Fitness and Arthritis

There is a disclaimer that every person is familiar with:  “Before starting any exercise routine, always contact your physician.”  This article encourages you to see Dr. Crayton before you begin an exercise program; however, even The Arthritis Foundation acknowledges that an exercise program improves the symptoms of this dreaded disease.

“When arthritis causes pain and fatigue, beginning and sticking with an exercise program can be a challenge.  But a new study confirms that doing so can pay off.  Led by Leigh F. Callahan, of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, N.C., the study involved 346 patients with an average age of 70 who had self-reported arthritis.  The participants were divided into two groups: an intervention group that took part in the Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program (formerly known as People with Arthritis Can Exercise, or PACE), which consisted of exercise classes at basic and advanced levels that met for an hour twice weekly for eight weeks, and a control group that was offered the program after eight weeks.  The researchers measured pain, stiffness, and fatigue using visual analog scales, tools that help patients rate the intensity of sensations.  Physical function was evaluated by using self-reporting as well as performance-based measures such as lifting weights, and psychosocial outcomes were assessed using four different scales.

“The results showed that the intervention group had significant improvements in pain, fatigue, and managing arthritis at eight weeks and maintained improvements in pain and fatigue at six months.”

That said, know this:  Exercise Is Good Medicine!  And for the arthritis sufferer, there should be several goals to an exercise program:

• Increase energy
• Ease osteoarthritis pain
• Reduce fibromyalgia pain and fatigue
• Relieve depression
• Maintain weight
• Prevent osteoporosis or reduce bone loss

Exercise routines should include mild, moderate, and vigorous activity.  However, depending on the type of arthritis you are experiencing – not to mention previous surgeries or injuries you may have experienced – exercise should be specifically designed to your level of age and physical condition.  Dr. Crayton will be more than happy to outline an exercise program expressly designed with YOU in mind.  Plus, doing exercise incorrectly can actually cause further damage to your joints, so seek expert help before you begin to work out through scheduling a consult with Dr. Crayton at The Arthritis and Infusion Center.

Come Inside our INFUSION Center

Walk inside The Infusion Center at 2917 Highway 77, and you immediately sense an environment of calm professionalism, which we believe is important to the treatment process.

What is an infusion?  It’s a standard procedure that delivers a fluid (medication or solution) into a patient’s bloodstream.  The fluid flows from a sterile bag through plastic tubing and a small needle placed into one of the patient’s veins in order to reach the patient’s bloodstream.  This is a common, as well as highly effective, way of administering a medication over a specific period of time.  Getting an infusion feels a little like having blood drawn out of a vein in your arm, except in this case, you’re having fluid put into your body.

All you need to bring to an infusion is a smile and positive attitude.  However, you can do a variety of activities while you are receiving an infusion.  Call us to receive a brochure about our infusion services.

There are many benefits to an OUTPATIENT Infusion Center:

• Physician on site
• Lower cost to the patient (Physician-based infusion centers are typically 60% less than infusions down within hospitals.)
• One-on-one patient care
• No hospital-based Infusion Center or pharmacy wait time.  (Private infusion centers often take less than half the time of hospital-based infusion centers.)
• Expertise:  We have infused thousands of patients and are well equipped without the use of an emergency department.
• Excellent customer service.  We strive for maximum efficiency for our patients’ convenience and safety.
• Insurance pre-certification and verification.  There will be no surprises on your bill!

We’ll be happy to send you more complete information on our infusion services.  Call 873-6748 to learn more.  However, the most important fact to remember is:  We teach patients how to care for themselves during therapy so they can be active participants in their own health care.

Getting to Know Dr. Crayton

If you talk to any one of Dr. Crayton’s loyal patients, they’ll be quite candid in their assessment of what makes him so special, from his “brilliant smile that fills a room,” to his ability to “really listen to what his patients are saying”, which then enables him to accurately diagnose and treat their particular, individual symptoms. 

Dr. Crayton is also one who enjoys a good story, and perhaps his most famous anecdote surrounds the manner in which he relocated to Bay County from Racine, Wisconsin.

“I just started driving south, stopping at hardware stores along the way, and when I came to a store that didn’t sell snow shovels, I knew I was ‘home’,” kidded Dr. Crayton.

After graduating from the University of Wisconsin, Dr. Crayton has been practicing Rheumatology for almost two decades.  He is a diplomat of the American Board of Internal Medicine and of the American Board of Rheumatology.  In addition, Dr. Crayton is the only Rheumatologist in the region who has a Masters Degree in Hospital Administration and, as a true patriot, has served in the U.S. Army as well as the Army Reserve.

In his spare time, Dr. Crayon enjoys playing jazz with the group he helped to establish – “The On Call Band”, and recently debuted his inaugural CD – “First Impressions” – under his stage name, “HULON”.  Interestingly, it was Dr. Crayton’s roommate, during his short stint at Lincoln University prior to entering the University of Wisconsin, who taught him how to play and love jazz, which led to his current success as a musician.

From a civic perspective, Dr. Crayton is a Rotarian who embodies the Rotary theme of “service above self” within his medical practice, as well as with his generous philanthropy.  Dr. Crayton, along with his wife Dinah, created the Crayton Foundation, the sole mission of which is to assist minorities in their quest to attend college.  The first scholarship the husband and wife team endowed was at the Florida State University/Panama City Campus with the Crayton Health Scholarship, specifically for students interested in entering the healthcare field.  Most recently, they established the Crayton Health Sciences Endowed Scholarship within the Lincoln University Foundation, Inc.  As an undergraduate of this historically Black university, Dr. Crayton understood the challenges of minority students.  “Lincoln is very close to my heart since a lot of the faculty was responsible for developing me into the person I became.”

As an avid supporter of the arts in Bay County, Dr. Crayton serves on the Board of the Bay Arts Alliance, and recently sponsored their entire 2010-11 season.  In addition, Dr. Crayton serves on the board of B.A.S.I.C. and has donated a percentage of sales of his CDs to their fundraising efforts.  Dr. and Mrs. Crayton remain actively involved in other area charities and have three children.

LUPUS … “The Great Imitator”

The scientific name is Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, usually referred to as “lupus”; however, it is often called “the Great Imitator” because of the multiple symptoms that present in the patient.  Patients may have skin rashes and arthritis as well as fatigue and fever, and most aggravating, the attacks can alternate between periods of activity and when the disease remains dormant.  Lupus, a chronic inflammatory disease, affects the joints, kidneys, and skin; plus,  –  unfortunately, if not treated – lupus can be fatal.

According to The American College of Rheumatology:
• Lupus affects ten (10) times as many women as men.
• Lupus usually develops in people in their 20s and 30s, and often tend towards blacks and Asians.
• Treatment depends on the symptoms and their severity.
• Because it is a complex disease, lupus requires treatment by a rheumatologist and the patient’s active participation in working towards good health.

Patients with lupus typically experience:
• Fever, fatigue, and weight loss
• Arthritis lasting for several weeks in multiple joints
• Butterfly-shaped rash over the cheeks or other rashes
• Skin rash appearing in areas exposed to the sun
• Sores in the mouth or nose lasting for more than a month
• Loss of hair, sometimes in spots or around the hairline
• Seizures, strokes, and mental disorders (depression)
• Blood clots
• Miscarriages
• Blood or protein in the urine or tests that suggest poor kidney function
• Low blood counts (anemia, low white blood cells, or low platelets)

So what causes Lupus?  No one really knows for sure.  Scientists have theorized that people are actually born with the genes to develop lupus, and that something “triggers” the disease.  However, other causes should not be ignored like a combination of genetics/heredity, environment, and hormones.

Once there is a diagnosis … is there help?  YES!  After 50 years, the FDA has recently approved a new drug for lupus that is administered through an infusion.  At The Arthritis and Infusion Center, we provide the medication as well as a comfortable environment in which to rest during the application of the medication. 

Remember this:  Patients with lupus can expect to live normal lives.  However, Dr. Crayton must carefully monitor and treat the disease … and … YOU are equally as important to the treatment process.  We listen, but you decide on what medical road you choose to travel.  Just know: we are here for you.