Dear sucker5-ga;
Thank you for allowing me an opportunity to answer your interesting question.
Let?s start by discussing the risk factors associated with Rheumatoid
arthritis, which of course, should be avoided where (and if) possible
regardless of your physical environmental setting in order to decrease
the likelihood of developing the disease:
Like most autoimmune diseases, where a person?s immune system is
triggered to attack his or her own body tissues, the cause(s) for
rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are not completely understood. It is
believed that a person?s genetic heredity plays some part in the
determination of who develops the disease and who does not but this is
by no means believed to be the only factor. Obviously, if a person is
genetically predisposed to develop RA regardless of other factors,
little can be done to prevent it. Researchers do believe that of those
who are more ?susceptible? to the disease than others, environmental
factors can have an impact on the likelihood that they will develop
it. For example, while RA is not contagious of infectious, those who
are susceptible might develop the disease after contracting a virus or
becoming exposed to a bacterium (called ?Proteus mirabilis?) in a
particular environment that ?sets it off? in them.
Other researchers believe that hormonal deficiencies/changes in some
people can trigger RA, and though the theory is far from proven, it
would be prudent to monitor your hormonal levels just to play it safe.
Like many other diseases, practical health habits can go far to help
keep the body well: Rest, exercise, limit your exposure to stress,
practice healthy diet habits, know and listen to your body, and have
regular medical checkups. Clearly, an environment where these
practices are not possible is not conducive to the prevention of
rheumatoid arthritis, or a host of other diseases. Among sufferers,
those at a significantly higher risk of developing RA are people who
smoke or are exposed to second-hand smoke, those who are obese, women
with shorter reproductive lives, people with a history of blood
transfusions, people who have had interferon-alpha treatment for
things such as hepatitis, and oddly enough (and this is not fully
understood) those who drink a lot of DECAFFEINATED coffee. It has also
been noted that in populations in areas where fish oil consumption is
higher than average experience a LOWER prevalence for the disease.
Again, the reasons for the association of these practices and the
increased or decreased risk of rheumatoid arthritis are not fully
known, but they have certainly been noted as suspicious contributors
to elevated risk or beneficial practices in decreasing the risk
(accordingly).
As for the environment, it appears that barometric changes can
influence the disease or perhaps flare the disease in a person who is
susceptible to develop it. Barometric pressure is known to produce
more stiffness and aching in otherwise healthy individuals and is
therefore more likely to produce negative effects in terms of RA,
especially in colder latitudes.
?The link between climate and arthritis pain has never been
scientifically made. [But] Many of my patients with arthritis feel
better in a warm climate? There have only been a few studies
concerning the effects of weather on rheumatoid arthritis. Warm
weather does decrease the pain but only minimally at best. The natural
course of the disease would not be effected. Many patients derive
support from their friends, family members, and physicians; an
important factor to consider in any move.?
Richard Erickson, M.D., Colorado Permanente Medical Group
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS - ARTHRITIS: CLIMATE/ALLERGENS/ALTITUDE
http://www.coloradohealthsite.org/chnqna.html?Arthritis?Climate%2FAllergens%2FAltitude?all
Some studies have shown that warm, stable climates, such as dry, arid
environments or those of a subtropical nature, helps decrease the
effects in those already suffering from rheumatoid arthritis,
suggesting that this may in fact be a factor in decreased prevalence
in those areas. In a clinical trial designed to study the impact that
environmental issues have on rheumatoid arthritis ninety-three
patients with RA living in cold climates in Sweden, for example were
removed to Israel for 4 weeks for physiotherapy and followed for 6
months thereafter. Their conditions were measurably better than those
who were not selected for the study. CONCLUSION: Physiotherapy in a
warm and stable climate, with many hours of daily sunshine, is a
valuable treatment complement for Swedish patients with RA. Supporting
this notion is this report from the country of Oman, where it is
especially dry and arid and higher than average quantities of fish
oils are commonly consumed in the nation?s diet, that notes a national
prevalence rate for the disease of only 0.36%, or only 2.2 instances
per 1000 persons of the country?s population:
THE PREVALENCE OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN.
http://www.kfshrc.edu.sa/annals/185/97-358.pdf
Some detractors however believe that the warm, dry climate issue is
more related to stress reduction, as opposed to something related to
the impact the environment itself has on people. Dr. Hugh Little,
Chairman of The Arthritis Society?s Medical Education and
Communications Committee, for example thinks that the lower prevalence
may simply be related to the lack of depressing ?gray days? ? and
depression, like stress, is a factor among those at increased risk for
RA:
?Weather is just one factor you should take into account when
considering what?s likely to be a major move. Don?t pull up stakes
just because you expect a cure. It won?t happen. Dr. Hugh Little,
Chairman of The Arthritis Society?s Medical Education and
Communications Committee, says he?s not prepared to take sides in the
weather debate. ?If a patient says the weather effects his arthritis,
it does. Perception is as important as fact as far as I?m concerned,
especially when we are working toward more patient involvement in the
treatment of their arthritis. So the answer is to help arthritis
patients protect themselves from the worst the weather can sling at
them. Sibley agrees, saying ?the best way to protect yourself from
weather change is to closely maintain your own body temperature?
Although there remains a great deal of uncertainty about the possible
benefits of a warm, dry climate on arthritis, one thing is clear: It?s
important to carefully consider all the options before you pull up
your roots and move ? especially for only minor benefits.?
THE GREAT CLIMATE DEBATE
http://www.arthritis.ca/programs%20and%20resources/news%20magazine/1989/climate/default.asp?s=1
The bottom line is that professionals simply don?t know for sure where
the best place to live would be in an effort to avoid developing
Rheumatoid arthritis. It would seem though that one would have to be
totally oblivious to the facts to ignore indicators which suggest that
dry, stable, arid environments where there is an abundance of sunshine
and warm weather are at least likely to be more environmentally
suitable for those susceptible to, or suffering from the disease.
Again, we are not medical professionals here and we cannot provide
medical advice, but according to what I was able to find on the
subject, it would seem that in lieu of packing your bags and moving to
Oman, the Southwest United States would certainly fall into this
category, as the US prevalence rate is only about 1% of the population
no matter where you live ? which really isn?t that common in the big
scheme of things.
I hope you find that my research exceeds your expectations. If you
have any questions about my research please post a clarification
request prior to rating the answer. Otherwise I welcome your rating
and your final comments and I look forward to working with you again
in the near future. Thank you for bringing your question to us.
Best regards;
Tutuzdad-ga ? Google Answers Researcher
INFORMATION SOURCES
RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS RISK FACTORS, PREVENTION AND WELLNESS TIPS
http://www.recoverymedicine.com/rheumatoid_arthritis_wellness_tips.htm
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA ? DAVIS
http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/ucdhs/health/a-z/48RheumatoidArthritis/doc48risks.html
ARTHRITIS FOUNDATION
http://www.arthritis.org/research/Bulletin/vol51no10/environmentalfactors.asp
RA.COM
http://www.ra.com/ra/raStore/cgi-bin/ProdSubEV_Cat_200635_SubCat_200635_NavRoot_303.htm
THE ROLE OF ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS IN RHEUMATIC DISEASES
http://www.arthritis-symptom.com/Rheumatoid-arthritis-symptoms/Environmental.htm
PUB MED
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12737330&dopt=Abstract
THE PREVALENCE OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN.
http://www.kfshrc.edu.sa/annals/185/97-358.pdf
THE GREAT CLIMATE DEBATE
http://www.arthritis.ca/programs%20and%20resources/news%20magazine/1989/climate/default.asp?s=1
CIA WORLD FACTBOOK ? OMAN
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/mu.html
JOHN?S HOPKINS
http://www.hopkins-arthritis.som.jhmi.edu/news-archive/2002/mortality_ra.html
AMERICAN COLLEGE OF RHEUMATOLOGY
http://www.rheumatology.org/public/factsheets/ra.asp?aud=prs
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Rheumatoid arthritis, environment, climate, risk factors, prevalence,
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