What Are The Symptoms Of Knee Osteoarthritis
Symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee may include:
- pain that increases when you are active, but gets a little better with rest
- swelling
- feeling of warmth in the joint
- stiffness in the knee, especially in the morning or when you have been sitting for a while
- creaking, crackly sound that is heard when the knee moves
Patient Values Have A Starring Role In Arthritis Pain Management
Its my job to make my patients feel comfortable with their options, explains Dr. Hansen. Fixing the problem is just one part of our conversation. I want them to understand whats going on with the joint, understand how pain management works, and be prepared for what to expect down the road. I use my expertise to help patients identify the medically appropriate solution thats best for their own values. That is a part of treatment that can get skipped over very easily. I try very hard, and pride myself on making sure people feel that we have a plan in place, and that its a plan they understand and embrace.
Arthritis treatment is a patient choice, says Dr. Hansen. First, I find out how my patients feel about where they are from a lifestyle standpoint. Then I help them through the process of evaluating the treatment options that will get them to where they are comfortable. In some cases, treatment may be very minimal. I may never ever perform surgery on some patients. I have patients who manage arthritis pain on their own. They maintain a stable point where they feel fine and are able to do everything they want to do.
Relieve Knee Pain And Enjoy Life Again With Arthritis Treatment In Atlanta Ga
If you are tired of suffering with constant or recurrent arthritis knee pain, it may be time to seek help. In many cases, behavioral modification – such as beginning a walking routine – can help provide knee pain relief. In addition, conservative treatments are available that can result in long-lasting, reliable symptom relief. These may include physical therapy, exercise, anti-inflammatory supplements, and medications. If these methods are ineffective, Dr. Williams may recommend a more extensive treatment plan, including the use of a breakthrough Regenexx® orthobiologic injections .
To learn more about how walking can actually help your knee pain, and to discover what long-term treatment options you have for arthritis in the knee, we invite you to call the friendly team at Interventional Orthopedics of Atlanta to schedule your private in-office or online consultation with experienced orthopedic expert Dr. Christopher Williams today. We look forward to helping you get the results you deserve and enjoy life without knee pain once again!
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Numbness And Tingling With Arthritis: The Subtle Signs You Might Be Ignoring
The Arthritis Foundation estimates that over twenty-five million people have Arthritis in the U.S, with an estimated fifty to seventy percent of those experiencing numbness or tingling in their hands and feet. While symptoms vary depending on the type of Arthritis you have , sufferers need to be aware of these common sensations so they can seek medical action as soon as possible if need be.
Sometimes Knee Surgery Is Your Best Option
If none of these non-surgical treatments work, your pain is still significant and you cannot function the way youd like, it may be time to consider knee replacement surgery, one of the most successful surgeries today. The procedure involves removing the damaged cartilage and underlying bone and replacing it with smooth metal and plastic. Pain relief is almost immediate and dramatic.
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Making Knees New Again
How are your knees? If youre like many people age 50 and older, theyve been aching. If youre 65 or older, you may have some degree of osteoarthritis, in which the cartilage that cushions the ends of the bones in the joints begins to degenerate or wear away.
Symptoms can range from stiffness to severe pain and limited mobility. So its probably not surprising that surgeons perform more than 700,000 knee-replacement surgeries in the United States each year.
Total knee replacement is very effective, but implants dont last forever. Although they can last 20 years, one study found that about 14.9 percent of men and 17.4 percent of women who receive a total knee replacement will need another. The earlier you get your implant, the more likely youll be back in surgery at some point.
Thats why knee replacement should only be considered after youve tried everything else, says Harpal S. Khanuja, M.D., chief of hip and knee replacement surgery with the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Johns Hopkins. That includes following your doctors recommendations for losing weight, physical therapy, pain management, and modifying your activities.
I tell people its time for a replacement when they cant live the life they want to live it is not a good solution for an occasional pain, Khanuja says.
To keep knee replacement as a last resort, keep your knees healthy with these smart steps.
If You Think You Have Arthritis In One Or Both Of Your Knees Come See Us
If you are experiencing pain, swelling and/or stiffness in your knee, please call 232-1919 to make an appointment with one of our Westchester Health rheumatologists or Internal Medicine specialists. If you do in fact have knee arthritis, we can determine the course of action that will give you the best possible outcome. Whenever, wherever you need us, were here for you.
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Conservative Treatments Are Designed To Maintain A Healthy Lifestyle
We make treatment decisions in partnership with our patients, says Dr. Hansen. Everyones goals are different there may be people who want to wait, and others who want the chance to improve their activity as early as possible. This is a person-by-person process of education about all the options and the decision that is best for the individual. Thats one of the most difficult and rewarding parts of my work: helping people through this process. Each patient has a personal definition of the activity level that is comfortable for them.
One of the challenges with arthritis is that this disease can limit activity and lead to weight gain and related health concerns. Some of the conservative treatments I discuss are measures that enable my patients to maintain function and a healthy lifestyle, explains Dr. Hansen.
- Anti-inflammatory medication. Inflamed joints are a manageable symptom of arthritis. In some cases, an anti-inflammatory is enough to ease pain and support healthy function.
- Nutrition consult. When it hurts to move, its hard to stay active, states Dr. Hansen. Weight gain is a risk for arthritis patients. Extra weight puts added stress on joints and raises risks of other health problems. Sometimes conservative treatment means a nutrition consult to help a patient lose weight.
- When anti-inflammatories arent enough to control joint pain, injections are another option to ease discomfort.
Articles On Knee Osteoarthritis
While age is a major risk factor for osteoarthritis of the knee, young people can get it, too. For some individuals, it may be hereditary. For others, osteoarthritis of the knee can result from injury or infection or even from being overweight. Here are answers to your questions about knee osteoarthritis, including how it’s treated and what you can do at home to ease the pain.
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Ask Dr Hansen: Can Arthritis Pain Be Managed Without Surgery
Summits arthritis specialists offer a broad range of nonsurgical treatments to manage arthritis pain.
Arthritis is all around us. There are more than 100 types of this degenerative joint condition: all cause the slow loss of cartilage. According to the Arthritis Foundation, about 54 million adults have been diagnosed with this disabling disease. No one wants to live with chronic arthritis pain, admits arthritis specialist Dr. Dane Hansen. This is a tough disease. We still dont fully understand what causes it and we dont have a way to reverse it. However, there is good news. Although surgery is a treatment for arthritis, having arthritis doesnt mean that surgery is a given. At Summit, we offer a number of nonsurgical treatments to manage pain and help keep patients engaged in the activities they love.
Knee Replacement Surgery For Arthritis
Knee pain is one of the most frustrating complaints among people of all ages, and arthritis of the knee joint is unfortunately common. The strongest and largest joint in the body, the knee is comprised of a complex network of muscles, bones, ligaments, tendons and tissue, any of which can become damaged or worn over time. While there are many different causes of chronic knee pain, one that we deal with the most is arthritis.
Arthritis is described as inflammation of one or more of your joints, resulting in pain, swelling, and stiffness. There are more than 100 different types of arthritis, but osteoarthritis is the most common form in the knee. Osteoarthritis occurs over time with regular wear and tear and is considered a degenerative condition, which is why it often affects older people.
While it is true that any joint in the body can be affected by arthritis, the knee is particularly susceptible. Not only is arthritis of the knee annoying, but it can have an impact on your ability to perform regular, day-to-day activities comfortably. This is where knee replacement surgery comes in. In fact, the most common reason people undergo a total knee replacement is because of arthritis.
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How The Digestive Tract Heals
The digestive tract is made up of good bacteria and bad bacteria. One of the main jobs of the good bacteria is to keep the bad bacteria in check. Youre always going to have some bad bacteria, but when you have too much bad bacteria in your gut, you get overrun with yeast and other pathogenic bacteria.
I always compare this to a city that gets overrun with gangs and violence. Neighborhoods explode with crime and drugs, and nobody wants to live there anymore. This is what happens when your gut gets taken over by pathogenic bacteria. You need to starve out the bad guys . And you have to bring in the good guys to kill off the bad guys.
It can take a couple years for the gut to heal. Ill explain why Theres something called villi, which are tiny finger-like projections that grow along your small intestine. Its like grass or a brush lining.
One of the other jobs of good bacteria is to keep the wall of the gut healthy kind of like fertilizer for a lawn. When you dont have enough good bacteria, the lawn dies and you end up with a bald digestive tract.
The villi is there to secrete enzymes that help you break down and digest carbohydrates. For example, your villi produces the enzyme lactase in order to help you digest lactose from dairy products.
It takes time for the villi to grow back, which is why it can take months or years before you can start eating the foods you are allergic to again.
What Is Osteoarthritis Of The Knee
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, and the knee is one of the most commonly affected joints.
Everyones joints go through a normal cycle of damage and repair during their lifetime, but sometimes the bodys process to repair our joints can cause changes in their shape or structure. When these changes happen in one or more of your joints, its known as osteoarthritis.
A joint is a part of the body where two or more bones meet in your knee, its the thigh and shin bones. There is also a small bone at the front of the knee called the patella or kneecap.
The ends of our bones are covered in a smooth and slippery surface, known as cartilage . This allows the bones to move against each other without friction, and protects your joint from stress.
Your knee also has two other rings of a different type of cartilage known as menisci or meniscus, which help to share weight evenly across your knee joint, and theres also cartilage underneath your kneecap.
Osteoarthritis causes the cartilage in your knee joint to thin and the surfaces of the joint to become rougher, which means that the knee doesnt move as smoothly as it should, and it might feel painful and stiff.
Osteoarthritis can affect anyone at any age, but its more common in women over 50.
Injuries or other joint problems, such as gout, can make people more likely to get osteoarthritis. The genes we inherit from our parents can also increase the risk of the condition developing.
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Who Gets Osteoarthritis Of The Knee
Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis. While it can occur even in young people, the chance of developing osteoarthritis rises after age 45. According to the Arthritis Foundation, more than 27 million people in the U.S. have osteoarthritis, with the knee being one of the most commonly affected areas. Women are more likely to have osteoarthritis than men.
Switch From The Sidewalk To The Treadmill
Walking or jogging on a sidewalk made of concrete can be hard on the knees. A treadmill has a little more spring and decreases the overall compressive load on the knees. When walking on a treadmill, resist the urge to walk at an incline.
Walking on a groomed earthen trail will have a similar positive effect.
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Understanding Arthritis To Better Treat Knee And Joint Pain
Although theres no cure for arthritis that causes knee and joint pain, advances in research have allowed us to better understand the different forms of the condition and develop treatments. It is important to be familiar with the type of arthritis you have. Theres a huge benefit to addressing arthritis early and taking steps that can help manage the condition.
Is Surgery Used To Treat Knee Osteoarthritis
If your doctor wants to treat the osteoarthritis in the knee with surgery, the options are arthroscopy, osteotomy, and arthroplasty.
- Arthroscopy uses a small telescope and other small instruments. The surgery is performed through small incisions. The surgeon uses the arthroscope to see into the joint space. Once there, the surgeon can remove damaged cartilage or loose particles, clean the bone surface, and repair other types of tissue if those damages are discovered. The procedure is often used on younger patients in order to delay more serious surgery.
- An osteotomy is a procedure that aims to make the knee alignment better by changing the shape of the bones. This type of surgery may be recommended if you have damage primarily in one area of the knee. It might also be recommended if you have broken your knee and it has not healed well. An osteotomy is not permanent, and further surgery may be necessary later on.
- Joint replacement surgery, or arthroplasty, is a surgical procedure in which joints are replaced with artificial parts made from metals or plastic. The replacement could involve one side of the knee or the entire knee. Joint replacement surgery is usually reserved for people over age 50 with severe osteoarthritis. The surgery may need to be repeated later if the prosthetic joint wears out after several years. But with today’s modern advancements, most new joints will last over 20 years. The surgery has risks, but the results are generally very good.
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Other Conditions Related To Numbness And Tingling
Besides Arthritis, many other factors may be causing this sensation for example, it could also be caused by carpal tunnel syndrome or diabetic neuropathy. If you experience these symptoms along with joint pain-especially knee or hip pain-or stiffness in your neck, back, hands, or feet , then Arthritis might be to blame.
Other potential causes include nerve impingement caused by a tumor or herniated disk, multiple sclerosis , stroke, transient ischemic attack , spinal cord injury/disease, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis .
For people who have numbness or tingling in their hands/feet for an extended period, it is essential to see a physician as soon as possible to rule out any potential conditions such as diabetic nerve pain. As well, those with Arthritis should get treatment to help ease symptoms and prevent the progression of other arthritis-related health problems.
Can Arthritis Be Cured
ByDave G Williams | Submitted On November 10, 2009
At the moment the answer to that question is no. There is much that can be done to relieve symptoms but a cure is still a distance away. Part of the reason is the large number of different types of arthritis, all with different causes, symptoms and possible treatments.
The common process to all forms of arthritis is inflammation in your joints and surrounding tissue. It may be due to wear and tear or an immune response but the end result is pain and stiffness. Arthritis can be caused by infections, injuries, metabolic problems or genetic abnormalities.
With such a wide range of causes you will not be surprised to hear that the symptoms can vary from person to person. They will usually include one or more of pain, stiffness, decreased range of movement, swelling, redness and deformity.
There is no cure for arthritis but there are good treatments for many. The first step is to get a diagnosis so your treatment can be properly planned and delivered. Often the treatments tried first include physiotherapy, splints, painkillers, cool packs and bandages and anti-inflammatory. More robust treatment includes joint replacement, chemotherapy, immunological therapy and steroids.
Dave G Williams is a freelance journalist who writes on all aspects of the home and family life. Why not visit his latest website on the causes of impotence and how to safely buy Viagra online .
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