develop a thick coating along the sides of the intestinal walls as hard as wood and even harder to eradicate.

When this coating adheres to the walls of your intestinal lining and your food tries to move through, it's difficult for your body to absorb the proper amount of nutrients.

These nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream so the blood can carry them to all the organs and tissues in your body. This is why it is essential to not only clean the colon but to purify and keep the whole intestinal lining clean at all times and free from any plaque or debris. You must have a minimum of one bowel movement a day but we recommend having two a day.

After years of research and studying bowel habits, especially constipation and bowel movements in general, we discovered keeping the bowel clean will not only reduce or prevent most types of disease but will also eliminate chronic bloating, symptoms of fatigue, headaches, nausea and a whole list of other symptoms. We recommend and use a product called Oxy-Powder® that will focus on cleansing and keeping clean your whole intestinal tract.

By using Oxy-Powder® every other evening you can ensure that you will have regular bowel movements and keep your intestinal lining clean and functioning properly. You must have regular bowel movements to prevent toxic chemicals from leaking through the walls of the intestinal tract into the blood. I also recommend drinking at least 64 ounces of purified water daily to help the intestinal tract move the toxic residue out of the body.

Constipation and bowel movements irregularity is a sneaky, undiagnosed, disabling epidemic that is sweeping America as we speak. Perhaps all of this doesn't surprise you.

Let's take a look at the following categories of disease and disorders that can be related either directly or indirectly to the colon and constipation: heart disease, high blood pressure, fatigue, irritability, varicose veins, gas, heart burn, bloating, obesity, diabetes, arthritis and more.

Some of these side effects or symptoms are a hundred times worse than the constipation itself. So if your doctor is treating you with traditional drugs or surgery he is most likely covering up your symptoms and possibly making your condition worse.

I recommend the following to ensure a healthy clean colon, easily and naturally without any drugs, surgery or toxic side effects: colon hydrotheraphy, a good diet, lots of live foods, a lot of pure water, the product Oxy-Powder® and exercise.

Constipation and bowel movements have a contradictory relationship--to have the latter on a regular basis the former condition must be eliminated (no pun intended). With a little diligence and common sense, you too can enjoy the benefits of a clean, healthily functioning digestive system!

more info at: oxypowder

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Immune Cell Insights Could Fight Arthritis, Lupus

(HealthDay News) -- Regulatory T cells, which "police" the immune system, are produced in the thymus and not from other circulating T cells, researchers report.

The study also provides new information about how mistakes made by regulatory T cells may contribute to autoimmune disease.

The findings suggest that it may one day be possible to control the early education of regulatory T cells in children in order to prevent autoimmune diseases, according to a team from the Medical College of Georgia.

It may also be possible to introduce new regulatory T cells into people with autoimmune disease, they said.

The thymus, a small organ located in the upper/front portion of the chest, is involved in the production and maturation of T cells during fetal development and childhood. Regulatory T cells direct the immune systems' roaming T cells.

Before regulatory T cells leave the thymus, they learn to distinguish between normal body tissue and invaders such as bacteria and viruses.

However, in some cases, regulatory T cells fail to learn how to recognize all the different kinds of normal body tissue, the Georgia group explained. This, along with environmental and other factors, can result in autoimmune diseases, where the body attacks its own tissues, the researchers said.

Lupus, arthritis, and type 1 diabetes are types of autoimmune diseases.

The MCG team found that, in mice, the regulatory T cell learning process in the thymus peaks in the first six weeks of life. That's about equivalent to the first 15 years of life in a human.

The early lessons, correct or not, learned by the regulatory T cells seem to last a lifetime.

The few cells that develop later in life will likely behave like the earlier cell.
The study was published in the August issue of the journal Immunity.

More information
The U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases has more about the immune system.

Research Yields Clues to Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis

(HealthDay News) -- Scientists say they've spotted potential new cellular targets for treating lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune disorders.

In research with mice, Japanese scientists found that blood platelet function plays an important role in an autoimmune kidney disease called crescentic glomerulonenephritis.

Their study, published in the September issue of the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism, also sheds light on the involvement of BLOC-1, which controls lysosomes, tiny organelles that contain digestive enzymes needed to maintain healthy cells function.

"The profound role of BLOC-1 appears to be platelet-specific among immuno-inflammatory cell types. BLOC-1 is a possible therapeutic target for suppression of platelet functions without compromising physiologic immune responses," said researchers at Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine.

In another study, Finnish scientists identified a new type of adhesion molecule (amine oxidase, copper containing 3 - AOC3) that's highly expressed on vessels of inflamed human joint tissue.

AOC3, also called vascular adhesion protein 1, spurs inflammation by interfering with the infiltration of leukocytes (white blood cells) into rheumatoid joints, the study authors said.

More information
The U.S. National Women's Health Information Center has more about autoimmune diseases.

Lupus Biomarkers Discovered

(HealthDay News) -- People with lupus have certain molecular biomarkers that aren't present in those without the disease, a small, preliminary study has found.

"There are currently no defined biomarkers for lupus," said lead researcher Dr. Nilamadhab Mishra, an assistant professor of rheumatology at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine, in Winston-Salem, N.C.

But, in their new study, Mishra and his colleagues found that people with lupus have changes in their micro-ribonucleic acids (microRNAs) that aren't found in people who don't have lupus. "We found 40 are differently expressed between lupus patients and controls," he said.

"RNA acts like a mold for proteins," to help determine what the form and function of genes' proteins will be, explained Dr. Joan Merrill, medical director of the Lupus Foundation of America.

Mishra presented the findings on Friday at the American College of Rheumatology meeting, in Washington, D.C.

Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease that can damage the joints, kidneys, heart, lungs, brain, blood and skin, according to the Lupus Foundation of America (LFA). The LFA estimates that about 1.5 million Americans have the disease. It occurs 10 to 15 times more often in women than in men.

The disease can vary greatly in severity from person to person, and even for an individual. Some people with lupus have periods of time when no symptoms are present. Common symptoms include achy joints, frequent fevers, extreme and lasting fatigue, a skin rash and anemia.

There are no definitive diagnostic tests for lupus, and because symptoms can come and go, it often takes months, and possibly years, before a person can be diagnosed, according to LFA.

For the new study, the researchers compared the microRNA from five people with lupus to seven age- and sex-matched people without lupus. The people with lupus were not experiencing symptoms of the disease at the time of the study and were not taking commonly prescribed lupus medications during the study period.

The researchers found 40 microRNAs with a 1.5-fold difference in expression between the people with lupus and the control participants. Six microRNAs had a greater than 3-fold difference in expression.

"We hope we've found a biomarker that can be helpful for diagnosis and to help guide treatment," said Mishra, who added that it might also be possible to develop a new targeted treatment based on this and other research.

Said Merrill: "It looks like lupus patients are making funny RNA even when the disease isn't flaring."

Merrill cautioned that while this "novel research is very good research," it's a preliminary study done on a small group of people, and more work needs to be done.

Mishra said one of the next steps is to see if these microRNA changes are present in other autoimmune diseases, such as type 1 diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis, or if they are exclusive to lupus. He also agreed that the current work needed to be replicated in a larger trial.

"What's important is that there's a lot of research going on right now about the many tiny reactions that occur in lupus. Over the next few decades, we may develop medications that are strategic," said Merrill. "We're working on trying to fix a few small interactions between proteins, rather than wallop the whole immune system."

More information
To learn more about lupus, visit the Lupus Foundation of America.


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Researchers Apologize for Disclosure Failure on Drug Study

(HealthDay News) -- The failure of researchers to fully disclose pharmaceutical-industry connections in a study of drugs used to treat rheumatoid arthritis has resulted in a letter of apology to the Journal of the American Medical Association.

However, everyone involved is quick to note that both the findings of the study and the methods used were sound. And while the exact meaning of the findings is the subject of debate, there appears to be no question of the validity of the science involved.

The original study appeared in the May 17, 2005, issue of JAMA. In that study, Dr. Eric L. Matteson, a professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic, and colleagues looked at the risk of cancer among patients taking infliximab (Remicade, Enbrel) and adalimumab (Humira) for rheumatoid arthritis.

These drugs are tumor necrosis factor-alpha blockers (TNFs). TNF blockers bind to tumor necrosis factor-alpha, making it inactive, reducing inflammation and joint damage.
These drugs have been associated with an increased risk of some cancers, particularly lymphoma, and with an increased risk of infection.

In its study, Matteson's team concluded: "There is evidence of an increased risk of serious infections and a dose-dependent increased risk of malignancies in patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with anti-TNF antibody therapy. The formal meta-analysis with pooled sparse adverse events data from randomized controlled trials serves as a tool to assess harmful drug effects."

The disclosure problem arose because the researchers failed to tell JAMA editors that they had let Abbott Laboratories, the maker of Humira, review the paper before it was published because they had a prior agreement to do so. However, they did not let Centocor Inc., the maker of Remicade, review the paper, since they had no such agreement with that company. They also failed to note that a TNF drug made by Wyeth was not included in the study, even though they were working with Wyeth on another study.

In addition, the Mayo researchers didn't tell the journal they had received $25,000 from Amgen, the marketer of Enbrel, for the fellowship education training of Dr. Tim Bongartz, one of the study co-authors. "The stipend was not linked to the study or systematic review of TNF-alpha antibodies," Drs. Bongartz and Matteson write in the apology letter.

"This was really a very embarrassing thing to me," Matteson said. "This occurred due to my inattention to our disclosure statement when we submitted our original paper. There were mistakes in the disclosure, not because I intended to mislead them, but simply because I was negligent."

According to Matteson, he alerted JAMA editors to the error a week before the study was to be published -- a fact disputed by Dr. Catherine D. DeAngelis, JAMA's editor-in-chief, who said she was first notified by one of the drug companies involved.

"It was very nice of him [Matteson] to do it after the fact, since he knew we were about to initiate an investigation because someone let the cat out of the bag," DeAngelis said. "We are very serious about it. I don't like it when people don't fully disclose. I wanted this letter of apology."

Based on DeAngelis's concern, the Mayo Clinic looked into the matter and instituted conflict-of interest-education for its researchers.

The disclosure issue did not stop JAMA from publishing the study on schedule. Both Matteson and DeAngelis agree there was nothing wrong with the science in the paper.

"No one is questioning the veracity of the paper," DeAngelis said. "What we are questioning is why they didn't disclose."

Based on this and other occurrences surrounding disclosure, JAMA tightened its disclosure policy on conflicts of interest.

In a July 12, 2006, JAMA editorial, DeAngelis announced an updated disclosure policy. "To further improve the transparency of reporting of potential conflicts of interest and to encourage more accurate and complete disclosures, an important new policy is that JAMA will begin requiring all authors to disclose all potential conflicts of interest in the 'Acknowledgment' section of the manuscript at the time of submission," she wrote.

Despite the disclosure problems, Matteson stands behind the findings in the study. Basically, the study found that there is a significant risk of developing cancer associated with these drugs. However, in terms of actual cases, the risk is small, he said.

"The cancer events are relatively rare," Matteson said. "But the relative risk is increased. Whether that holds up in other studies isn't known. We also documented that there was an increased risk of infection. That remains a concern with these drugs."

"The real bottom line is that these are very effective drugs for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, and are with justification used in patients with severe disease," Matteson said. "However, they do interfere with immunological function. We have to be concerned that in individual cases this interference may cause adverse events."

Patients need to be told about the risk, so they can make an informed decision whether to use them or not, Matteson said.

Several letters in this week's JAMA devoted to Matteson's study find fault with the methodology used or the findings. But all agree there are risks with the drugs to one degree or another. In fact, the risk of cancer and infection are stated on the drugs' labels.
One expert has problems with the methods used in the study.

"There are a lot of problems with meta-analysis [a review of previous studies]," said Dr. Elinor Mody, a rheumatologist at Brigham and Woman's Hospital, in Boston. The inclusion in the Matteson study of certain skin cancers and cancers that develop over a long time are particularly concerning, she noted. In addition, the study authors didn't include data on the drugs from other important trials.

However, Mody tells her patients that with rheumatoid arthritis, there is an increased risk of lymphoma. "Maybe these medications increase the risk even more," she said. "The concern about infection is nothing new -- and that's my major concern," she said.

"We are not at the point that these drugs are first-line agents," Mody said. "But this study didn't really change my mind about these medications. For some patients, they are wonder drugs."

More information
The Arthritis Foundation can tell you more about rheumatoid arthritis.

Research Yields Family Clues to Rheumatoid Arthritis

(HealthDay News) -- Women whose brothers are affected with painful rheumatoid arthritis are more likely to develop a severe form of the disease, new research shows.
The finding adds to growing evidence that genes play a key role in the autoimmune disorder, one expert said.

"The importance of this study is that it is beginning to show us how multiple genetic factors can interact and regulate the development and course of rheumatoid arthritis (RA)," said Dr. John Hardin, chief science officer of the Arthritis Foundation and a rheumatologist at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York.

He was not involved in the research, which is published in the October issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism.

According to the Arthritis Foundation, about two million people in the United States suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune, chronic inflammatory disease in which the joints can become extremely painful. In people with RA, the immune system has an abnormal response, mistaking the body's healthy tissue for a foreign invader and attacking it.

Dr. Lindsey A. Criswell, the new study's lead author and a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, explained that her team "compared the disease features among women who had no brothers with RA to the features of women with one or more brothers with RA."

The researchers focused on 1,004 affected members of 467 families in which two or more siblings have rheumatoid arthritis. "We compared features of the disease in all the men and all the women," Criswell said, trying to build on what is already known about sex differences in the disease.

They found that women whose brothers were affected with the painful form of arthritis in which the body "turns" on itself were more likely to have high levels of an antibody associated with the disease, she said. According to Criswell, this information could be useful to both physicians and patients to help predict the course of the disease.

It's already known that RA affects women three times as often as men, and that it strikes men later in life. While women develop RA anywhere from adolescence to menopause, it is rarely seen in men under age 45.

Criswell's team found that while the disease occurs later in men, male patients showed more signs of "erosive" disease. They were also more likely than women to test positive for rheumatoid factor and antibodies to "cyclic citrullinated peptides" or CCP, both hallmarks of the disease.

Men with RA were more likely to have a history of smoking and to have a gene called HLA-DRB1, a subtype of the genetic marker HLA-DR4, which is known to be associated with the disease. Women whose brothers had RA also had higher anti-CCP antibodies and were more likely to have this gene, compared to females whose brothers do not have RA, lending support to the idea that the disease runs in families.

According to the Arthritis Foundation, people with the genetic marker HLA-DR4 may be at increased risk of getting RA; the marker is found in white blood cells and helps the body differentiate between its own cells and foreign invading ones.

"It has been clear for a long time that RA runs in families," Criswell said. "But like many diseases, the genetic cause is complex. There is not a single gene that determines who will and won't get it but rather a number of genes. We have been facing a challenge of identifying multiple genes in addition to environmental factors."

Genetic information is helpful for a number of reasons. "[It] might influence how we treat them, and whether men or women are at greater risk," Criswell said. Family histories might also alert the doctor and the patient to expect the course of the disease to be more severe.

The study adds to our understanding of the disease, said Hardin. "We have [identified] two genes so far, but it's clear other genes are involved," he said.

The take-home message of the study is that patients should tell their doctor if they have a brother with the disease, Hardin said. Rheumatologists, too, should remember to ask patients if other family members have the disease.

More information
For more on rheumatoid arthritis, head to the Arthritis Foundation.

Proteins Hold Clues to Chronic Pain

(HealthDay News) -- Low blood levels of two anti-inflammatory proteins could be key to chronic pain, researchers report.

Low concentrations of two cytokines, IL-4 and IL-10, were found in patients with chronic widespread pain, according to a German study published in the August issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism.

Cytokines are proteins that act as messengers between cells.

The study included 40 patients who'd received intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) as a novel treatment for pain that hadn't responded to standard therapy and another 15 patients who did not receive IVIG. The study also included a control group of 40 healthy people.

Blood samples were collected from all the study volunteers, and the pain patients were asked to rate their pain, fatigue, mood and cognitive function.

Compared with the control group, the 40 pain patients had significantly lower levels of IL-4 and IL-10. The 15 patients in the second group had similar results, although the difference in their levels of IL-10 compared to people in the control group was not statistically significant.

Several factors may be involved in low levels of these cytokines and how they influence pain, the study authors said. They noted that previous studies have shown that IL-10 reduces sensitivity to pain and that IL-4 can also dull pain response.

Genetic variations in different cytokine genes are associated with certain diseases. For example, IL-4 gene variations are associated with asthma, Crohn's disease and chronic polyarthritis, the researchers said.

"The low levels of IL-4 and IL-10 we observed in the patients with chronic widespread pain might therefore also be caused by genetic alterations either in the cytokine genes themselves or in regulatory elements, although other factors may be involved," they explained.

More information
The American Academy of Family Physicians has more about chronic pain.

Health Tip: Addressing Acne

(HealthDay News) -- Acne is a problem for many teens -- and for some adults, as well. These clusters of pimples and blemishes usually occur on the face but also on areas such as the back and shoulders.

While the causes of acne aren't fully understood, heredity and hormonal changes are thought to be prime culprits. Many people believe that greasy foods or fatty sweets such as chocolate may cause an outbreak, but the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases says that's a myth. Another common myth is that dirty skin causes acne, the institute says.

Other factors, while they don't cause acne, can make it worse. These include use of oil-based cosmetics, stress, tight clothing or hats, and abrasive facial cleansers. The institute warns against popping, squeezing or picking at acne, which are likely to worsen the skin's appearance.

As early as World War I, ozone's bactericidal properties were used to treat infected wounds

As early as World War I, ozone's bactericidal properties were used to treat infected wounds, mustard gas burns, and fistulas, although these treatments were limited by technological difficulties.

Current ozone therapy uses a mixture of ozone and pure oxygen, and with today's medical ozone generators, the ability now exists to deliver pure ozone-oxygen mixtures in precise dosages.

The Europe-based Medical Society for Ozone and the National Center for Scientific Research in Cuba currently use the treatment for a wide variety of conditions, including wound problems, gastrointestinal disorders, cancer, and AIDS.

Doctors report particular success with the different types of hepatitis, as well as candida, allergies and bladder infections. Other disorders treated with ozone therapy: herpes, arthritis, respiratory conditions, multiple sclerosis, sexually transmitted diseases, and parasitic conditions.

And this is just a partial list. What's more, while ozone can be used to treat a wide spectrum of conditions, it can also be used prophylactically to combat harmful viruses, bacteria, and free radicals before degeneration and disease occur.

Additionally, already healthy people can use ozone to rejuvenate cells so that they can stay younger longer. As science reporter Nathaniel Altman observes, it is unusual indeed to have a product that treats such a tremendous range of conditions. Altman recounts ozone's multiple benefits:

Chlorophyll for MS?

Chlorophyll for MS?
Provided by: DrWeil.com

Q: I was recently diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and have been taking chlorophyll supplements to boost my immune system. Is this wise, or should I be more cautious about chlorophyll? -- Linda F.

A: Chlorophyll, the green pigment that gives plants their color, has no function in the human body. That fact hasn't stopped marketers from promoting supplements containing chlorophyll and suggesting that it can benefit patients with conditions ranging from cancer to arthritis to multiple sclerosis (MS). Chlorophyll can't hurt, but it isn't an immune booster, and I don't know of any research suggesting that it helps patients with MS.

Unfortunately, we know little about what causes MS and what factors influence its progression and outcome. It begins with localized inflammatory damage to the myelin sheaths surrounding nerve fibers due to an attack by the immune system. This interferes with nerve impulses and can lead to symptoms such as muscle weakness, loss of vision, and a variety of other impairments.

A drug called beta-interferon has become the conventional treatment for MS patients. While it can slow the progression of the disease, it is expensive and produces unpleasant side effects. Whether or not you take beta-interferon, you can try to influence the course of the disease with the stress reduction, mind/body treatments and lifestyle changes recommended below:

• Decrease protein intake toward 10 percent of daily calories, and emphasize plant rather than animal protein.
• Eliminate milk and milk products, substituting other calcium sources.
• Eat organically grown fruits and vegetables as well as organic products made from wheat and soy.
• Eliminate polyunsaturated vegetable oils, margarine, vegetable shortening, all partially hydrogenated oils, foods (such as deep-fried foods) that might contain trans-fatty acids.
• Use extra-virgin olive oil as your main fat.
• Increase intake of omega-3 fatty acids from fish, walnuts, or flax and hemp seeds.
• Eat more fruits and vegetables, preferably organic.
• Eat ginger. Turmeric can also be helpful. (I recommend the product called Turmeric Force from New Chapter.)
• Take acidophilus culture and psyllium if constipation is a problem, or use the ayurvedic herbal bowel regulator, triphala.
• Take my antioxidant and daily multivitamin formula plus an additional B-50 complex vitamin daily.
• Take 5 grams of soy lecithin granules daily (store in the refrigerator).
• Take 30 milligrams of Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ-10) two or three times a day.
• Do some kind of light aerobic exercise on a regular basis. Choose something you enjoy; don't push yourself to the point of exhaustion.
• Try visualization, meditation, and hypnotherapy to redirect your mental energies in positive directions.
• Experiment with traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic medicine from qualified practitioners.
• Ashwaganda, an Ayurvedic herb may be helpful. Finally, talk to a Chinese medical practitioner about the use of bee sting therapy, which has helped in many cases.

Andrew Weil, MD

Aching with Arthritis?

Aching with Arthritis?
Provided by: DrWeil.com

Q: What is polyarthritis, and what tests are needed to diagnose it? -- Anonymous

A: Polyarthritis means inflammation of more than one joint and is most often associated with rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease (one that occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks the body's own tissues). Polyarthritis is also associated with lupus, polymyalgia rheumatica, and sarcoidosis. All of these autoimmune disorders can be triggered by infection, tissue injury, or emotional trauma in people who are genetically predisposed to these conditions.

Polyarthritis, as well as its underlying cause, can be diagnosed by physical exam (the affected joints are swollen, stiff, painful or tender, and may feel warm and appear reddened) as well as by a variety of blood tests. These would include a measure of your erythocyte sedimentation rate (sed rate).

A high sed rate suggests the presence of acute inflammation and occurs with rheumatoid arthritis and other immune-mediated connective tissue diseases such as lupus. Conventional medicine treats autoimmune diseases including rheumatoid arthritis with steroids and other immunosuppressive medications, most of which are toxic when used long-term.

Patients dependent on these strong drugs are less likely to respond to natural treatments, which can moderate autoimmunity and help control symptoms.

Here are my recommendations:
Follow a low-protein, high-carbohydrate diet; minimize consumption of foods of animal origin.
Eliminate milk and milk products including commercial foods made with milk.

Avoid polyunsaturated vegetable oils, margarine, vegetable shortening and products made with partially hydrogenated oils of any kind.

Increase your intake of omega-3 fatty acids (eat more cold water fish, walnuts or freshly ground flaxseeds). Consider taking a fish oil supplement to help keep your protein intake low.
Eliminate or reduce intake of coffee and tobacco - both have been linked to an increased risk for rheumatoid arthritis.

Get regular aerobic exercise (swimming is best for those with rheumatoid arthritis).
Practice relaxation techniques. In addition, visualization can help moderate autoimmune responses, and psychotherapy can help alter emotional states that keep the immune system off balance.
Try hypnotherapy or guided imagery. Look for a therapist willing to take on an autoimmune disease. Meditation and yoga can help, too.

Avoid health care practitioners who make you feel pessimistic about your condition.
Take aspirin and other over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs to help relieve symptoms.
Take the anti-inflammatory herbs ginger and turmeric. I recommend Zyflamend, made by New Chapter Company, which includes both. You can safely take these herbs indefinitely.
Andrew Weil, MD

Are Anti-Inflammatory Herbs Safe for the Heart?

Are Anti-Inflammatory Herbs Safe for the Heart?
Provided by: DrWeil.com

Q: I have been using Zyflamend for joint pain for a couple of years because it contains naturally occurring ingredients, albeit in higher concentrations than can be found in their original sources. My question concerns the advisability of COX-2 inhibition in general (in light of the heart problems linked to Vioxx). Is there a risk in continuing to take Zyflamend? -- Anonymous

A: Since the arthritis drug Vioxx was found to endanger the heart and was removed from the market in the fall of 2004, I've often been asked whether Zyflamend, a natural anti-inflammatory product I frequently recommend for joint pain and stiffness, presents a similar threat. Zyflamend, from New Chapter Inc., contains ginger, turmeric, green tea and other herbs that moderate the inflammation associated with arthritis.

One of its components, by the way, is resveratrol, a component of red wine believed responsible for its heart protective effects.

It is true that Zyflamend has some of the same effects as Vioxx in that it inhibits an enzyme (called COX-2) responsible for the joint inflammation that causes arthritis pain. Vioxx and similar prescription drugs described as "selective" COX-2 inhibitors were formulated to target the COX-2 enzyme alone. I believe the herbs in Zyflamend deliver a balanced and proportionally safe effect on related enzymes that were unaffected by pharmaceutical COX-2 inhibitors. Vioxx may have led to an imbalance in enzymes that might have contributed to adverse effects among users.

Zyflamend also contains two other components that may protect rather than endanger the heart. One, holy basil (Ocimum sanctum), contains compounds that have antioxidant effects and may combat high cholesterol and plaque formation. A University of Chicago study concluded that another Zyflamend component, the Chinese herb Scutellaria baicalensis, may also have heart-protective effects.

All told, I see no reason for concern that taking Zyflamend would expose you to the same risks as Vioxx and other pharmaceutical COX-2 inhibitors. The herbs it contains have been used safely for thousands of years by many millions of people. Zyflamend is a supercritical extract of botanicals - meaning the extracts were made with liquid carbon dioxide rather than a solvent such as hexane.

Despite the use of a better, safer solvent, keep in mind that extracts of plants are still not as safe as the plants themselves. Use caution whenever you take any herbal product, especially a concentrated one. As with any product, report any unusual symptoms to your health professional and get checked after a month or two of use to make sure you are getting the desired effect.

Andrew Weil, MD

Avoid a Hip Replacement By Fighting Obesity Early

Childhood obesity is a precursor to all sorts of terrible health risks that can last way into your middle years. Carrying all that extra weight during your first 20-25 years of your life may lead to one more serious problem -- a total hip replacement due to severe arthritis -- later on.

European researchers compared the health of some 1.2 million Norwegians screened for tuberculosis from 1963-75 to data on total hip replacement procedures performed between 1987-2003.

A patient's rising body mass index correlated to a greater risk of hip replacements or that being overweight or obese as much as tripled one's odds of such a procedure, and this was especially true among those who were overweight as young adults. In fact, obese women under age 25 increased their odds of hip replacement surgery by a factor of three in their later years.
The best things you can do if you're a parent who wants to help his or her child get a good healthy start:

Switch their preferred liquids from sugary juices and soft drinks to clean water.
Limit their TV time and get the "glow box" out of their bedrooms today!
Get them moving today to help them build healthier, stronger bones.
Arthritis and Rheumatism, Vol. 54, No. 3, March 2006: 802-807
Yahoo News April 12, 2006

DrEddyClinic

Ozone: A Wide-Spectrum Healer

"I know a number of cases of individuals with T-cell counts that have been very low, but because of regular ozone therapy they have not gotten any opportunistic infections.

In fact, it's almost as though the ozone is taking the place of their immune system. Unfortunately, you often do not see rises in their T-cell counts, but you can see stabilization and a management as a chronic manageable illness.

It's my belief that the use of ozone in association with other complementary therapies can convert AIDS from a uniformly terminal illness to something that is chronically manageable, which is better than what anyone else can offer at this point." - -Dr. John Pittman

Many feel it to be the most promising, safe, and generally efficacious treatment for major degenerative diseases, from AIDS and chronic fatigue to cancer and arthritis.

It's ozone - - medical ozone. Medical ozone differs from atmospheric ozone in that it is pure and concentrated. This is an important distinction because atmospheric ozone, produced from ultraviolet radiation, is combined with different nitrous oxide and sulfur dioxide products and is harmful. It's not used in medical practice.

If ozone is so good why hasn't everyone heard about it?

If ozone is so good why hasn't everyone heard about it? Well, many have. I have been on over 700 radio and TV shows and speaking platforms telling people, but if I were to pick one word why ozone is not spoken of in the major media, it would be "Politics."

Although millions of people, including little babies, have AIDS, and ozone definitely solves the problem if applied correctly, for long enough, and early enough, the US medical establishment clings to the outmoded model of poisoning the body with toxic drugs to get rid of the disease instead of cleaning out the body and boosting immunity by flooding the body with oxygen (ozone treatments).

Most of the officials in the US medical and regulatory community are financially tied to the pharmaceutical industry which, through interlocking directorates within all major media outlets, does not allow unprofitable (for them) competing therapies to emerge into the public debate, no matter how successful they are.

Although this fact of life is a tragic and callous disregard of human suffering, this not allowing competing therapies to emerge is especially true - as in the case of ozone - if the patents have all run out on the therapies, and if the therapies are legally without owners and in the public domain.

In 1900 Nikola Tesla operated the "Tesla Ozone Company" in the US. Between 1958 and 1973 Dr. Robert Mayer and Dr. Edmund J. Ryan were granted 8 US ozone patents, and European physicians have reported successfully using ozone for over 50 years and to cure 33 major diseases. Quoting from the international MD's assembled at the May 1983 Sixth World Ozone Conference in Washington, D.C.:

Ozone eliminates... viruses and bacteria from blood, human and stored... Medical ozone is successfully used on AIDS, Herpes, Hepatitis, Mononucleosis, Cirrhosis of the liver, Gangrene, Cardiovascular Disease, Arteriosclerosis, High Cholesterol, Cancerous Tumours, Lymphomas, Leukaemia... Highly effective on Rheumatoid and other Arthritis, Allergies of all types...

Improves Multiple sclerosis, ameliorate Alzheimer's Disease, Senility and Parkinson's... Effective on Proctitis, Colitis, Prostate, Candidiasis, Trichomoniasis, Cystitis; Externally, ozone is effective in treating Acne, burns, leg ulcers, open sores and wounds, Eczema and fungus.

more info at:
http://www.dreddyclinic.com/integrated_med/ozone-therapy.htm