Antibiotic Protocol for Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a crippling disease that affects millions of people. After the initial diagnosis, disability becomes a way of life. Finding an answer to this autoimmune disease has allowed those affected to return to a less painful way of life. Using different classes of antibiotics over a long period is giving hope to those dealing with this disease. This protocol takes patience; results can take up to a year.

Antibiotic Protocol

• An infectious agent causes rheumatoid arthritis. Knowing this, Dr. Thomas McPherson Brown was the first doctor to bring to light the use of antibiotics for rheumatoid arthritis as a way to fight infection. He found that autoimmune disease stems from the same infection. He discovered using low dosages of variations of tetracycline over a long period help people who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis.

  Dr. Brown's original protocol starts with 300 mg of intravenous clindamycin. Use this for two days, increase to 600 mg for the next two days and then continue dosage at 900 mg daily for up to two weeks. This protocol protects you from mycoplasma and other forms of bacteria. Other physicians have used modified versions of this protocol.

  After the initial course of IV therapy, the patient begins oral antibiotic therapy with minocycline or tetracycline. The dose frequency range is one dose, one to two days per week, up to twice daily, three times per week.

  If the medication worsens the arthritis, lower doses and longer intervals are needed. Using this protocol has helped many RA sufferers go into remission, according to Dr. Joseph Mercola at Mercola.com.

  The Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology tested the efficacy of antibiotic treatment for rheumatoid arthritis.These doctors found that of 21 patients who were given either antibiotics or nothing, eight patients who received treatment had more than a 20 percent improvement. They concluded that combining low-dosage antibiotics is helpful in managing RA.

Benefit vs. Risk

• The Road Back Foundation, which specializes as a clearinghouse and information base for Dr Brown's protocol, says that using a derivative of low-dose tetracycline is not accumulative, therefore it is not resistant.

  If there is a reaction to the tetracycline, it can be treated with a lower dose. Since RA has been found to be caused by an infection, antibiotic therapy, used intermittently in low doses, can be used to give you an easier way of living without pain and discomfort.

  There are three different types of tetracycline: simple tetracycline, minocyline and doxycycline. Minocyline has advantages for antibiotic therapy for rheumatoid arthritis. It has the capability of deeper tissue penetrability, sustains higher serum levels and has extended spectrum activity, according to the Rheumatic Organization.