Inflammation Nation

In this episode of Inflammation Nation, Tara Regan speaks with associate professor of psychology, Dr Joanna McHugh Power, about loneliness, particularly for those living with chronic conditions like arthritis.

With Ireland recently named the ‘loneliest country in the EU,’ this is a timely discussion. Dr McHugh Power shares insights from her research and explores solutions to loneliness, highlighting that it’s not all down to simply socialising more or joining a group since the causes are multi-faceted, particularly for those managing chronic health challenges.

For more information about Arthritis, you can visit our website – arthritisireland.ie, or contact our helpline at 0818252846.

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Inflammation Nation is supported by Pfizer and Abbvie.

In our first episode of series five of Inflammation Nation, Maebh Coyle meets with lecturer, researcher, psychologist and meditation teacher, Dr Pádraic Dunne to discuss the potential benefits of regular meditation for anyone living with a chronic condition like arthritis or a related condition.

Dr Dunne, himself, lives with axSpA and has seen, first-hand, the extraordinary effects of regular meditation to help manage the pain and associated psychological stress of living with a chronic condition

For more information about Arthritis, you can visit our website – arthritisireland.ie, or contact our helpline at 0818252846.

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Inflammation Nation is supported by Pfizer and Abbvie.

Calm your body, calm your mind: 10-minute meditation

This 10-minute body scan meditation, guided by Dr. Pádraic Dunne, psychologist and meditation teacher at RCSI, is designed for people living with arthritis and related conditions.

By gently bringing attention to different parts of the body, it should help you relax, reduce stress, and activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which may support your body’s natural anti-inflammatory response. This short practice will help ease tension, stiffness, and discomfort while promoting a sense of calm and wellbeing.

In this episode of Inflammation Nation, Gráinne O’Leary engages in an insightful conversation with Dr Carmel Silke, Honorary Personal Professor of Medicine at the University of Galway and consultant rheumatologist at the North-West Rheumatology Unit based in Sligo and Manorhamilton.

Together they explore the multifaceted concept of remission in arthritis, and how advancements in drug treatments have transformed inflammatory arthritis care, making remission a realistic goal for many people.

The discussion emphasises the importance of early treatment, alongside the role of medication and lifestyle in achieving and maintaining remission. Additionally, it highlights patient education, evolving patient involvement, and considerations for tapering medication during remission.

In this episode of Inflammation Nation, Maebh Coyle meets Dr Jo Kitchen, a consultant rheumatologist from the Mater Hospital, Dublin, to discuss the ins and outs of medications typically used to treat arthritis. In this interview, Dr Kitchen discusses how biologics and other new drugs have changed the landscape for those living with inflammatory forms of arthritis, the various factors that can impact the effectiveness of medications (such as smoking or overweight/obesity, and whether or not there has been a delay in diagnosis where damage has already occurred to the joints), in addition to a new approaches in the use of steroids, knowledge around some possible side-effects of medications and how those are managed (and how patients are monitored when they start a new drug) as well as which drugs are safe to use during pregnancy.