Rheumatoid arthritis and carpal tunnel

I have rheumatoid arthritis and have developed carpal tunnel syndrome. My surgeon says surgery is the only way to make the symptoms go away. Any suggestions?

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a known complication of rheumatoid arthritis. The symptoms do vary and so do the treatments. There are several treatments for the disorder including rest, splints, acupuncture, ultrasound,  pain control and surgery.

Since you have rheumatoid arthritis, I would not recommend surgery. Plus, the surgery does not cure the problem and recurrence of symptoms is common.

The best therapy I can suggest is to wear a splint at night and exercise the wrist and hand during the day. The longer you stay away from orthopedic surgeons, the better the quality of your life will be.

Baker's cyst and surgery

I have a baker’s cyst and my doctor wants to perform surgery. Any suggestions?

Yes, dump your doctor. A Baker’s cyst is a small lesion usually behind the knee, in most cases it is identified coincidentally. In rare cases, it may cause discomfort. The majority of baker’s cysts resolve on their own and no treatment is required.

Surgery is almost never done to remove the cyst and the surgeon is more likely to damage some critical nerves in the area. The cyst can be aspirated with a needle if it is large- even this is rarely done.

Best advice, change your doctor, rest and take the occasional Tylenol. This is not a life threatening condition. There is no harm from leaving it alone. The doctor just wants to cut you up so he/she can make money.

Probiotics and Bariatric Surgery

Is it true that probiotics can help weight loss after bariatric surgery?

First, the probiotic supplement  industry is a billion dollar business which often makes unsubstantiated claims. And there are a lot of gullible and foolish people who believe in probiotics as the ultimate panacea for all health problems. As to whether probiotics help lose weight is debatable. Normal people who eat kilograms of probiotics everyday have not been shown to lose weight, without the aid of exercise.

Now there are reports suggesting that people who undergo bariatric surgery procedures  may be able to lose more weight if they consume probiotics. The recent study has many limitations in interpretation and it is hard to say much about the results.

The only suggestion I have is that you are free to try probiotics. If they work- good for you. If they do not, join the list of suckers.

Rheumatoid arthritis and drugs

I have moderate rheumatoid arthritis and was on methotrexate in the past. I could not tolerate the drug. Is there something else I can take?

Yes, you can ask your doctor for either lefunomide or sulfasalazine. They both work but lefunomide is slightly more potent than sulfasalazine. Lefunomide is also associated with more adverse effects and is also more expensive. Before you are prescribed lefunomide, make sure you are told every detail about this medication.

What exactly is MSM?

Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) is also known as methyl sulfone. This inert chemical compound is a break down product of dimethlylsulfoxide. MSM has been widely touted to cure arthritis and relieve back pain. The people who advocate this substance for its use in various arthritic conditions claim that it is a miracle product. It is claimed that MSM can cure many medical disorders including snoring, diarrhea, peptic ulcer, allergies, respiratory ailments and arthritis.

All over the internet, almost every seller of MSM makes claims that it can cure almost everything, including your pockets. In fact there is not a disorder that can not be cured with MSM. Some sellers on cyberspace claim that MSM can reverse hair loss, make gonads bigger, increase libido, heal varicose veins, increase breast size, prolong orgasms, diminish allergies, keep skin young, remove acne, diabetes, carpal tunnel syndrome, lupus, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, parasites, muscle cramps, migraine, make the penis bigger and keep you looking young- and this is only a partial list of what MSM can do. 

Based on this information, any person with a tiny bit of common sense should be able to see that MSM is nothing but CRAP. For those who like crap, the recommended dose of MSM is 0.5-1 mg/kg per day.

Echinacea sucks for the common cold

Many people swear that Echinacea is the best treatment to fight a common cold.  To fight the cold one must take 10 grs of Echinacea on the first day and then 5 gr the day after for 7-10 days. However, the latest study shows that Echinacea sucks.

In the latest study, more than 700 people who took the Echinacea pills did not do better than who took the sugar pill when it came to fighting the cold. This is not the first time Echinacea has flunked the test. Many other high quality studies in the past have revealed the same thing. The plant did not improve the symptoms nor did it decrease the duration of the cold. It did ZILCH.

Echinacea is an American plant and widely used by the native Indians to treat a variety of ailments. The plant is sold in many health food stores as a liquid, pill, powder and even a tincture.The cost of Echinacea is not trivial either. The pills depending on where one buys them from can cost anywhere from $10-$22 for a 2 weeks supply.

While Echinacea is a harmless herb, it is useless when it comes to fighting the common cold. With today’s difficult economy, that money is better put towards gas in your car or food on the table.