http://www.artipot.com/authors/1937/nathan-wei/ Latest articles by Nathan Wei from Artipot - your one-stop resource for free articles. http://www.artipot.com/articles/482886/the-15-absolute-critical-questions-to-ask-before-you-get-platelet-rich-plasma-prp.htm There has been a lot written about platelet-rich plasma (PRP) recently It's been in the news and has been on television Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:53:47 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/482886/the-15-absolute-critical-questions-to-ask-before-you-get-platelet-rich-plasma-prp.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/464519/you-dont-know-jak-about-rheumatoid-arthritis.htm Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, progressive, systemic, autoimmune disease characterized by joint inflammation and destruction, progressive disability and adverse psychological effects This condition places significant health, psychological, emotional, and socioeconomic burdens on both the patient as well as society Sat, 24 Oct 2009 14:53:01 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/464519/you-dont-know-jak-about-rheumatoid-arthritis.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/449977/what-is-elderly-onset-rheumatoid-arthritis-and-how-should-it-be-treated.htm Elderly onset rheumatoid arthritis (EORA) is a misnomer since it refers to rheumatoid arthritis affecting people 60 years of age or older Since this author recently reached the age of 60 and certainly doesn't consider himself elderly, the definition should be changed Mon, 28 Sep 2009 04:52:33 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/449977/what-is-elderly-onset-rheumatoid-arthritis-and-how-should-it-be-treated.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/441239/rank-it-doesnt-smell-that-bad-a-new-concept-in-osteoporosis-and-rheumatoid-arthritis.htm In the next several months, if you have rheumatoid arthritis or osteoporosis, you will be hearing more about a substance called RANK ligand Let me explain Thu, 17 Sep 2009 05:45:38 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/441239/rank-it-doesnt-smell-that-bad-a-new-concept-in-osteoporosis-and-rheumatoid-arthritis.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/400879/how-safe-are-biologic-medicines-used-for-rheumatoid-arthritis.htm The new gold standard for rheumatoid arthritis treatment is the use of biologic response modifiers (BRMs) with or without methotrexate Since their introduction more than ten years ago, concerns have been raised by some about safety Thu, 30 Jul 2009 00:37:02 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/400879/how-safe-are-biologic-medicines-used-for-rheumatoid-arthritis.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/322690/tissue-engineering-an-explanation-of-how-stem-cells-can-be-used-to-regrow-cartilage.htm The perpetual search for the Fountain of Youth has both fascinated as well as eluded human beings for centuries What has been particularly interesting has been the observation that other species (eg, earthworms, salamanders, etc Tue, 07 Apr 2009 09:08:40 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/322690/tissue-engineering-an-explanation-of-how-stem-cells-can-be-used-to-regrow-cartilage.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/322000/why-rheumatoid-arthritis-should-be-treated-aggressively.htm Multiple studies have demonstrated that early aggressive management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is beneficial What many patients don't understand is why this is so important Mon, 06 Apr 2009 15:36:09 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/322000/why-rheumatoid-arthritis-should-be-treated-aggressively.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/320572/how-to-treat-plantar-fasciitis.htm Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of heel pain It is due to inflammation of the plantar fascia, a thick piece of connective tissue that runs from the bottom of the heel to the base of the toes Fri, 03 Apr 2009 23:56:34 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/320572/how-to-treat-plantar-fasciitis.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/302002/more-about-stem-cells-and-prp-for-osteoarthritis.htm A number of methods have been used to repair of cartilage damage The first is osteochondral transplantation, which involves taking a plug of cartilage from a non-weight bearing area and placing it into a defect in a weight-bearing region Wed, 11 Mar 2009 16:47:14 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/302002/more-about-stem-cells-and-prp-for-osteoarthritis.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/298776/what-is-prp-and-how-does-it-work.htm Platelet rich plasma (or PRP as it is called) is the "treatment du jour" for many soft tissue injuries since being mentioned as the technique that allowed Hines Ward to play in the Super Bowl Before stating specifically what PRP is, I will discuss the rationale behind its use Sat, 07 Mar 2009 08:50:17 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/298776/what-is-prp-and-how-does-it-work.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/297977/stem-cell-therapy-for-osteoarthritis-what-is-the-data.htm In the last few years, a number of methods have been developed to repair cartilage damage These include osteochondral transplantation, microfracture surgery and autologous chondrocyte (cartilage cell) implantation Fri, 06 Mar 2009 07:04:16 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/297977/stem-cell-therapy-for-osteoarthritis-what-is-the-data.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/295327/prp-hope-or-hype.htm Steelers wide receiver, Hines Ward, underwent a medical procedure using platelet-rich plasma- PRP- before the Super Bowl XLIII It allowed him to play in this critical game Tue, 03 Mar 2009 14:57:10 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/295327/prp-hope-or-hype.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/294182/gout-a-new-treatment-for-an-old-disease.htm Gout is a form of arthritis due to the buildup of uric acid crystals in one or more joints Uric acid is a byproduct that is produced when certain foods containing purines are metabolized Sun, 01 Mar 2009 22:35:45 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/294182/gout-a-new-treatment-for-an-old-disease.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/287319/falls-the-forgotten-killer-of-arthritis-patients.htm With all the discussion regarding the search for new therapies, one subject that has been neglected is a major cause of death in patients with arthritis Arthritis is responsible for reduced flexibility, mobility, and strength, particularly in the legs Fri, 20 Feb 2009 01:03:41 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/287319/falls-the-forgotten-killer-of-arthritis-patients.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/286786/rheumatoid-arthritis-is-gene-therapy-the-answer.htm Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common form of inflammatory arthritis affecting approximately 21 million Americans Thu, 19 Feb 2009 07:43:20 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/286786/rheumatoid-arthritis-is-gene-therapy-the-answer.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/286607/how-platelet-rich-plasma-helped-the-steelers-win-the-super-bowl.htm An exciting area where accelerated tissue healing has been demonstrated is wound healing with the use of platelet rich plasma (PRP) This substance is now being used to help accelerate the healing of conditions such as tendonitis, ligament strains, muscle injury, arthritis, and cartilage defects Thu, 19 Feb 2009 02:03:47 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/286607/how-platelet-rich-plasma-helped-the-steelers-win-the-super-bowl.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/278894/what-is-placebo-and-why-is-it-not-such-a-bad-thing-for-people-with-arthritis.htm When you read about medical research studies, you often see the term "place" used Since our center is very active in clinical research, the question of placebo comes up a lot from our prospective study volunteers so I though maybe explaining placebo and its role in research would be useful Thu, 05 Feb 2009 11:55:07 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/278894/what-is-placebo-and-why-is-it-not-such-a-bad-thing-for-people-with-arthritis.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/277004/current-concepts-in-osteoarthritis-research-so-why-do-my-knees-hurt-and-can-you-make-them-better.htm Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common conditions leading to disability and impaired quality of life in the Western world Ironically, while more effective disease-modifying therapies have been developed for rheumatoid arthritis, particularly within the last 10-15 years, rheumatologists still treat osteoarthritis with symptomatic and supportive therapies Tue, 03 Feb 2009 01:06:16 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/277004/current-concepts-in-osteoarthritis-research-so-why-do-my-knees-hurt-and-can-you-make-them-better.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/275904/why-settle-for-golden-year-knees-when-glory-year-knees-are-possible.htm How can some people defy aging joints while your knees keep getting older every day What would you do to have knees that were 20 years younger Sun, 01 Feb 2009 04:03:43 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/275904/why-settle-for-golden-year-knees-when-glory-year-knees-are-possible.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/275484/is-rheumatoid-arthritis-worse-in-women-than-it-is-in-men.htm Rheumatoid arthritis is the most common inflammatory form of arthritis and affects approximately 21 million Americans Fri, 30 Jan 2009 20:35:19 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/275484/is-rheumatoid-arthritis-worse-in-women-than-it-is-in-men.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/264261/osteoarthritis-are-stem-cells-really-the-answer.htm Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis It is characterized by degeneration of the articular cartilage (the gristle that caps the end of long bones in a joint) and, ultimately, joint destruction Fri, 09 Jan 2009 03:14:30 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/264261/osteoarthritis-are-stem-cells-really-the-answer.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/263245/osteoarthritis-of-the-knee-a-young-persons-disease.htm Osteoarthritis (OA), the premature wearing away of cartilage- the gristle that caps the ends of long bones is the most common form of arthritis It is the type of arthritis that conjures up the elderly person who has aches and pains Wed, 07 Jan 2009 21:42:39 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/263245/osteoarthritis-of-the-knee-a-young-persons-disease.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/258564/whos-a-good-candidate-for-stem-treatment-for-knee-osteoarthritis.htm In the early part of December, the Vatican issued a pronouncement, again condemning the use of embryonic stem cells for medical research and medical treatment While this proclamation will hinder the development of some therapies in medicine, it should not be a major stumbling block in the management of osteoarthritis Tue, 30 Dec 2008 23:21:01 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/258564/whos-a-good-candidate-for-stem-treatment-for-knee-osteoarthritis.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/245715/what-every-rheumatoid-arthritis-patient-should-know-about-anti-tnf-drugs.htm Patients with severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who have poor prognostic factors or rapidly progressive disease are considered to be candidates for early treatment with biologic drugs such as TNF-inhibitors These drugs are targeted therapies that act on tumor necrosis factor, a cytokine, to block its action in the immune response that is out of whack in patients with RA Sun, 07 Dec 2008 20:14:02 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/245715/what-every-rheumatoid-arthritis-patient-should-know-about-anti-tnf-drugs.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/245481/biologic-bullets-the-new-model-for-treating-rheumatoid-arthritis.htm Prior to the development of newer biologic medications, rheumatologists were relegated to using disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDS) to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA) These DMARDS (drugs such as methotrexate, hydroxychloroquine [Plaquenil], sulfasalazine [Azulfidine]), were and continue to be helpful in reducing signs and symptoms of disease but do not have the... Sun, 07 Dec 2008 01:13:42 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/245481/biologic-bullets-the-new-model-for-treating-rheumatoid-arthritis.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/236486/platelet-rich-plasma-prp-for-achilles-tendonitis.htm The Achilles tendon is the largest tendon in the body and connects the gastrocnemius (calf muscle) to the back of the calcaneus (heel bone) The Achilles tendon is what allows a person to stand up on their toes as well as jump up and down Fri, 21 Nov 2008 08:33:57 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/236486/platelet-rich-plasma-prp-for-achilles-tendonitis.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/222770/stem-cells-for-osteoarthritis-i-look-ten-years-younger-since-my-facelift-but-my-knees-still-feel-their-age-what-can-i-do.htm One of the first articles to mention stem cell therapy for osteoarthritis was an article published in the December 2003 article Arthritis and Rheumatism (Murphy JM, et al Arthritis Rheum Wed, 22 Oct 2008 12:20:11 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/222770/stem-cells-for-osteoarthritis-i-look-ten-years-younger-since-my-facelift-but-my-knees-still-feel-their-age-what-can-i-do.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/221041/low-back-pain-relief-how-to-get-it-without-drugs-from-an-arthritis-expert.htm Low back pain is second only to the common cold as a reason to visit a physician's office Low back pain is a common problem because of our upright stance, the demands placed on us by our daily routines, as well as our habits, many of which can aggravate back pain Sun, 19 Oct 2008 03:04:11 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/221041/low-back-pain-relief-how-to-get-it-without-drugs-from-an-arthritis-expert.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/220441/if-an-earthworm-can-grow-a-new-body-why-cant-a-human-grow-new-cartilage-for-their-knee-or-hip.htm If a tadpole's tail is cut off, it will grow a new one If a salamander's leg is cut off, it will grow a new one Sat, 18 Oct 2008 00:36:00 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/220441/if-an-earthworm-can-grow-a-new-body-why-cant-a-human-grow-new-cartilage-for-their-knee-or-hip.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/216085/tarsal-tunnel-syndrome-carpal-tunnel-syndrome-of-the-foot.htm Tarsal tunnel syndrome is condition where the posterior tibial nerve in the ankle is compressed In many ways, this condition is analogous to carpal tunnel syndrome in the hand where the median nerve is compressed Fri, 10 Oct 2008 14:48:31 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/216085/tarsal-tunnel-syndrome-carpal-tunnel-syndrome-of-the-foot.htm