Philip Day loved playing soccer so much that the 35-year-old software engineer founded a website – FootballMatcher.com – to help people connect for pickup games.
The fun went on pause when Day developed joint pain so bad it kept him from his favorite sport.
“...
Acupuncture may protect people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) from stroke, new research suggests.
The study indicates that a course of acupuncture treatment may lower blood levels of inflammatory proteins called cytokines that are linked to heart disease, the No. 1 caus...
Women are much more prone than men to develop autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and lupus.
Now, researchers have come up with a potential explanation for that -- one that's rooted in genes that drive a person's gender.
The female bod...
Women are four to five times more likely than men to develop early-onset rheumatoid arthritis, and a few hormonal factors could be why, new research suggests.
Entering menopause early (before age 45), taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT), and having four or more kids...
Could the immune system play a role in why some women become depressed during and after a pregnancy?
Swedish researchers have uncovered a "bidirectional relationship" between pregnancy-linked depression and autoimmune diseases such as psoriasis, multiple sclerosis, ulcer...
An investigational drug may hit the reset button on a faulty immune system for some people with rheumatoid arthritis.
Rheumatoid arthritis, or RA, is an autoimmune disease that occurs when the body misfires against its own joints and tissues, causing joint pain, stiffnes...
Toxic chemicals that develop from car exhaust, smoking and backyard grilling might increase your risk of developing the autoimmune disease rheumatoid arthritis, a new study suggests.
These chemicals are called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). They form as coal, o...
There are more than 100 types of arthritis and related conditions, and they affect at least 54 million adults and 300,000 children in the United States, according to the
Arthritis strikes millions of Americans, leaving them with aching, inflamed joints that make it hard to move around without pain.
It is the leading cause of disability and most common in women, but is it the same for everyone?
Absolutely not. There are over 100 dif...
The air where you work could be increasing your risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, a new study suggests.
Breathing in the fumes from commercial vapors, gases and solvents -- and even common dusts found in the workplace -- appears to increase chances of the chronic ...
The Black Death pandemic wiped out as many as half of the people living in some of the Middle Ages' most densely populated places, sweeping through Europe, Asia and Africa nearly 700 years ago.
People with autoimmune disorders like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis or psoriasis who suffer a heart attack are more likely to die or develop severe heart-related complications in the aftermath, a new study shows.
A heart attack creates more serious health consequences in t...
Nearly 10 years ago, Tania Morales was a busy working mom when she was suddenly struck by pain, joint stiffness and exhaustion.
“I felt alarmed, where it got to a point where I was telling my husband, ‘Something's not right with my body and we need to check this out...
Research has linked heart disease to specific autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. Now, a huge study shows that autoimmune diseases as a group increase your chances of developing heart ills.
Autoimmune diseases such as psoriasis, multiple sclerosis...
In their search for a drug to prevent Alzheimer's disease, scientists are taking a look at certain rheumatoid arthritis drugs.
Preliminary findings suggest that a type of rheumatoid arthritis drug known as TNF inhibitors may lower dementia risk in rheumatoid arthritis pa...
Long-term exposure to air pollution can wreak havoc on your lungs and heart, but new research suggests another vulnerability: It may increase your risk of
Physical therapy for knee arthritis tends to cost patients more out-of-pocket and involves a lot more hassle than a quick steroid shot to soothe an aching joint.
But in the long run, physical therapy is at least as cost-effective as steroid injections and is more likely ...
Two rheumatoid arthritis drugs show potential for lowering the risk of Parkinson's disease, new research shows.
Some previous studies have found that people with rheumatoid arthritis have a lower risk of Parkinson's, and it was suggested that a class of rheumatoid arthri...
Taking vitamin D supplements may help stave off psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and other autoimmune diseases, a new study suggests.
Previous research has hinted at this connection, but the new study is the first randomized controlled trial to look at what happens...
Finding the right medication for rheumatoid arthritis isn't easy, and a newer pill against the disease carries higher risks of heart attack, stroke and cancer than older RA drugs, a new clinical trial confirms.
The study was mandated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administrat...
Some arthritis drugs may reduce the effectiveness of COVID vaccines, according to the Arthritis Foundation, which also offers advice on booster shots.
Research is limited, but evidence suggests that disease-modifying
"Ultra-low" doses of the drug rituximab may be enough to keep some patients' rheumatoid arthritis under control for several years, a new, preliminary study suggests.
Researchers found that among 118 patients, low doses of the drug were comparable to standard ones in cont...
Many American arthritis sufferers aren't getting any exercise despite its benefits for reducing pain and improving their quality of life, new research shows.
Sixty-seven percent of U.S. adults with arthritis engaged in physical activity in the past month, most often walk...
As doctors around the world come up against severe cases of COVID-19, some positive news has emerged: New research shows the rheumatoid arthritis drug baricitinib may help reduce hospitalized COVID patients' risk of death.
Current standard-of-care medications aren't enou...
COVID-19 vaccines trigger antibody production in most people who have weakened immune systems, but a new study reveals that their responses are weaker than in healthy people.
"Some of our patients have been hesitant about getting vaccinated, which is unfortunate because ...
While breathing in secondhand smoke is known to harm kids' lungs, new research suggests that children whose parents smoked are also more prone to developing rheumatoid arthritis later in life.
"Our findings give more depth and gravity to the negative health consequences ...
A widely used medicine for autoimmune diseases may lower people's immune response to the Pfizer mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, a new study suggests.
The drug, called methotrexate, is often given to patients with immune-mediated inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthriti...
A drug with a 30-year track record as an effective tool for fighting cancer may significantly improve memory and thinking in patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease, new research suggests.
Sargramostim (brand name: Leukine) has long been used after cancer trea...
Two new studies suggest that the jury is still out on whether the arthritis drug tocilizumab helps those with severe COVID-19.
Both reports were published recently in the New England Journal of Medicine. The first, from scientists at the University of California...
Rheumatoid arthritis drugs may save lives of patients hospitalized with severe cases of COVID-19, according to a groundbreaking clinical trial.
The findings, first announced in January, have now been peer-reviewed and published in a major medical journal.
"We are d...
Rheumatoid arthritis patients who are in remission have significantly higher body temperatures than people without the joint disease, new research shows.
The study included 32 rheumatoid arthritis patients who were in remission and a healthy "control" group of 51 people ...
A recently approved rheumatoid arthritis medication appears to be an effective second-line therapy when biologic treatments start to fail, a new clinical trial reports.
Arthritis sufferers treated with upadacitinib had a significantly greater reduction in their sympt...
Starting drug treatment early in rheumatoid arthritis patients may reduce their risk of heart disease, a new study suggests.
Rheumatoid arthritis at least doubles the risk of heart disease due to its links with atherosclerosis (plaque buildup in the arteries), heart ...
People with lupus aren't at increased risk of hospitalization from COVID-19 due to steroidal medications they take to reduce immune system activity, a new study finds.
And a related study found that people with inflammatory forms of arthritis -- such as rheumatoid ar...
In a small study from France, an immune-dampening drug used by people battling rheumatoid arthritis showed promise in patients hospitalized with severe COVID-19.
The drug, called anakinra, targets pro-inflammatory responses that kick into high gear in advanced COVID-...
Treatment with the immunosuppressant methotrexate does not raise the risk of lung disease among rheumatoid arthritis patients, two new studies claim.
At least 5% to 10% of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients develop interstitial lung disease, which leads to in...
Early and intensive treatment with methotrexate and prednisone can ease fatigue in people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to a new study.
RA causes chronically inflamed joints and that inflammation can lead to severe fatigue that isn't relieved by resting, ...
People taking steroids to treat chronic inflammatory diseases are at high risk for developing high blood pressure, British investigators report.
Inflammatory bowel disease and rheumatoid arthritis are often treated with steroids for an extended period, at high doses...
Low folate levels are associated with an increased risk of heart disease death in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a new study suggests.
People with RA have a 60% increased risk of dying from heart disease, but the reasons have been unclear.
"Ou...
Many Americans battling autoimmune illnesses such as rheumatoid arthritis or psoriasis turn to a long-used drug, methotrexate, for relief.
But until now there's been little comprehensive research on side effects tied to the drug.
A new study funded by the U...
A new survey shows that rheumatic diseases can be crippling both physically and financially as patients struggle to live with the debilitating conditions.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 54 million U.S. adults and as many as 300,000 ...
Difficulties with daily activities such as dressing, walking and eating can be seen in rheumatoid arthritis patients a year or two before they're diagnosed, a new study shows.
"This is a new finding, and a finding that is quite intriguing," said lead author Dr. Elen...
You use your hands nearly every minute of the day, so any time they hurt it's important to find out why.
Certain conditions can affect people who do the same hand movements for hours every day. Repetitive strain injury can cause pain in muscles, nerves and tendons. C...