Somatic Symptom Disorder: Will you be victim of a mental illness diagnosis error? - A very informative post with a focus on Fibromyalgia/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. The article explores the possibility that, with the recent changes to DSM-5 (a book of medical and diagnostic guidelines) people suffering from various illnesses may be misdiagnosed with a mental health issue instead.
From Tacklegout.org: a useful post on recognising the triggers of gout, and how to treat attacks when they occur.
Not related to arthritis, but a worry nonetheless: a call to ban gluten free foods being prescribed on the NHS. As anyone who's ever gone gluten-free will attest, specialist foods are still quite expensive in supermarkets, and the choice is limited - perhaps supermarkets need to set their prices a little lower to relieve the financial pressure on both the NHS and coeliac sufferers?
Sunnier climates may reduce the risk of rheumatoid arthritis, a BBC article suggests. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked with increased risk of developing certain conditions, including MS. For those of us who suffer in the sunshine, fortifying foods with Vitamin D (as North America does with cow's milk) should be considered as another option.
A study in the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine suggests that treatment with Platelet-Rich Plasma may be a viable treatment for knee osteoarthritis. Up to 73% of patients reported an improvement in their symptoms following the treatment.
And finally, three researchers studying rheumatoid arthritis have won the Crafoord Prize, awarded by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. Their discoveries will hopefully lead to a better understanding of the cause of this illness, and to ways of preventing and treating it.
