Living with Rheumatoid Arthritis

by Tammi L. Shlotzhauer MD

Overview

The trusted guide that has helped thousands of people cope with this painful condition—now thoroughly updated and revised.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease in which inflammation plays a major role in causing joint problems. Warmth and swelling in the joints, along with significant stiffness and pain, can make daily life difficult. Many people with rheumatoid arthritis also experience fatigue, low-grade fever, loss of appetite, depression, and muscle aches.

In this, the third edition of Living with Rheumatoid Arthritis, Tammi L. Shlotzhauer describes new findings about causes and treatments, including
• New research on risk factors and triggers, including pathologic bacteria in the digestive tract, smoking, and exposure to pollutants and chemicals
• Lifestyle and diet modifications that can help avoid potential triggers
• How stress contributes to inflammation and other symptoms
• Information about new biologic disease-modifying drugs
• Promising research on biomarkers that may generate a personalized approach to treatment
• Remarkable gains in reducing disability, hospitalizations, and surgeries

In addition to explaining the causes, symptoms, and treatment options for people who have rheumatoid arthritis, Dr. Shlotzhauer offers practical strategies for coping with the pain, fatigue, and emotional toll of a chronic illness. She provides new information on associated diseases such as osteoporosis, tips for finding safe and reliable information online, and information on how to get an accurate diagnosis.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781421414287
Publisher:	Johns Hopkins University Press
Publication date:	09/01/2014
Series:	A Johns Hopkins Press Health Book
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	424
Sales rank:	780,826
File size:	5 MB
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Tammi L. Shlotzhauer, M.D., is a practicing rheumatologist at Rheumatology Associates of Rochester and associate medical director at Rochester Clinical Research, where she directs clinical research trials involving arthritis.

Table of Contents

Preface
Acknowledgments
Introduction: Defining Rheumatoid Arthritis
Part I: Learning About Rheumatoid Arthritis
1. The Joints and Rheumatoid Arthritis
2. The Course and Prognosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis
3. Diagnosing Rheumatoid Arthritis: Why So Many Tests?
4. Outside the Joints: Other Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Part II: Coping with Rheumatoid Arthritis
5. Lifestyle and Coping Strategies
6. Coping with Pain and Fatigue
7. Coping with Emotions— Yours and Everyone Else's
Part III: Exercise and Rehabilitation
8. Protecting Your Joints
9. Exercise and Rheumatoid Arthritis
10. Specific Exercises
Part IV: Medications
11. Medications Past, Present, Future
12. Aspirin, Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs), and COX-2 Inhibitors
13. Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs (DMARDs)
14. Biotherapies: Biologics, Kinase Inhibitors, and a Biologic Medical Device
15. Corticosteroids
16. Osteoporosis Treatments
Part V: Beyond Medications: Other Treatments
17. Alternative and Complementary Therapies
18. Nutrition: Diets, Nutrients, and Nutritional Supplements
19. Surgery for Rheumatoid Arthritis
Part VI: Practical Matters
20. Disability Benefits, Insurance, and Other Financial Matters
21. Other Issues
Glossary
Bibliography
Index

Editorial Reviews

An indispensable book for sufferers of rheumatoid arthritis and their families. . . In addition to explaining the causes, symptoms, and treatment options for people who have rheumatoid arthritis, Dr. Shlotzhauer offers practical approaches for managing the pain, fatigue, and emotional toll of a chronic illness. She provides new information on associated diseases such as osteoporosis, tips for finding safe and reliable information online, and information on how to get an accurate diagnosis.
—Robin Wulffson, Examiner.com

Any who have rheumatoid arthritis . . . will find this a powerful guide.
—California Bookwatch

Living with Rheumatoid Arthritis will answer many questions patients and their families haven't thought to ask and provide information they need to know.
—Arthur I. Grayzel, M.D., Senior Vice President for Medical Affairs, Arthritis Foundation

A well-written and comprehensive book that will be a valuable resource for patients with rheumatoid arthritis who are highly motivated to learn more about their disease. I will recommend it with enthusiasm to my patients.
—James R. O'Dell, M.D., Arthritis and Rheumatism

Painful and prevalent, rheumatoid arthritis afflicts more than three million people in the United States alone. This guide makes coping with and understanding the disease easier by outlining its causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatments. The book also suggests exercises and gives advice on dealing with the pain and change in lifestyle arthritis causes.
—Science News

From the Publisher

An indispensable book for sufferers of rheumatoid arthritis and their families. . . In addition to explaining the causes, symptoms, and treatment options for people who have rheumatoid arthritis, Dr. Shlotzhauer offers practical approaches for managing the pain, fatigue, and emotional toll of a chronic illness. She provides new information on associated diseases such as osteoporosis, tips for finding safe and reliable information online, and information on how to get an accurate diagnosis.

Examiner.com - Robin Wulffson

Any who have rheumatoid arthritis . . . will find this a powerful guide.

California Bookwatch

Painful and prevalent, rheumatoid arthritis afflicts more than three million people in the United States alone. This guide makes coping with and understanding the disease easier by outlining its causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatments. The book also suggests exercises and gives advice on dealing with the pain and change in lifestyle arthritis causes.

Science News

Living with Rheumatoid Arthritis will answer many questions patients and their families haven't thought to ask and provide information they need to know.

Arthur I. Grayzel

A well-written and comprehensive book that will be a valuable resource for patients with rheumatoid arthritis who are highly motivated to learn more about their disease. I will recommend it with enthusiasm to my patients.

Arthritis and Rheumatism - James R. O'Dell

This comprehensive and insightful book explains not only the physical features of rheumatoid arthritis but also its psychological, emotional, and functional effects.

David F. Giansiracusa

This will be an extremely valuable text for every rheumatologist's office and will likely become a household companion of many patients.

C. Garrison Fathman

A well-written and comprehensive book that will be a valuable resource for patients with rheumatoid arthritis who are highly motivated to learn more about their disease. I will recommend it with enthusiasm to my patients.

— James R. O'Dell, M.D.

Arthritis and Rheumatism

Reviewer: Ami N Mody, MD (Washington University Medical Center)
Description: This is a detailed guide for patients and families with rheumatoid arthritis describing, in simple language, what it is, its various manifestations, and what therapeutic interventions are available to treat them. The book is unique in its systematic and in-depth approach to every question. The first edition was published in 1993 and much has changed since then, especially in the field of therapeutic options, making this update quite necessary.
Purpose: The purpose, according to the authors, is to formulate a well-written, readable, comprehensive guide for patients who have rheumatoid arthritis, and for those who care about them and for them. One of the most important needs of persons living with rheumatoid arthritis is education. Informed patients and family members will be better able to deal with the disease and achieve better outcomes if they are educated about the disease, its potential complications, and its treatment. These are worthy objectives and this type of book is really needed.
Audience: According to the author, the book is written for patients with rheumatoid arthritis and for those who care for them or care about them, an appropriate audience. The authors are credible authorities.
Features: The book covers in a systematic fashion and in some detail various rheumatoid arthritis signs and symptoms and therapeutic options to treat them and includes such information as exercises that can be done at home, radiographic changes in the joints, etc. The best aspect of the book is that the language is straightforward, but the complexity of the disease is not downplayed. Excellent illustrations explain various exercises. Tables are used with great effect to convey information. It is interesting to note that questions such as the role of vitamins, spas, etc., that are frequently posed by patients but are generally not a part of routine rheumatology textbooks are included here.
Assessment: Rheumatoid arthritis is a complex disease that requires constant vigilance and significant compliance on the part of the patient and caregiver for optimal response to various therapeutic interventions. This book could prove to be invaluable in the care of the rheumatoid arthritis patients by providing a bridge between the available information and its application.

Doody's Review Service