TNF Blockers & OA | Arthritis Information

I have been wondering why my back does not hurt as bad when I have Humira or Remicade in me. I thought my back might have osteoarthritis in it because of my prednisone usage, that is why my back hurts. But when I was put on Humira, my back pain went away, until it wore off, the same with Remicade. So... I was then wondering if TNF Blockers worked on OA. Well... I found a website that says this:

Do TNF blockers help with osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis is a different form of arthritis with different causes and effects on the body. TNF blockers have not been studied for osteoarthritis, and are not recommended for this condition. TNF blockers can be used for certain other forms of arthritis, including juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis. Talk to your doctor about which TNF blocker is right for your arthritis.

Very interesting Joonie, I reckon you are onto something there. Regards Janie. We don't have remicade here yet, I reckon that would be my next option. Joonie

you probably walk better and move better when the meds are in you also so your back muscles aren'ttaking as much of a beating as they do normally

Janie,

I hope you guys get Remicade soon. I responded very well to it, and it made a huge difference in my mobility when i was first diagnosed.

Maybe it's RA causing your back problems and not OA. I know Humira definately helped my back. The spine specalist says it's RA in my case though.

What Buck says makes a lot of sense too though.

True, Buckeye... very true. There is only one place that hurts in my back all the time except for when a biological is in me or on high dose of pred. It is the few vertebre that are just below where my shoulder blades are, you know where your bra in the back would go across? that is where it will hurt. But I also have scoliosis, so that might be part of the reason of my back hurting. But like I said it is only one spot that hurts all the time.

It is also the same spot I hurt back when I was 17. I was at work and they had just mopped up a spill and the floor was slick and I fell. By falling it some how pushed my bra clasp into my back and every since then, my back has hurt in that very spot. It just got worse when RA got more active.

I had x-rays of my back took and old RD said it was a bone spur, but current RD says no it is not a bone spur. SO... I do not know.

All's I know is when on high dose of pred and when I have a biological in me, that spot in my back is not bothersome, unless I sit up for hours and hours without resting my back, but still... better than it hurting as soon as you wake up.