What happens inside your knuckles when you crack them by pulling on your fingers?

Scimex: For the first time, Canadian and Australian scientists have used MRI scanning to see what happens inside your knuckles when you crack them by pulling on your fingers. The cracking sound is caused by the formation of a vacuum inside the fluid that lubricates the joint. Further work could answer the age-old question of whether cracking your knuckles is bad for them, they say.

New hopes for rheumatic fever vaccination

Auckland: A new vaccine to combat the debilitating disease caused by rheumatic fever may soon become a reality, saving hundreds of thousands of deaths from preventable heart disease around the world each year.
Rheumatic fever is caused by infection with group A streptococcus (GAS).  Recurrent infections cause chronic damage to the heart valves known as rheumatic heart disease (RHD).

Smoking impairs treatment response in inflammatory back arthritis

BMJ: Biological drugs are less effective in smokers with axial spondyloarthritis. Smoking impairs the response to biological drugs used to treat inflammatory arthritis affecting the lower back, known as axial spondyloarthritis, or AxSpA, for short, reveals research published online in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.

Research study for new therapies for arthritis

Utrecht University (Netherlands) will lead a research study for new therapies for arthritis, which should be able to fight the condition in an early phase. The Dutch Arthritis Foundation has granted the university a subsidy to prepare the treatment for initial testing in patients. The study is a cooperative effort by Utrecht University, the University of Newcastle and Radboud University.

Arthritis

NIH. US: The word "arthritis" makes many people think of painful, stiff joints. But, there are many kinds of arthritis, each with different symptoms and treatments. Most types of arthritis are chronic. That means they can go on for a long period of time.
Arthritis can attack joints in almost any part of the body. Some types of arthritis cause changes you can see and feel—swelling, warmth, and redness in your joints. In some kinds of arthritis, the pain and swelling last only a short time, but are very uncomfortable. Other types of arthritis might be less painful, but still slowly cause damage to your joints.

Rituximab for rheumatoid arthritis

Cochrane: We examined research published up to January 2014 on the effect of rituximab (Mabthera, Rituxan) for people with rheumatoid arthritis. From eight studies evaluating 2720 people with rheumatoid arthritis, we found that rituximab probably:
- improved pain, function and other symptoms;
- reduced disease activity;
- reduced joint damage as seen on the x-ray.

Early knee arthritis symptoms first felt when using stairs

Leeds University. UK: People who suffer from knee pain when using the stairs may be experiencing the early symptoms of osteoarthritis, according to a new University of Leeds study. The research, published in the medical journal Arthritis Care & Research, aimed to investigate which patient-reported activities are first associated with knee pain, in order to improve early detection of osteoarthritis and so increase the chances of people seeking effective treatment.

Gout sufferers are missing out on recommended treatment

Nottingham University. UK: Only a minority of gout sufferers in England receive the recommended treatment to cure their condition, according to a new study. In a study published today in the December issue of JAMA, academics from The University of Nottingham have found that only one-third of eligible patients with gout receive the recommended treatment.

Hospital-Based Exercise Program Improves Quality of Life for Adults with Arthritis and Other Muscle and Joint Conditions

Hospital for Special Surgery. US: It may seem counterintuitive, but exercise can be beneficial for people suffering from arthritis and other muscle and joint conditions. A new study at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) finds that older adults experienced less pain, reduced stiffness and less fatigue after participating in a hospital-based exercise program.

Resolving the Paradox of Vitamin D Deficiency in Black Populations

Mass General Hospital. US: Reviewing recent studies into the potential health consequences of vitamin D deficiency, the Institute of Medicine concluded that the clearest impact is on bone health. Yet while black subjects consistently have lower vitamin D levels than whites, their bones tend to be healthier. They have less osteoporosis, fewer fractures and higher bone density.

Wearing killer high heels could lead to osteoarthritis, study warns

NHS. UK: "Killer heels could lead to osteoarthritis in knees," The Daily Telegraph reports. An analysis of the walking patterns (gait) of 14 women found evidence that walking in high heels puts the knees under additional strain. Over time, this may potentially lead to osteoarthritis: so-called wear and tear arthritis, where damage to a joint causes stiffness and pain.

Osteoarthritis

Mayo Clinic. US: Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, affecting millions of people worldwide. It occurs when the protective cartilage on the ends of your bones wears down over time.
Although osteoarthritis can damage any joint in your body, the disorder most commonly affects joints in your hands, knees, hips and spine.
Osteoarthritis often gradually worsens, and no cure exists. But staying active, maintaining a healthy weight and other treatments may slow progression of the disease and help improve pain and joint function.

Is ginger efficient and safe in osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis and Cartilage Journal: According to a recent study, ginger could be, although it's modestly efficient, a better treatment option than NSAIDs (anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen) judged on possible adverse effects of the latter, to treat osteoarthritis.

Juvenile arthritis

NIH. US: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis is currently the most widely accepted term to describe various types of chronic arthritis in children. In general, the symptoms of juvenile idiopathic arthritis include joint pain, swelling, tenderness, warmth, and stiffness that last for more than 6 continuous weeks.

Low back pain

Low back pain is one of the most frequently encountered conditions in clinical practice. Up to 84 percent of adults have low back pain at some time in their lives, and over one quarter of U.S. adults report recent (in the last three months) low back pain.^1,2

Low back pain can have major adverse impacts on quality of life and function; it is frequently associated with depression or anxiety.

Sciatica

Sciatica is a buttock pain radiating down the back of the thigh and leg and possibly into the calf or foot.  Other characteristics of sciatica include varying degrees of weakness in the leg muscles and numbness and/or tingling that radiates down the leg.  These symptoms occur because of compression and/or irritation of the sciatic nerve or nerve roots which are forming the sciatic nerve. The areas in the buttock and leg affected by this compression are the areas that the sciatic nerve supplies with messages for normal function.  There are many other names for sciatica including lumbosacral radicular syndrome, radiating low back pain, nerve root pain, and nerve root entrapment.
More about sciatica

Shoulder osteoarthritis

Shoulder osteoarthritis is present when the articular cartilage of the shoulder is worn out.  Shoulder osteoarthritis can be a debilitating condition.  The most definitive treatment of shoulder osteoarthritis is shoulder replacement.  Shoulder replacements are less common than hip and knee replacements, but the long-term success is comparable to those procedures.

Symptoms

• Pain with any movement of the shoulder joint
• Night pain
• Clicking and locking sensation of the shoulder
• Stiffness and lack of motion

Cause

• Activity.  Laborers and active individuals can wear out the joint surfaces, which leads to osteoarthritis
• Inflammatory arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis and gout
• Previous shoulder fractures or injuries 
• Instability.  Multiple dislocations can lead to arthritis 
• Rotator cuff tears can lead to rotator cuff tear arthropathy;
• Avascular necrosis.  Blood supply to the shoulder can be compromised following trauma or steroid use.

Non-operative Treatment

• Steroid injection can be used to decrease inflammation in the shoulder joint; however, this is a temporary measure as the joint will not be resurfaced on its own.  
• Anti-inflammatory medication can decrease inflammation in the joint.
• Physical Therapy.  The aim of the treatment is to strengthen the rotator cuff muscles so that there is less instability.  However, the effect is limited as the joint surface is already worn out.

Surgical Treatment

• Shoulder replacement surgery replaces the shoulder's damaged bone and cartilage with a metal and plastic implant.

Lupus

Lupus (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus) is an autoimmune disease that primarily affects women. It can produces many different symptoms that may also occur in other conditions. No single test can prove that a person does or does not have lupus. The diagnosis must be made by an internist or a rheumatologist, who specializes in autoimmune diseases. Although lupus can cause severe, life threatening illness, many patients can be treated successfully with medications to minimize their symptoms. Common symptoms include extreme fatigue, joint pain and swelling, muscle pain, unexplained fever, and skin rash.  Although several kinds of rash may develop on different parts of the body, a very characteristic facial rash called a “malar” or “butterfly” rash frequently occurs on the cheeks and across the nose.
More about Lupus

Systemic lupus erythematosus

Authors:   Jessica J Manson and Anisur Rahman. Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases

Definition/Diagnostic criteria

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a  clinically heterogeneous disease which is autoimmune in origin, and characterized by the presence of autoantibodies directed against nuclear antigens. It is, by definition, a multi-system disease, and patients can present in vastly different ways.

Approach to a Swollen Joint

Authors: Dr Kenneth H. Fye University of California San Francisco 2008-08-12

Approach to a Swollen Joint: Swelling in the joint, whether or not accompanied by pain and tenderness, is a sign of disruption in articular anatomy or function.