Recent News and Articles on the Keywords: arthritis + pill + 24,900  Related to the article below (Last Update: 8/7/2008)

Wall Street Journal New Remedies Approach Arthritis Pain Gingerly Wall Street Journal - Aug 4, 2008 By LAURA JOHANNES Ginger is delicious in a stir fry, but can it also help arthritis? Ginger in concentrated form is sold as pills, massage oil and now a new ... Pills offered (4) less Sioux City Journal, IA - But, the question remains: Are generic medications for ailments like blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, asthma and allergies just as good as name brand ... Color your meals naturally healthy Enid News & Eagle, OK - Antioxidants protect the body against free radicals, harmful molecules linked to higher rates of heart disease, cancer, arthritis, Alzheimer?s disease and a ... Broadway World Donna McKechnie: One Singular Sensation Broadway World, NY - A combination of personal difficulties, financial woes, Hollywood misfires and a crippling bout with Rheumatoid Arthritis nearly ended her career. ... BBC News Frankincense 'can ease arthritis' BBC News, UK - Aug 1, 2008 ... arthritis in their knees recruited into the trial were given a low-dose capsule, some a higher dose capsule, and the remainder were given a dummy pill ... Indian Herb Seen As Safer Way To Treat Symptoms Of Arthritis AHN all 67 news articles » Baby Boomer Nutrition High Priority for Food Processors Food Processing, IL - Whether it?s arthritis, osteoporosis or a number of other bone and joint issues, baby boomers learn the hard way that 50- or 60-year-old parts don?t operate ... What do you mean, diabetes?' - The moment that changed a life Indian Country Today, NY - Aug 5, 2008 Bush: Unfortunately, I also have arthritis, so I'm not too nimble. More recently, I have been doing a lot of traveling to pow wows and I man a booth all ... Drug exec returns with company Chicago Tribune, United States - Jul 31, 2008 Walbert is also familiar with the Searle operation, having been involved in the early marketing of the arthritis drug Celebrex, which was developed by the ... Pfizer, Wyeth Beat Analysts' Estimates; Glaxo Sinks (Update1) Bloomberg - Jul 23, 2008 Wyeth, of Madison, New Jersey, said profit exceeded analysts' estimates by 5 cents a share as gains for its arthritis pill Enbrel countered losses from ...PFE Pfizer Profit More Than Doubles on Sales Outside US (Update3) Bloomberg - Jul 23, 2008 The arthritis pill Celebrex gained 23 percent to $589 million following an increase in television commercials for the medicine. Lyrica and Celebrex helped ... McDONALD'S SEES GROWTH IN EUROPE News & Observer all 5 news articles »  PFE

On Pins and Needles: Acupuncture for Arthritis Relief

For people with arthritis, popping a pill does not always provide all of the pain relief they are seeking. A new study demonstrates that acupuncture can complement conventional therapies by easing pain and improving function in people with osteoarthritis of the knee.

"We have a result that suggests, in the largest, longest and most rigorously conducted study of acupuncture ever, that we have a new adjunctive therapy for individuals with degenerative arthritis." said Stephen E. Straus, MD, the director of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, the agency that co-sponsored the study, at a press conference.

The 26-week study, published in December 21 in the Annals of Internal Medicine, looked at 570 patients. Researchers from the University of Maryland divided participants into three groups. One group received 23 sessions of acupuncture, an ancient Chinese therapy in which needles are placed in certain parts of the body; another group received sham acupuncture, in which not all of the needles pierced the skin; and the third group took part in an osteoarthritis education program.

All of the participants continued their existing treatment regimens, which included acetaminophen (Tylenol), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, a class of drugs called COX-2 inhibitors, and narcotic pain relievers. (Recently, the safety of COX-2 inhibitors, and an NSAID called naproxen, which is sold over-the-counter as Aleve, has been questioned because of potential links to heart problems.)

The University of Maryland researchers found that eight weeks into the study, those in the acupuncture group had a greater improvement in function, such as walking and stair climbing, than the sham acupuncture group, though not in pain relief. After 26 weeks, the acupuncture group had greater improvements in both pain and function than the other groups. The researchers also noted that there were few side effects associated with acupuncture, though by week 26, 25 percent of participants in each acupuncture group dropped out, possible because of the frequency of treatment.

Osteoarthritis is the major cause of functional limitations among patients 65 and older who are living in the community. Acupuncture is thought to relieve arthritis pain by stimulating the nervous system. The study authors noted, however, that the new findings only apply to people with pain in their knees, and not to those with arthritis in their hips or hands, for example, because this study was limited to people with osteoarthritis of the knee.

If you have osteoarthritis of the knee, "you should talk to your physician and discuss your individual situation." said study author Marc C. Hochberg, MD. "Make sure you have the correct diagnosis and after that, that you’re looking at the non-pharmacological and pharmacological therapies, including education, exercise and weight loss as well as acupuncture…We’re not looking only at one therapy, but a combination that is best for that individual."