The Arthritis Action Program: An Integrated Plan of Traditional and Complementary Therapies - Softcover

Weinblatt M.D., Michael E.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0684868032 ISBN 13: 9780684868035

Publisher: Free Press, 2001

Synopsis

If you suffer from the aches and pains of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or related conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome or Lyme disease, this book will give you the latest information on managing and minimizing symptoms -- with results your grandma never dreamed of! Although no "cure" exists yet for arthritis, today's breakthrough therapies, innovative medications, and complementary treatments have the potential to banish forever the image of arthritis as a devastating and untreatable disease. Included in The Arthritis Action Program * New medications, including COX-2 inhibitors and TNF blockers, to control pain and inflammation * Exercises to increase range of movement, improve balance, and minimize stiffness * Tips on how to protect joints * Techniques for stress reduction * Breakthroughs in surgery * Questions to ask your doctor * Periodic updates on our special Web site

About this title

Review

Often considered an "old folks" affliction, arthritis is the medical term for more than 100 diseases and conditions that affect the joints of about one out of six Americans--old and young. Treatment for this debilitating, chronic condition is complicated, so Harvard Medical School professor of medicine Michael Weinblatt, M.D., developed a comprehensive guide to explain arthritis "in plain English" and offer preventative and prescriptive suggestions for successful pain management. His goal: to foster equal optimism and skepticism, thus empowering the patient to make informed decisions.

Weinblatt begins with a helpful refresher course on bone health (titled "Why Good Joints Go Bad") and outlines steps to find a health-care provider. In the chapters on pain, he describe symptoms and their common treatments and offers charts that outline various drugs, their brand names, standard doses, and estimated costs. Special attention to the many current medical treatments (including COX-2 inhibitors like Celebrex and Vioxx, and biological-response modifiers such as Enbrel) include each option's benefits and risks. Weinblatt also addresses conditions that mimic arthritis (carpal tunnel syndrome, tendinitis, fibromyalgia) and provides an unbiased guide to several "complementary" (often referred to in other texts as "alternative") therapies, from A (acupuncture) to Z (zinc supplements). Despite his desire to squash all the hype surrounding "breakthrough"--and usually unproven--arthritis treatments (magnets, bee venom, the "Arthritis Diet"), Weinblatt's tone remains engaging--never condescending--throughout the book's 300-plus pages. Lists of questions to ask your healthcare provider and to assess a patient's status, plus an invitation to visit a Web site for online updates, make this book a valuable reference and resource. --Liane Thomas

About the Author

Michael E. Weinblatt, M.D., is the director of the Robert B. Brigham Arthritis Center at Harvard's Brigham and Women's Hospital. He is a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, president of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), and author of more than 100 professional papers. He is coauthor of the textbook, Treatment of the Rheumatic Diseases: Companion to the Textbook of Rheumatology.

Edition details

• Publisher: Free Press
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0684868032
• ISBN 13: 9780684868035
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 352