Positive news for paediatric rheumatology services in Wales
Our campaign to establish a rheumatology service for children and young people in Wales has received a number of boosts this month.Wales is the only home nation without a full multidisciplinary paediatric rheumatology service. Current provision is made up of part-time and limited services. This means many children and young people are travelling significant distances which often exacerbates their painful symptoms, and can be very disruptive and upsetting for them.Arthritis Care Wales and Arthritis Research UK, together with theNational Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS) and theBritish Society for Rheumatology (BSR), have ...
Source: Arthritis Research UK - April 30, 2018 Category: Rheumatology Source Type: news

Help us change the Scottish Government ’s mind about arthritis
This summer, the Scottish Government will publish its action plan to help people live healthier and more active lives.Despite over 1.5 million people in Scotland living with arthritis, we were disappointed that the Government’s proposals did not include ideas to help support people with the condition.We want to change this and are calling for the Scottish Government to provide dedicated support for people with arthritis so that they can overcome the barriers they face to maintain a healthy weight and become more active.But we need your help. If you live in Scotland,help us make sure arthritis is seen as a priority by...
Source: Arthritis Research UK - April 26, 2018 Category: Rheumatology Source Type: news

Making arthritis a public health priority in England
We have great news! After years of partnership working between Arthritis Research UK and Public Health England (PHE), musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions will be one of its new priority programmes. We believe this commitment will help many people across England living with arthritis.How did this all start?We know that arthritis can affect every aspect of a person’s life, but many people are never given information on activities which could reduce the risk of developing certain kinds of arthritis, or how to reduce the pain it can cause once they have it. They only discover more once they’re in pain and going throug...
Source: Arthritis Research UK - April 10, 2018 Category: Rheumatology Source Type: news

Low back pain sufferers 'often receiving inappropriate care'
More and more people are suffering from lowback pain worldwide - an issue that is being made worse by the widespread prevalence of inappropriate treatment methods. This is the conclusion of a series of new scientific papers published by The Lancet, which have reviewed evidence from high and low-income countries, finding that this is a global problem that can only be solved through better adherence to best practice treatment guidelines. A global problem exacerbated by ineffective care The first of these new reviews revealed that low backpain is now the leading cause of disability on a global basis, with the issue becoming m...
Source: Arthritis Research UK - April 5, 2018 Category: Rheumatology Source Type: news

Thank you for your support
Today we publish theannual reports and accounts for Arthritis Research UK for 2016/17, it presents our continued focus on working towards the 2020 goal to improve the quality of life for people with arthritis.It also provides information about our finances, how we raise and spend our money, as well as the processes that we go through to ensure that we are operating in an ethical and responsible way. In November 2017 Arthritis Research UK and Arthritis Care merged so that we can do more to help people with arthritis to live full and active lives. The annual reports and accounts for Arthritis Care for 2016-17 will be p...
Source: Arthritis Research UK - April 4, 2018 Category: Rheumatology Source Type: news

New formulation of ibuprofen shows benefits in treating joint pain
A newpain relief medication that is available over the counter has been shown in a study to offer verifiable benefits in the management of joint pain.  The new lipid-ibuprofen soft capsules, which are now being sold in the UK under the name Flarin, have the potential to offer a new first-line option for the self-management of flaring joint pain, according to research. Clinically proven benefits Conducted among 462 patients across 27 primary care centres in the UK and the Netherlands, the study assessed the benefits of this new version of ibuprofen in reducing episodic knee pain flares among primary care patients....
Source: Arthritis Research UK - March 26, 2018 Category: Rheumatology Source Type: news

Study shows potential of imaging methods for systemic sclerosis-related Raynaud's phenomenon
Current methods of measuring changes in blood flow or skin temperature in the hands of people with systemic sclerosis are subjective and not always sensitive to change. Testing and developing new means of treating systemic sclerosis-related Raynaud's phenomenon in future clinical trials could now be made easier thanks to two imaging methods that have been validated by new research. Arthritis Research UK has funded a study led by the University of Manchester showing how laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI), which measures blood flow, and thermography techniques, which measure skin temperature, could both play an i...
Source: Arthritis Research UK - March 22, 2018 Category: Rheumatology Source Type: news

MPs find out how to support constituents with arthritis
On Tuesday 20th March, Arthritis Research UK hosted its first parliamentary event of the year, sponsored by Andrew Bowie MP. The drop-in event attracted almost 50 MPs, alongside MP researchers, who came to find out how they can support constituents affected by arthritis.Thank you to everyone who took our e-action in advance of the event, and asked their MP to attend. It certainly made a difference, with some MPs saying they only knew about the event because their constituent had raised it with them. If you’d like to support our work in this way, you canjoin our campaigner network.MPs from across the UK spoke to peopl...
Source: Arthritis Research UK - March 21, 2018 Category: Rheumatology Source Type: news

Whatever the question, we ’ll help you find the answer
Thanks to everything you’ve told us we know that getting the right information and advice is essential to managing your arthritis– from knowing the right questions to ask your GP to finding the latest information on medications or the safest ways to exercise for your type of arthritis.We've been working on a new range of information and advice services for people with arthritis. You can talk to us, email, write a letter or post a question on social media and our dedicated team of advisors will help you find the answer.Our website is packed full of useful information on different types of arthritis. We've also b...
Source: Arthritis Research UK - March 15, 2018 Category: Rheumatology Source Type: news

New NHS funding for alternative treatment could prevent knee osteoarthritis
An innovative treatment for repairing damaged knee cartilage using cell transplantation will now be funded by the NHS, following approval from the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE). The Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation treatment, more commonly known as ACI, has been developed and trialled during two decades of groundbreaking research supported by Arthritis Research UK.ACI treatment could be life-changing for the estimated 500 people each year who develop a specific type of cartilage damage, usually following a sports injury in their 20s or 30s, which leads to painfulknee osteoarthritis.Until now the only...
Source: Arthritis Research UK - March 15, 2018 Category: Rheumatology Source Type: news

Giving people with arthritis 'Access to Work'
With over 30 million working days lost every year in the UK due to arthritis, we know finding and staying in work can be a challenge for people with arthritis. But there’s plenty of evidence that shows working in the right job is good for us, financially, socially and in giving us a sense of purpose and achievement.At Arthritis Research UK we want to make sure everyone with arthritis is aware of, and has fair access to, services to support them to be in work. We’re also campaigning for increased investment in these services and for changes to be made to ensure they work for everyone who needs them.Access to Wor...
Source: Arthritis Research UK - March 15, 2018 Category: Rheumatology Source Type: news

Does our body clock hold the key to developing new treatments for arthritis?
Most of us will have felt the temporary effects of a disrupted body clock, whether it’s caused by a long flight, a changing shift pattern or even just a few late nights. Butscientists all over the world now recognise the importance of our biological clocks to lifelong health and well-being.In 2014 Arthritis Research UK invested more than a million pounds into two five-year studies at the University of Manchester investigating how disruption to our daily circadian rhythms is linked to osteoarthritis and inflammatory arthritis. In this edition we’re reporting on how this exciting new research is building our unde...
Source: Arthritis Research UK - March 15, 2018 Category: Rheumatology Source Type: news

Can community walking programmes help people with arthritis to Walk with Ease?
The benefits of moving more for our physical and mental health are undisputed. Staying active is even more important for people with arthritis, as regular exercise keeps the joints moving and muscles and bones strong, easing stiffness and helping us maintain a healthy weight.But when you're dealing with daily pain and fatigue, are fearful of doing further damage to your joints and are lacking in confidence about how to exercise safely, understandably keeping active can feel like a real challenge.That’s why researchers at the University of Aberdeen are exploring if a successful US community walking programme designed ...
Source: Arthritis Research UK - March 15, 2018 Category: Rheumatology Source Type: news

Are too many people with arthritis having to wait for surgery?
Every year tens of thousands of people with osteoarthritis find joint replacement surgery offers them a new lease of life, enabling them to be more independent. But as the growing pressures on NHS resources hit the headlines again this winter, and stories of surgery rationing become increasingly common, are more and more people with arthritis having to wait too long for the treatment they need?Growing numbers of people are getting in touch to tell us about their operations being delayed or restricted. Sometimes this is due to lifestyle factors, such as their weight or whether they smoke, but it can also be because of winte...
Source: Arthritis Research UK - March 15, 2018 Category: Rheumatology Source Type: news