Delaware Arthritis News

Health Insurance Marketplace Toolkit

Starting in 2014, most Americans will have to carry health insurance. Many people, including those who are uninsured, will benefit from the new coverage options offered through the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This will include options to buy insurance through the Health Insurance Marketplace in your state.Insurance is required for most individuals in 2014. Open enrollment in the Marketplace starts on October 1, 2013 and ends on March 31, 2014. If you do not have insurance by March 31, 2014, you may be charged a fee.The Marketplace toolkit is designed for individuals who do not currently have health insurance. However, if you have health insurance through an employer, Medicare, or Medicare, this toolkit still can be a great resource to you. Many of the tools can help you learn more about the health insurance you already have. Other tools will be more helpful to people shopping for new insurance in the Marketplace. read more

FibroWHYalgia: One Woman’s Research Journey

It’s one thing to try to treat a shape-shifting disease, but another to figure out why you have it. Sue Ingebretson faced years of mysterious illness before getting an accurate diagnosis of fibromyalgia. And then she got to work. Ingebretson tells Lifescript how she fought back and took control of her health. Plus, test your fibromyalgia IQ with our quiz... read more

Runners and Knee Arthritis

One of the most entrenched beliefs about running, at least among nonrunners, is that it causes arthritis and ruins knees. But a nifty new study finds that this idea is a myth and distance running is unlikely to contribute to the development of arthritis, precisely and paradoxically because it involves so much running. It’s easy to understand, of course, why running is thought to harm the knee joint, since with every stride, ballistic forces move through a runner’s knee. Common sense would suggest that repeatedly applying such loads to a joint should eventually degrade its protective cartilage, leading to arthritis. read more

Getting Back at Back Pain

Back pain is a thief. It can rob you of a good night's sleep, an honest day's work or the ability to give a child a piggyback ride. An estimated 50 percent to 80 percent of American adults will have back pain at some point. For some, it will set up shop slowly. For others, it will come on suddenly and with great force. Back pain can be crafty, using many circumstances to get into your life – a traumatic accident, a simple sprain or strain, fibromyalgia, arthritis of the spine, a fractured vertebra or ruptured disc. Fortunately, no matter the cause, you can find back pain relief and, in many cases, keep back pain from returning. Sometimes, fighting back pain requires quick and aggressive action. If you have an infection, tumor of the spine or a condition called cauda equina syndrome (in which the nerve roots that supply the bladder and bowel are compressed) you may need surgery right away. But in most cases, you have time to try several options. read more

Weight loss can help reduce knee pain from arthritis

If you're one of the millions of people suffering from knee pain, take heart. Heavy adults with knee osteoarthritis who lose 10% of their starting weight can significantly reduce their knee pain, walk faster and improve their mobility, a new study shows. About 250 million people worldwide have knee osteoarthritis, which is the leading cause of disability in older adults, says lead author Stephen Messier, a professor of health and exercise science at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C. It can lead to loss of mobility and diminished quality of life, he says. "Mobility is critical to being able to grow old independently." read more

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