It is known that rheumatoid arthritics suffer from multiple deficiencies. One study found pernicious anaemia is 5 times commoner in rheumatoid suffers than in study group controls.
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Rheumatoid arthritis affects about 1% - 3% of the human population and it is considered a relatively modern affliction.
Commonly rheumatoid arthritis can follow food sensitivities, and bacterial and other infectious diseases can also cause arthropathies.
At the onset, arthritis sufferers are from a wide variation in age and the severity and degree of joint involvement varies greatly.
Interestingly, arthritis's prevalence is lower in under-developed countries.
Signs and symptoms of arthritis include:
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joint pain and tenderness |
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signs of inflammation such as heat and swelling |
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loss of range of motion or flexibility in a joint |
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fatigue, occasional fever and a general feeling of malaise |
Rheumatoid arthritis often affects the wrist joints and the finger joints nearest to the hand. Arthritis can also affect other parts of the body besides the joints.
If rheumatoid arthritis is left untreated, inflammation may spread to additional joints and may lead to deformity and instability of joints.
There are three major theories relating to rheumatoid arthritis:
- Auto-immunity. Rheumatoid factor present in the blood of patients with rheumatoid arthritis has been shown to be immunoglobulin – an antibody to IgG.
- Genetics. Rheumatoid arthritis has generally been shown to be more prevalent in families of patients with this type of arthritis. Evidence seems to point to a weak genetic component; however, common environmental factors may also play a part.
- Infections. The clinical picture of rheumatoid arthritis is reminiscent of infection. However, at this time, no infective organism has been isolated.
It is known that rheumatoid arthritics suffer from multiple deficiencies. One study found pernicious anaemia is 5 times commoner in rheumatoid suffers than in study group controls. Two-thirds of rheumatoid arthritics have low serum folate levels and increased excretion of formiminoglutamic acid in their urine. One-third have low levels of red blood cell folate. One-fifth have early megaloblastic changes in cells obtained by marrow aspiration.
To overcome nutritional deficiencies, is has been suggested that suffers should have a high protein diet and that it might be beneficial for it to be gluten-free. Sufferers should have supplements of iron, folic acid, calcium, possibly vitamin K and pantothenic acid. Zinc sulphate may also be useful.
It is possible that parasites may, in some cases, be responsible for infecting joints. In a large group of people who have rheumatoid arthritis affecting the temporomandibular joints, where these joints have been removed surgically, the tissues were found to be infected with organisms such as Chlamydia (a parasite) and Mycoplasma (a bacterium without a cell wall). Rickettsiae have also been suggested as infecting organisms. These are all difficult to identify in sufferers.
At Breakspear, we can search for a variety of conditionals that may be responsible for arthritis using laboratory tests. The conditions we regularily look for are:
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Lyme borreliosis |
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Chlamydia trachomatis |
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Chlamydia psittaci |
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Mycoplasma fermentans |
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Mycoplasma genitalium |
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Mycoplasma pneumoniae |
These conditions can be treated with antimicrobial agents.
Our Pathology Department can also run tests to provide information about gut function and bacterial and yeast overgrowth and evaluate nutritional status. Our doctors consider and treat food allergy and evaluate environmental factors as the primary way of dealing with rheumatoid arthritis.
Learn more about allergy and environmental illness by understanding
the Load Phenomenon.
For prices, see Patient Information.
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