Myths about Total Knee Replacement

Myth#1 - Knee replacement is a surgery for old people. “I’m too young for a knee replacement.”
Fact - Candidacy for a knee replacement is not based on age, but on the person’s level of pain and immobility. Living with a painful joint that prohibits you from working or participating in normal life activities is an outdated way of thinking. Age is not necessarily a limiting factor. Often times, a patient is actually fearful about the uncertainty of surgery. Once they are able to resume many of the activities they enjoyed before the surgery, with increased mobility and with less pain, they are very happy they had the surgery. The quality of life one achieves by living without knee pain is priceless.

Myth#2 - “I should wait as long as possible to undergo knee replacement surgery” 
Fact - You don't need to suffer by waiting until the pain is intolerable. The longer life of joint replacements enables people to consider surgery earlier and at a younger age. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease that continues to damage the joint and delaying surgery makes both surgery and return to activity more difficult. Delaying surgery lowers a patients’ quality of life not only before the operation, but even for up to two years following surgery.

Myth#3 - “I should continue with medications as long as possible”
Fact - Medicines including painkillers just give symptomatic relief for a temporary duration and prolonged usage is riddled with serious side effects such as renal failure, peptic ulceration  etc. All these medicines are NOT curable.

Myth#4 - Alternative therapies such as acupressure, ozone treatment, massage beds, oils, laser therapy, magnetic therapy; braces will cure my advanced arthritis and knee pain.
Fact - Till date there is NO cure for advanced knee arthritis and these alternate therapies are not backed by established scientific data. All these modalities give temporary pain relief in early to moderate arthritis for some duration only and are NOT curative. Often times, a patient who is actually fearful about the uncertainty of surgery lands up trying these in order to avoid surgery. 

Myth#5 - After a knee replacement, it takes months to recover.
Fact - Depending on the activity, most patients who undergo knee replacement are able to perform routine tasks within a few weeks. A return to rigorous activity takes only a few months. One becomes independent for himself before discharge from hospital. There’s no prolonged best rest required after the surgery.


Myth#6 - After knee replacement, I’ll have to give up some activities and sports.
Fact - You have a high probability of getting back to activities like brisk walking or cycling in 6 to 12 weeks. It will take a bit longer to return to more rigorous activities and contact sports. Squatting and sitting cross legged though possible but at best should be kept to minimal.

Myth#7 - Knee replacement surgery leaves a large scar that is noticeable.
Fact - Scarring is minimal compared to traditional surgery. In fact, the scar is typically only 3 to 5 inches long. As time passes, the scar will fade and become less noticeable.

Myth#8 - Knee replacement is a very painful surgery. There is lots of pain in post operative period.
Fact - With modern day pain management such as in a multimodal approach, ensures that the patient does not feel any pain in post op period and has a smooth recovery.

Myth#9 - Knee replacement is done one at a time.
Fact - Both the knees can be operated at the same time if the patient does not have significant co morbidities and is deemed fit to undergo the procedure by the doctor.

Myth#10 - The new knee lasts for 5-6 yrs. only.
Fact - With modern day precision including computer assisted knee replacement and advancement in biomaterials, the survivorship has increased considerably. Today's joint replacements last 25 years or longer and, for most people, will last a lifetime.

Myth#11 - Knee replacement cannot be done a second time.
Fact - Knee replacement can be done multiple times what is called as a revision joint replacement surgery with good survivorship.

Myth#12 - “I am obese, I cannot undergo Knee replacement surgery.”
Fact - Knee replacement can be successfully done in an obese patient though the recovery is somewhat prolonged and might require additional implants. However, patients who are morbidly obese and have restricted mobility primarily due to obesity are better off after a bariatric procedure.

Myth#13 “I have diabetes or hypertension or heart ailment, so  I cannot undergo Knee replacement surgery.”
Fact  - diabetes hypertension or heart.



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 13 Myths About Total Knee Replacement (TKR), Busted!

When is your pain chronic?

Your pain is chronic if it last for more than a period of six months. Chronic pain is a long-term pain whose nature can vary from mild to excruciating, and it may trouble you either continuously or at short and regular intervals. Chronic pain is so dangerous that it does not only cause discomfort and inconvenience but also robs you entirely of your capacity to work for a long time.

Chronic pain can occur in a number of organs of the human body like head, joints, back, shoulders, neck etc. In fact, pain in any part of your body can turn into chronic pain. Here are a few symptoms that can help you identify if what you are going through is, in fact, chronic pain:

- persistent and severe body pain

- burning sensation accompanied by the body pain

- fatigue and sleeplessness

- weak immune system

- stiff and sore joints

The 4 types of chronic pain disorders that you should be aware of are:

1. Nociceptive pain

The pain that affects the soft tissues of the body such as the skin and the muscles or the organs that have sensory nerves present in them is called nociceptive pain. The sensory nerves, known as nociceptors can detect the stimuli of pain and send information to the brain and the spinal cord for interpretation. The pain could be either somatic (originating in the outer body) or visceral (originating in the internal organs).

2. Neuropathic pain

This pain is caused when the nerves stop functioning normally. It is caused due to nerve disturbances that result in pain stimuli being spontaneously transmitted to the brain and spinal cord. If you are suffering from this type of chronic pain disorder, you will feel a sharp, shooting and stabbing pain. Neuropathic pain can also be caused due to the formation of neuroma (abnormal growth of the nerve tissue).

3. Psychogenic pain

The pain that is caused by psychological disorders like depression and anxiety is known as psychogenic pain. Sometimes this pain can be accompanied by physical complications like fatigue, body pain and muscle weakness.

4. Idiopathic pain

The pain that exists even though there is no physical or psychological cause for it is known as idiopathic pain. This pain is more common in people who have suffered from a pre-existing painful disorder. Some common examples of idiopathic pain are fibromyalgia (intense pain all over the body) and tmj disorders (pain in the jaw area).

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Related Tip: Why does PAIN occur? Understand the Mechanism of Pain

Your Pain is Chronic if it Falls Under These 4 Types of Chronic Pain Disorders!

A swelling of breast tissues in men due to estrogen and testosterone hormonal imbalance. This swelling in the chest could often resemble a breast. In babies and newborns, gynecomastia is caused by the estrogen from the mother. Breast buds and tissues are common in baby boys. They go away after a few months naturally. However, in some babies, they tend to stay. The result can be the enlarged breasts.

In teenage years, the estrogen-producing hormones naturally tend to get into an overdrive mode and in many instances, if they are hyperactive the swelling in the chest region can occur during puberty. It usually goes away within 6 months to 2 years. In some extreme cases, the swelling can also be as a result of lung or liver cancer. Also, it depends on a little on lifestyle. Drug abuse and excess alcohol can cause gynecomastia. This may also be common in older adults where the skin loses its natural elasticity and tend to sag. Apart from it, their lifestyle also plays a detrimental part in its forming.

Very few people put on weight uniformly all over their body. Some people put on weight around the abdomen and develop bellies while others put on weight on their thighs. For some, fat could also be deposited on the chest, while it may not be much of an issue for a woman but it can make male breasts protrude abnormally. Clinically, this is known as gynecomastia. Gynecomastia is not a serious condition and does not hamper a man s health but it can damage his self-esteem. In the long run, this can also be harmful for his psychological and emotional health. Thankfully dealing with it is easy.



What are the symptoms and diagnoses?
Gynecomastia is associated with enlarged breasts and in addition to that, it could feel rubbery or firm. Sometimes only one of the regions either the left or right side may experience this problem while the other side stays firm. It is diagnosed purely by a physical examination. Also, the lump may be checked for biopsy.

Treatment
90% of the cases in babies go away on its own. There is no treatment required. However in young adults, if the conditions do not go away then surgery is the most treatable option under the circumstances. Getting medications and drugs that can decrease the tissue structure is not advisable as indirectly you might be playing with the hormones and they can tend to get risky after some time. Also, surgeries of the day are not just like taking out the enlargement. They also do concentrate on the features and shape too. You can technically sculpt the region while opting for such breast reduction surgeries.

However, contrary to popular belief, surgery is not the only recourse. In fact, though surgically removing the fat deposits can have faster effects; these fat deposits may develop again over time. Thus, surgery is not a long-term solution. So, let s look at an alternative form of treatment which is Ayurveda as this can be very effective against gynecomastia. This is a holistic form of treatment that not only addresses the symptoms showcased, but attacks the root cause of the problem. In this case, fat deposits are caused usually by weight gain and slow metabolism, which makes it essential for the person to lose weight in order to treat this condition.

Before you start on weight loss regime, starving yourself is no solution for this. Instead, one must eat food according to one s body type and needs. According to Ayurveda, there are three different types of doshas present in the body. An imbalance of these doshas could contribute towards weight gain and in turn gynecomastia. Depending on your body type, an Ayurvedic doctor will be able to advise you on the type of foods to eat and avoid so as to maintain a balance of the doshas.

In addition to this, you must also exercise regularly. The best time to exercise is in the early morning. This raises your metabolism rates and helps your body utilize energy being created through the day instead of simply storing it as fat. Aim for at least half an hour s exercise each day. There are a number of yoga asanas that target the chest muscles and can help treat gynecomastia. These include the Dhanurasana, Gomukhasana and Natrajasana. These asanas burn fat in the chest and tighten chest muscles. When it comes to yoga, it isn t enough to simply perform the asanas, they must be practiced in the right way. Thus, it is always advisable to practice under a teacher s guidance.

One of the biggest advantages of treating gynecomastia with Ayurveda is the absence of side effects. Unlike surgery, there is no hospitalization needed and you may continue your normal lifestyle as you get treatment. Once treated, there is a very low chance of the condition recurring and hence, this is a permanent solution.

Self-care:
While people do opt for weight reducing measures to keep gynecomastia under check it doesn t always work like that. The reason is these are not exactly what causes the enlargement. They are as a direct result of hormones. Hence weight reduction plans and medications may not work out efficiently. Also, experts would suggest going in for a surgery before going for an exercise regime in a gym. Some people do have a misconception that hitting the gym can take care of the swelling. However, it may not be beneficial and it would give out the desired impact.

For complete treatment of your problem, you can Consult the doctor. 

Weight Loss - Can It Help Reduce Male Breast?

Treatment of frozen shoulder varies depending on the stage it is at, and how severe is the pain and stiffness. There is no outright cure and the aim of treatment is to keep the joint as mobile as possible. The most effective treatment is that which maintains a good range of movement until the shoulder starts to heal. 

Treatment may Include the following:

1. Shoulder exercises: Regular, gentle exercise can help to keep the shoulder joint mobile. If your shoulder is very stiff, exercise may hurt, and it should only be carried out with the guidance of your doctor or physiotherapist. If you are able to, continue using your shoulder as normal saving' the shoulder can cause the muscle to waste and may make stiffness worse.
2. Painkillers: Over-the-counter painkillers such as paracetamol or prescription-only drugs such as codeine may be taken to ease pain and you should discuss this with your general physician or pharmacist.
3. Anti-inflammatory painkillers: Such as ibuprofen and diclofenac, are often prescribed to ease pain and inflammation. Any medication that you take should be discussed with your general physician or pharmacist.
4. Steroid injections into or near the shoulder joint may be effective at relieving pain and inflammation for a few weeks. However, injections are not a cure, and symptoms may return.


Treatment of frozen shoulder

Panchakarma is an ayurvedic technique which is used to detoxify the body, boost the immune system and restore the balance in the body. Due to lack of exercise and a poor diet, the waste material generated by the body is not effectively discharged. This causes accumulation of toxins in the body that can result in diseases.

Panchakarma can be used to treat and heal the pain in the joints and the spine. There are specific treatments in panchakarma that targets these regions, they are:

1. Abhyanga - Abhyanga is a technique where warm oil is used to cover the entire body. The oil is then gently massaged so that it can penetrate the underlying tissues. It is used to lubricate the joints, muscle toning and to increase blood supply around nerve endings.

 2. Pindasweda - In this technique hot cotton bags consisting of herbs, rice, and sand or medical powder are used to massage the body. This rejuvenating therapy induces perspiration in the body by which the herbs and the heat penetrates into the body. It is used to treat problems of the joints such as gout, arthritis, and sciatica.

 3. Upanaha - A combination of herbal medicine is applied to the affected part and then covered with medicinal leaves. The herbs help in easing the muscles and tendons of the affected part. It relieves pain, reduces swellings and improves mobility in the joint.

 4. Kati vista - In this treatment, medicated oil is pooled into a collar made from dough and then placed on the lower back for a specific amount of time. It strengthens the lower back, lubricates the spine and acts as a muscle pain reliever.

Soothe Your Joint and Spine Pain with Ayurvedic Panchakarma

Your knee is a very complex structure consisting of bones, ligaments, cartilage, tendons, muscles and meniscus. Most people encounter knee pain at some point in their lives. If your knee pain is chronic in nature, then it may last for a prolonged period.

Many causes may be responsible for your knee pain. Some of the causes are stated as follows:
1. Your knee is very much prone to injuries. Knee injuries may happen due to accidents, falling down carelessly or while playing sports. The most common knee injuries that may be the cause for your knee pain are mentioned as follows: 
a) Fractures may cause you to feel pain in the areas of your knee bones.
b) Anterior Cruciate Ligament injury (ligament injury caused by twisting and a sudden motion) or Medial Collateral Ligament injury (injury to the tissue in the insides of your knee) is very common to sportspersons and may be the reason for severe knee pain.
c) Sometimes your knee bones may get dislocated from their usual alignment. This can also make you experience severe knee pain.
d) Ligament injuries, meniscus tear or tendon tear can also be responsible for your knee pain.

2. Sometimes pain in your buttock or foot region can also result in mild knee pain.

3. At times chronic problems like osteoarthritis that affects the cartilage can cause the problem of knee pain. Other chronic problems like Gout, rheumatoid arthritis can also cause severe knee pain.

4. Being overweight can also result in knee pain.
The symptoms of knee pain may be different in each case. The most common symptoms are mentioned below:
a) Stiffness of knee
b) Swelling of your knee
c) You may also feel unstable
d) Difficulty in walking or bending of your knee.
e) You may notice redness in your knee area.

Knee pain must not be ignored. It is highly recommended for you to seek advice from an orthopedic as soon as you encounter any of the above mentioned symptoms.

Suffering from Knee Pain - Know What Causes it? 

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