People who've been told they have rheumatoid arthritis could actually be suffering from a disease
caused by parasites! But the good news in the painful problem can be easily solved.

"We're not sure how many people have parasite-induced arthritis - which can be misdiagnosed as
rheumatoid arthritis - but it could be in the thousands ," said Dr. Luis Espinoza.

It's due to infection from a variety of microbes. These common parasites are present in soil and
water, and may contaminate food.

In most cases, the arthritis lasts only a few months.

"But 25 to 30 percent will develop chronic arthritis because the parasite infection is so extensive it
cannot be eliminated by the body's immune system," said Dr. Espinoza.

"And conventional rheumatoid arthritis therapies are useless because they don't eliminate the
parasite. He had persistent pain and inflammation in his knees and ankles and could barely walk," said Dr. Espinoza.

But when Dr. Espinoza gave the patient an anti-parasite drug the symptoms disappeared.

If you have any symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis such as swollen, painful or stiff joints filled with
fluid - and none of the conventional rheumatoid arthritis treatments seem to help - you may have
parasite-induced arthritis.

If your pain is accompanied by frequent diarrhea, the chance of a parasite is even more likely.