Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA), now called juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), impacts an estimated 300,000 children in the U.S. (about 1 in every 1,000). 1 While a challenging diagnosis, newer treatments in the past few decades have thankfully helped with moderating the disease, hopefully preventing permanent damage and lessening disability in many children.

Note: I always recommend checking with your doctor first before adding anything to your treatment regimen. Physical items. Braces (ex: wrist brace, ankle brace, knee brace) - sometimes, having these available on hand is more helpful than I can explain. If a certain joint is feeling particularly painful, needing to be stabilized or protected, I turn to braces for short periods of time.

In exploring available medication options for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the off-label use of low-dose naltrexone (LDN) has gotten a lot of attention in recent years.. What is low-dose naltrexone? Naltrexone is a medication traditionally used to block the effects of opioid medication, including pain relief, and is most typically prescribed for the treatment of opioid and alcohol abuse. 1

B vitamins. Vitamins B6 and B12 are commonly found to be at deficient levels in people with RA. 1 There is some evidence that B vitamins provide benefits in people with RA. For instance, vitamin B6 has been shown to reduce levels of inflammatory markers, including interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), C-reactive protein (CRP), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), in ...

For as long as I can remember, I've found that non-medicinal methods of managing my RA have been just as important as the medication I take (currently Remicade). I've used braces and topical creams like Biofreeze or Tiger Balm. I've used foam rolling, gentle stretching, and moderate exercising. I've ...

What happens when I have a strong suspicion of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) but the 2 traditional lab markers (rheumatoid factor and anti-CCP antibodies) are not coming back positive? I have found that VECTRA testing can be helpful to determine whether a person might have seronegative RA. A …

I have raised my grandson since he was 2 or 3 weeks old. We danced, wrestled, played, ran, climbed, swung, slid, etc. Then about 8 years ago I was diagnosed with chronic moderate to severe RA. He was 3 then. Now he is 11 and he tells me he wishes that I was better so we could go back to being able ...

Non-compressive nerve symptoms. Nerve symptoms may result from inflammation that affects the nerve directly. This results in demyelination. Demyelination is a process where the outer protective layer of the nerve (myelin) and the part of the nerve cell that transmits electrical nerve impulses (axon), is damaged.

Sulfasalazine is a disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) used for the treatment of adults and children over 6 with RA who have not responded to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). DMARDS decrease the pain and swelling of inflammatory arthritis and may also prevent damage to joints, which can reduce the risk of long-term loss of function.

Find out about rheumatoid arthritis including symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, patient stories, support, and much more from an RA community perspective.