Experiences on rheumatoid arthritis

More than 400,000 people in Italy suffer from Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). It is widespread worldwide with an incidence of 0.4-1% in the general population.

No climate, racial or employment factors can be demonstrated to enhance or predispose to the disease.

The disease affects mostly women, with a 5:1 female/male ratio and a maximum incidence peak in the age group between 25 and 50 years; however, it can occur also in the elderly, teenagers and children. In Italy, RA has anincidence of approx. 0.6 cases per 1000 people in 1 year.

What is Rheumatoid Arthritis?

RA is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting joints; it often has a progressive course and may evolve to ankylosis with disabling deformities; it may affect other organs and systems, such as the eye, skin and lungs. The onset and course vary considerably, with acute and rapidly progressive forms or with chronic and slow-developing forms.

The effects of the disease

In RA, the synovial tissue of joints and tendons becomes the site of a chronic inflammatory process and these structures therefore appear swollen and become painful, both at rest and with movement, while the surrounding skin is warm and red. If the inflammatory event persists for months or years, permanent damage to tendons and joints occurs. In the initial stages of the inflammatory process, the joints are swollen, painful and stiff, but maintain their normal functioning, whereas in the end stage, ankylosis occurs, i.e. the nearly complete fusion of bone heads with erosion of the joint and loss of its function.

back to top

Pathogenesis

The actual cause of RA is still unknown, but the most accepted theory suggests that the disease develops when a triggering antigen, still unknown, comes into contact with an individual that is genetically predisposed to develop the disease. The consequence of this contact is the activation of the immune system, which through a complex series of (biochemical and cellular) events would lead to the development of an acute, then chronic
inflammatory process. Once the immune system has been activated, the normal immune defences are altered, so that the inflammatory process is self-perpetuated because the antibodies and the immune cells, which normally act against foreign and infective agents, attack instead the joint structures.

Symptoms and clinical signs

At onset, pain, swelling and morning stiffness of the affected joints may appear, as well as signs of general malaise. The onset may sometimes be acute and sudden, with serious impairment of the general condition.

Progression may be slow, and occur over a few years during which the patient suffers from functional limitations, or it may be rapid and massive, leading to complete disability within a short time.

Local complications are compression neuropathies and tendonitis.

back to top

Therapy

In the light of the above, the basic objectives of the therapy are:

The treatment with algonix by medilab is centred around these basic objectives.

Three patients (2 women and 1 man) suffering from RA which mainly compromised hands and wrists in a symmetrical way, were treated.

Their presenting disease ranged in seriousness between “initial RA” and “progressive RA”, with a functionality classification “II stage – preserved ability”.

A course of ten applications to both hands and wrists was performed.

Selected program: Hyperucemic Arthralgia

The application is performed by stimulating for a maximum of three courses the joints of the wrist and of each single finger. The estimated application time for each hand is approx. 15/20 minutes.

In the three cases, there was immediate pain reduction, resolution of joint stiffness and therefore of joint oedema, and recovery of the skin colour.

Patients undergo one application per month to maintain the results achieved.

At present, it is not possible to know whether algonix by medilab functions exclusively as a symptomatic therapy or whether, through unknown mechanisms of action, it can significantly modify the clinical and biological
manifestations of the disease.

back to top

algonix explained   |   treatments   |   questions   |   locations
 algonix for pain relief   |   business opportunities   |   latest news   |   contact