| Over the last decade or so there have been | | | | oftentimes experience subantial relief as well as |
| some amazing developments in the treatment of | | | | possible remission of their conditions. |
| chronic inflammatory and auto immune related | | | | It is important to understand that biological TNF |
| diseases. A significant milestone in the treatment | | | | Inhibitors work by suppressing the immune |
| of conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's | | | | system functions and by taking these medications |
| disease, psoriasis, and other chronic inflammatory | | | | a patient may be subjecting themselves to an |
| conditions is the development of Tumor Necrosis | | | | increased risk of infections and opportunistic |
| Factor or TNF Alpha inhibitors. | | | | disease. It is also a very important consideration |
| These medications fall into a new class of drugs | | | | before starting a treatment plan that calls for |
| called biologics and they have been extremely | | | | anti-TNF medications is the financial cost of the |
| effective in treating the underlying cause of these | | | | medications. Patients should look into whether |
| cause of these conditions. TNF Alpha is a protein | | | | they can afford a treatment regimen with these |
| (more specifically a pro-inflammatory cytokine) | | | | medications and whether their insurance (if they |
| that is produced when the immune system | | | | have a plan) covers a significant portion of their |
| recognizes a threat to the body. | | | | prescription. It is estimated that a year of |
| In cases such as auto immune related conditions, | | | | treatment can run into the $10,000 - $25,000 |
| the body mistakes healthy cells as foriegn | | | | range. |
| "invading" cells and mistakenly sends these | | | | Individuals that are concerned about starting a |
| cytokines to destroy and eliminate otherwise | | | | treatment plan that calls for TNF Inhibitors should |
| healthy normal cells. Medical scientists are still | | | | speak with their physician. It is possible that a |
| trying to determine exactly why the body turns | | | | doctor may be able to recommend a nutritional |
| on itself and until there is an answer and solution | | | | plan that is designed to include medicinal foods or |
| these chronic diseases will continue to persist as | | | | supplements that have been clinically |
| incurable diseases. | | | | demonstrated to inhibit TNF Alpha naturally. In this |
| What we have learned is that by binding or | | | | case the cost and potential for negative side |
| blocking the primary underlying causes of | | | | effects are negligible. |
| inflammation, in this case TNF Alpha, patients | | | | |