'Magic' Cure for Arthritis Revealed
Arthritic patients have a new treatment that is called 'magic' by one of the first recipients, Monique Robroek, who has had an electronic implant fitted in her collarbone.
During a study at the Academic Medical Centre in Amsterdam, she says that her condition has improved from before, when she was dependent on the strongest drugs for relief from pain, according to The Guardian.
The treatment has made its magical impact in just six weeks, after the implant was fitted a year ago. Her swelling subsided. "I go biking, walk the dog and drive my car. It is like magic," she says.
Monqiue has participated in the trial to avoid pills. But now she can just wave a magnet over the device in her collarbone and turn it on. "I now have more power in my hands," she says, according to mirror.co.
Scientists have observed that more than half of the 20 in their trial have shown an improvement in their conditions. The trial implanted a small pacemaker-type device as small as a five-penny piece into the neck that sends electrical impulses to a nerve relaying brain signals to vital organs. It is used to "hack" into the nervous system.
When they fire impulses for three minutes everyday, they can bring down the spleen's activity. It is an important organ in the immune system of the patient. The patient's spleen secretes less chemicals that leads to the abnormal inflammation in patients of rheumatoid arthritis, which causes joint pain, swelling, stiffness and fatigue. It is the most common inflammatory joint disorder.
Prof Paul-Peter Tak, a rheumatologist at the Dutch hospital, points out that even new pharmaceuticals might not cure some patients, but the implant shows a clear trend in the improvement. He agrees that the doctors "may be able to achieve remission in 20% to 30% of patients." The impant that helps to treat rheumatoid arthritis provides an alternative for patients who are otherwise dependent on medicines most of the time.
The hope is that some day, patients of asthma, obesity and diabetes could get relief too, according to doctors.
