Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance
Influencing policy and care together for best lifelong musculoskeletal health
Talia Dean meets Dasha and Gillian to learn more about axial SpA (AS)
Singer-songwriter, Talia Dean, made a big announcement in January 2021. In 2020 she was diagnosed with axial SpA (AS). Watch this video as she meets Dasha and Gillian, who live with the disease, and starts her journey towards becoming an #ASWarrior. #TaliasASJourney
See Talia’s story in the BBC article, 15 January 2021:
‘My back pain was misdiagnosed for 15 years – now I can’t dance‘
As we all struggle to manage extended weeks of lockdown, it is more important than ever that you care for your mental wellbeing. If you are looking for some advice on how to keep your mental health in shape, visit Osteopathy for Health for some tips on how to help improve your physical and mental wellbeing.
by Debbie Wilson, NRAS
I am the new Young Persons Project Co-Ordinator at NRAS. I come to this role with a very personal experience of JIA. I have had JIA nearly all my life and a few years ago my daughter was diagnosed with it too. Thankfully, due to medical advances, the disease can be easier to manage. Unfortunately, some things have not changed: mainly the lack of understanding and awareness of JIA. There is still the stigma of having JIA and I was quite shocked that my daughter got the same comments I used to get, such as: “my granny has that”; “that’s an old person’s disease”; “you are too young to get arthritis.”…
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Recently, Pain Alliance Europe conducted a 6-week short survey on Covid-19 and chronic pain in twelve languages to see the current situation of chronic pain patients in Europe.
The survey showed initial results that during the pandemic 15% of people worried and feared taking prescribed medication. There was also impact on self-management plans – of those people who had a plan, 29% indicate they are not able to continue with their care plan. From all countries, the respondents in the UK reported the highest impact of pain interfering with their normal functionality.…
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Join NRAS for an exclusive Northern Ireland event: Coping with RA during COVID-19.
Wednesday 16 December, 1:30pm-3:30pm on Zoom.
There will be an update from Clare Jacklin, NRAS Chief Executive, as well as special guest speakers.
Register via the sign-up form.
Making decisions about shielding – based on guidance issued 22 September for England
This document is based on guidance for England. The principles of assessing your own risk and the risk of different activities is the same wherever you live. If you live in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, check your national guidance and advice for people who are clinically extremely vulnerable – see links below.
Just over 2 million people in England were advised earlier this year that they needed to shield because they are extremely vulnerable to the COVID-19 virus.…
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NRAS has a new video on the benefits of the Right Start Service for patients newly or recently diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis.New2RA Right Start is a service launched by the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS) at the BSR 2019 congress and to which many rheumatology services are referring their patients. Right Start supports people newly diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis to understand their diagnosis and how it is likely to affect them. Getting the right, supportive start can help people to make adjustments to their behaviour, lifestyle and health beliefs and understand why self-management is essential, and learn how to make those important first steps to managing their disease effectively.…
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During the COVID-19 pandemic, 42% of people living with arthritis reported that their pain has increased [1] according to a survey by UK Charity Arthritis Action looking at the effects of COVID-19 and lockdown on the daily lives of people with arthritis. Considering there are over 10 million people living with some form of arthritis in the UK [i] this would equate to over 4 million people experiencing increased arthritis pain during the ongoing pandemic.…
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By Jane Green – advocate ex Assist. Headteacher, BSc (HONS) Psych., PGCE QTS, Adv.Dip.Ed.(CD), MA Ed. (Leadership and Management), Social Care Institute for Excellence Trustee and on the co-production steering board for four years
For anyone on the long journey to diagnosis of Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS) (previously Joint Hypermobility syndrome (JHS)) or the closely related Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders (HSD), the knowledge, practice and understanding of appropriate musculoskeletal issues from practitioners is hugely beneficial.…
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In July and August 2020, NRAS ran a survey asking about the impact of the Covid-19 lockdown on the working lives of people living with rheumatoid arthritis or another form of inflammatory arthritis.
The survey received 348 responses and a short report will be published next month. The overall picture is a concerning one: people reported that their career opportunities, in-work support and the understanding they experienced from colleagues and employers dropped slightly during lockdown. Asked about their expectations for the future, many expected this trend to get worse.…
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