Rheumatoid arthritis causes more than a million people to cringe in pain every day. 75-percent of those are women. There's no cure-but early diagnosis and treatment can keep people moving longer. Now there's a new way doctors can detect it even before the pain sets in. Robyn Haines has today's Healthy Living.
For 30 year old Robyn Nicols, the pain started at just two and a half years old. Robyn has had both of her knees replaced, her ankles fused and things are only getting worse. Rheumatoid arthritis or R.A. happens when the body's own immune cells attack healthy tissues, causing bone to painfully scrape against bone, at the joint.
Symptoms include joint pain, swelling, stiffness, restricted range of motion and extreme fatigue. To diagnose it, doctors use a variety of tests and x-rays. But now, a new blood test called Anti-CCP is giving doctors hope for early treatment.
The latest results show the blood test is correct 86 percent of the time. But some doctors argue the R.A. blood markers could be confused with markers for other autoimmune diseases such as lupus, psoriasis or even a viral infection. Still the test could give doctors the head start they need to treat R.A. before symptoms appear, and do it aggressively with a combo of drugs.
Monday, May 21 2012 11:11 PM EDT2012-05-22 03:11:23 GMT
We just got word from the Sheriff's Department that a major manhunt is underway right now in Roscommon County's Backus Township. The sheriff's department tells us they are looking for a man that escaped
We just got word from the Sheriff's Department that a major manhunt is underway right now in Roscommon County's Backus Township. The sheriff's department tells us they are looking for a man that escaped
Monday, May 21 2012 8:41 AM EDT2012-05-21 12:41:50 GMT
Three motorcyclists led deputies on a high speed chase through Montcalm County. Deputies tried to pull them over just before midnight on Friday in Ferris Township. All three refused to pull over, continuing
Three motorcyclists led deputies on a high speed chase through Montcalm County.
Monday, May 21 2012 11:48 AM EDT2012-05-21 15:48:16 GMT
A man is dead after losing control of his motorcycle over the weekend. The crash happened just after 8:00, Saturday night in East Bay Township. Deputies say the driver, James Ritter of Traverse City,
A man is dead after losing control of his motorcycle over the weekend. The crash happened just after 8:00, Saturday night in East Bay Township. Deputies say the driver, James Ritter of Traverse City,
Sunday, May 20 2012 6:31 PM EDT2012-05-20 22:31:01 GMT
The 40th Annual Blessing of the Bikes brought people from all over the country to Baldwin in Lake County. Bikers started lining the streets Friday and today was the culmination of the festivities with
The 40th Annual Blessing of the Bikes brought people from all over the country to Baldwin in Lake County. Bikers started lining the streets Friday and today was the culmination of the festivities with
Authorities in western Michigan say a car with six teenagers aboard went out of control and crashed on an interstate highway exit ramp, killing two of them and seriously injuring two others.
Authorities in western Michigan say a car with six teenagers aboard went out of control and crashed on an interstate highway exit ramp, killing two of them and seriously injuring two others.
Friday, May 18 2012 8:03 PM EDT2012-05-19 00:03:38 GMT
They issued a warrant for her arrest last spring, and since then she has been on the run. A former coworker says Kerrie Ann Gottschall stole the money when they worked at Pioneer/Cadillac Broach in Leroy
They issued a warrant for her arrest last spring, and since then she has been on the run. A former coworker says Kerrie Ann Gottschall stole the money when they worked at Pioneer/Cadillac Broach in Leroy
Monday, May 21 2012 4:37 PM EDT2012-05-21 20:37:29 GMT
Police need your help identifying a man who attempted to use a stolen credit card in Traverse City. It's believed, back in February, the man shown on your screen in the surveillance video broke into a
Police need your help identifying a man who attempted to use a stolen credit card in Traverse City. It's believed, back in February, the man shown on your screen in the surveillance video broke into a
Friday, May 18 2012 10:54 PM EDT2012-05-19 02:54:18 GMT
A statewide scam with victims right here in northern Michigan. The attorney general says a Holly woman ran a foreclosure-rescue scam. They believe she stole $250,000 from at least 60 victims. Rebecca
A statewide scam with victims right here in northern Michigan. The attorney general says a Holly woman ran a foreclosure-rescue scam. They believe she stole $250,000 from at least 60 victims. Rebecca
Saturday, May 19 2012 11:35 PM EDT2012-05-20 03:35:56 GMT
The D.N.R. reports that a wildfire on a munitions range at Camp Grayling is contained. It was reported around six p.m Saturday night, and covered about 80 acres before it was over. Some 35 firefighters
The D.N.R. reports that a wildfire on a munitions range at Camp Grayling is contained. It was reported around six p.m Saturday night, and covered about 80 acres before it was over. Some 35 firefighters