Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment


rheumatoid arthritis treatmentRheumatoid Arthritis Treatment

Why should you learn to live with it, when there is an alternative? Welcome to the functional medicine approach to rheumatoid arthritis treatment.

Most cases of Rheumatoid Arthritis usually respond well to non pharmaceutical medicine and lifestyle changes. Our Rheumatoid Arthritis treatment has seen many clinical successes. See testimonial below:

“Rheumatoid Arthritis spread through my body from hands and wrists, through knees, ankles, feet and toes over the course of a few months, until I could barely walk.  At 55 years old, I changed overnight from an active skier, tennis player and spinner, to a hobbling person in pain.

When I met Deborah I was walking with a stick, was unable to open heavy doors because of my painful hands, and used a wheelchair in airports. It was also very difficult to cook because I couldn’t use my hands to prepare food and my ankles hurt to stand. Deborah offered me an alternative to immune suppressing medicine I was hesitant to take.  Initially I was impatient with her protocol as I wanted to be “well” immediately.  She helped me heal by baby steps.  She tackled the underlying conditions, rather than suppressing the symptoms.  She conducted methodical testing before jumping to treatment. My treatment plan was customized for me and my disease stage and manifestation, not the same as every patient who had RA.  We are partners in my treatment plan and that makes all the difference. 

These days I am happy to say that I can play pickleball (like mini tennis), cross country ski, go walking and go up and down the stairs with ease. I do at least 10,000 steps per day on my FitBit. My energy is also so much better.”  – Jacqueline B., London

 

Pharmaceutical drugs and their side effects:

Modern treatments include symptomatic treatment for arthritis pain and inflammation, intervention with strong toxic drugs and surgical treatment of joint damage. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the mainstay of the conventional treatment for arthritis pain. These drugs are COX-inhibitors, which often cause the side effects of stomach erosion and increased bleeding tendency, sometimes leading to death by gastrointestinal haemorrhage.

It’s not unusual to hear patients complaining of side-effects and not enough pain relief. We have already witnessed the 2004 withdrawal of the drug, Vioxx, one of the main COX-2 inhibitors, due to increased cardiac deaths. Recent studies have raised serious concerns regarding the long-term safety of all non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Some of the most commonly used NSAIDs are in fact more likely to cause heart attacks than Vioxx.

In 2005, a study of more than 9000 people aged 25 to 100, who had suffered their first ever heart attack, was published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ). A significantly increased risk of heart attack was observed for Diclofenac (55% increase), Ibuprofen (24% increase), Rofecoxib (32% increase) and Naproxen (27% increase). The authors concluded that their study suggested that enough concerns may exist to warrant a reconsideration of the safety of all NSAIDs.

They also concluded that as serious adverse events are associated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, only their limited use can be recommended. Clearly the message from the current research is that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs should not be the first option for the treatment for arthritis pain.

Our Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment:

We do not give one-size-fits-all symptomatic treatment. Instead, we diagnose the underlying issues that are the drivers of this inflammatory condition and a treatment plan is then formulated, based on the test results. This provides a treatment specifically for each patient, meeting their unique needs.

Most cases of rheumatoid arthritis usually respond well to non pharmaceutical medicine and lifestyle changes. It provides gentle, safe and effective treatment, avoiding the unwanted side effects of pharmaceutical drugs.

There are no ‘standard prescriptions’ for particular conditions. Instead, tailor-made prescriptions are formulated to meet an individual patient’s unique needs. Prescriptions are dispensed from our own dispensary, using medicine authorised by the Department of Health’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

The clinical efficacy of non pharmaceutical medicine in pain management has already been demonstrated in clinical trials. It has a superior safety and efficacy profile compared to NSAIDs. Professor Reinhard Saller, a rheumatologist based in Zurich, observed that the excellent results he encountered in his own practice attested to its anti-inflammatory and analgesic (painkiller) potential.

We also address the gut issues, which are often associated with this condition.

References

Combination therapy in early rheumatoid arthritis. Gossec L, Dougados M.Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2003 Sep-Oct;21(5 Suppl 31):S174-8.PMID: 14969072 Review.

Rheumatoid arthritis: an update.

Derk CT.Del Med J. 2005 Feb;77(2):59-63.PMID: 15887927 Review.
Challenging the therapeutic pyramid: a new look at treatment strategies for rheumatoid arthritis. Wilske KR, Healey LA.J Rheumatol Suppl. 1990 Nov;25:4-7.PMID: 2273521
[Methotrexate and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent combination in rheumatoid arthritis]. Bertin P, Carpentier N, Vergne P, Bonnet C, Bannwarth B, Dehais J, Treves R.Therapie. 1997 Mar-Apr;52(2):133-7.PMID: 9231508 Review. French.
Effectiveness of methotrexate with step-down glucocorticoid remission induction (COBRA Slim) versus other intensive treatment strategies for early rheumatoid arthritis in a treat-to-target approach: 1-year results of CareRA, a randomised pragmatic open-label superiority trial. Verschueren P, De Cock D, Corluy L, Joos R, Langenaken C, Taelman V, Raeman F, Ravelingien I, Vandevyvere K, Lenaerts J, Geens E, Geusens P, Vanhoof J, Durnez A, Remans J, Vander Cruyssen B, Van Essche E, Sileghem A, De Brabanter G, Joly J, Meyfroidt S, Van der Elst K, Westhovens R.Ann Rheum Dis. 2017 Mar;76(3):511-520. doi: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2016-209212. Epub 2016 Jul 18.PMID: 27432356 Clinical Trial.

If you would like to book an appointment

Contact Deborah’s Medical Secretary for an appointment