BackCare – BackPain show this month!

The BackPain show is back – on the 19th and 20th May 2017.

https://www.thebackpainshow.co.uk/

This is the one-stop shop for all those who suffer from back problems along with the health professionals who look after them.

Organised on behalf of Backcare – the National Back Pain Association – the exhibition will feature therapies, products and services associated with the treatment of back pain as well as a range of professional conferences, presentations and seminars.

ARMA will be exhibiting. Come to Stand 27 to see us there.

Wake up to Arthritis

Arthritis Care Week will take place from 8 – 14 May 2017 and aims to get people to “Wake up to Arthritis” – those who may have arthritis but know little about what can be done to help, and those who know very little about the condition and the impact it can have on people’s lives.

You can help us reach more people by joining our social media Thunderclap here.

UK Gout Society Parliamentary Reception

Gout: No Laughing Matter

The UK Gout Society held a parliamentary reception at the House of Commons on 28th March 2017 to launch #shoutaboutgout – a social media campaign to raise awareness about gout, a musculoskeletal disorder which now affects one in 40 people in the UK.  Nearly 60 MPs, peers and other stakeholders in the MSK space, including many ARMA members, attended the event.

Jim Shannon, MP for Strangford (Northern Ireland) and DUP Spokesperson for Health, who sponsored the event, stated: “It’s time we put the facts on the table and told people the truth about gout.”…

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My Message to Back Pain Sufferers

Guest blog by Dr Brian Hammond D.O.D.C Ph.D. FCC (Orth) PG Cert, Chair of BackCare

There are very many back and neck pain sufferers in the UK.  The cost to the Exchequer and industry is staggering.  In this country, about 2.5 million people experience back pain every day of the year.  Although statistics vary, treatment for back pain and disability payments as a result of back problems costs the tax payer billions of pounds a year.  As a consequence, millions of working days are lost. …

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Rheumatology Forum at the RCN Congress

The Royal College of Nursing Congress runs from 13th – 17th May in Liverpool Arena & Convention Centre.

The RCN Rheumatology Forum will be facilitating a fringe meeting on the 16th May 2017 at 1pm, at which Rheumatology Nursing will be showcased to a wide range of nurses, working in a wide variety of health care settings. All those interested are welcome to attend.

 

Updated Biologic therapies practitioner

The fourth edition of this guidance document will soon be published online.…

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DMARDs guideline for prescriptions and monitoring

The latest guidance is out for the prescription and monitoring of non-biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs). It’s aimed at primary and secondary care practitioners managing patients with rheumatic disease in the UK.

Significant updates include:

(1) Harmonisation of monitoring schedules, recommending that all DMARDs that require laboratory monitoring follow the same frequency of testing

(2) More nuanced discussion of the use of methotrexate in lung disease is provided, drawing from the two large meta-analyses recently published.

(3) Significant change is made regarding the evaluation of retinal toxicity for hydroxychloroquine users:

Lead author Dr James Galloway, Senior Clinical Lecturer at King’s College London says:
“These updates have two major focuses: firstly, streamlining monitoring schedules wherever possible, given the myriad of different regimens across drugs, and most of the schedule variations were somewhat arbitrary in their origins; second, to review and incorporate the evidence base available, acknowledging several key publications that have emerged since the first guidance.…

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NRAS – RA Awareness Week 2017

RA Awareness Week is coming soon…19-25 June 2017.

Awareness packs will be sent out in early April and you can request your copy by emailing enquiries@nras.org.uk today.

Over 30 charity CEOs write to DWP about changes to Personal Independence Payment (PIP)

On 15th March, the Chief Executives of over 30 charities and organisations (including NRAS) wrote an open letter to Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work, Penny Mordaunt, urging her not to proceed with damaging changes to Personal Independence Payments.…

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Fibromyalgia Awareness Day is Friday 12th May

Organise a coffee and cake morning on Friday 12th May for Fibromyalgia Awareness Day!

The 12th May is recognised as the international fibromyalgia awareness day. Charities and groups around the world will be organising events to increase awareness of the condition. Why not celebrate with us and raise awareness by organising a coffee and cake event? This could be with your family and friends in your home, in your workplace, in a local cafe or even a picnic in the park.…

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Calling all back pain sufferers

The Back Pain Show – 19 & 20 May 2017

After a decade, The Back Pain Show has moved from Olympia London to St Andrews Birmingham, to give access to sufferers from the Midlands and the North of England. This iconic, two-day show is a hub for sufferers to meet doctors and therapists who provide treatment and manufacturers who supply both preventative and therapeutic equipment.

There are many causes of back pain including crush fractures of the spine which are usually caused by osteoporosis.…

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New Self-Management Event in Coventry

Arthritis Action will be holding a two-day Self-Management Event in Coventry on Wednesday 26th April 2017 at 2 pm – 4.30 pm and Thursday 27th April 2017 at 10.00 am – 1.00 pm.

 

We aim to help our attendees take control of the symptoms of their arthritis, covering topics such as:

  • The impact of physical therapies
  • How you can best manage your pain
  • The benefits of exercise and a healthy diet
  • Ways to work in partnership with healthcare professionals

This event will be free of charge and refreshments will be provided, and is open to all.…

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