Avascular Necrosis - Homoeopathic Treatment!

What is Avascular Necrosis ?  Avascular necrosis is the death of bone tissue due to a lack of blood supply. Also called osteonecrosis, avascular necrosis can lead to tiny breaks in the bone and the bone's eventual collapse. The blood flow to a section of bone can be interrupted if the bone is fractured or the joint becomes dislocated. Avascular necrosis is also associated with long-term use of high-dose steroid medications and excessive alcohol intakeLCPD usually occurs in children aged 4-10 years Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease (LCPD) is avascular necrosis (AVN) of the proximal femoral head resulting from compromise of the tenuous blood supply to this area. The disease has an insidious onset and may occur after an injury to the hip. But anyone can be affected by avascular necrosis. However, it's most common in people between the ages of 30 and 60. Because of this relatively young age range, avascular necrosis can have significant long-term consequences.

What causes AVN ? Avascular necrosis occurs when blood flow to a bone is interrupted or reduced. Reduced blood supply can be caused by: Joint or bone trauma. An injury, such as a dislocated joint, might damage nearby blood vessels. Cancer treatments involving radiation also can weaken the bone and harm blood vessels. Fatty deposits in blood vessels. The fat (lipids) can block small blood vessels, reducing the blood flow that feeds bones. Certain diseases. Medical conditions, such as sickle cell anaemia and Gaucher's disease, also can cause diminished blood flow to the bone.

For about 25 per cent of people with avascular necrosis, the cause of interrupted blood flow is unknown.

Risk Factors: -Trauma. Injuries, such as hip dislocation or fracture, can damage nearby blood vessels and reduce blood flow to bones. Steroid use. High-dose use of corticosteroids, such as prednisone, is the most common cause of avascular necrosis that isn't related to trauma. The exact reason is unknown, but one hypothesis is that corticosteroids can increase lipid levels in your blood, reducing blood flow and leading to avascular necrosis. Excessive alcohol use. Consuming several alcoholic drinks a day for several years also can cause fatty deposits to form in your blood vessels. Medical conditions associated with avascular necrosis include Pancreatitis Diabetes Gaucher's disease HIV/AIDS Systemic lupus erythematosus Sickle cell anaemia Bisphosphonate use. Long-term use of medications to increase bone density may be a risk factor for developing osteonecrosis of the jaw. This complication has occurred in some people treated with these medications for cancers, such as multiple myeloma and metastatic breast cancer. The risk appears to be lower for women treated with bisphosphonates for osteoporosis. Certain medical treatments. Radiation therapy for cancer can weaken bone. Organ transplantation, especially kidney transplant, also is associated with avascular necrosis.

How to diagnose AVN? During a physical exam, your doctor will likely press around your joints, checking for tenderness. Your doctor may also move the joints through a variety of positions to see if your range of motion has been reduced. Imaging tests: Many disorders can cause joint pain. Imaging tests can help pinpoint the source of pain. The options include X-rays. They can reveal bone changes that occur in the later stages of avascular necrosis. In the condition's early stages, X-rays usually appear normal.MRI and CT scan. These tests produce detailed images that can show early changes in bone that may indicate avascular necrosis. Bone scan. A small amount of radioactive material is injected into your vein. This tracer travels to the parts of your bones that are injured or healing and shows up as bright spots on the imaging plate.

Treatment of AVN: In the early stages of avascular necrosis, symptoms can be reduced with medication and therapy. Your doctor might recommend Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Osteoporosis drugs. Cholesterol-lowering drugs. Blood thinners.Rest. Exercises. Electrical stimulation. Electrical currents might encourage your body to grow new bone to replace the area damaged by avascular necrosis. Electrical stimulation can be used during surgery and applied directly to the damaged area. Or it can be administered through electrodes attached to your skin. Hip -Joint Replacement may be necessary on late-stage disease for pain unresponsive to other measures 

• ROLE OF HOMOEOPATHY: Homeopathy is Safe, Gentle & Effective There are more than 137 Homoeopathic Remedies for Bone Necrosis. Homoeopathic treatment for Avascular Necrosis uses the body’s own restorative process to heal, its aim is to stop the destruction of bones in patients of Avascular Necrosis because of interrupted blood supply. Homoeopathic remedies can reduce the pain in bones & heal the necrosis There are more than 130 Homoeopathic remedies which can be used for healing the necrosis but the only totality of symptoms and help not specific! The Homeopathic medicines are selected after taking into account the proper case history of the patient. The Homeopathic medicines are prescribed based on the bone involved, the kind of bone pain and other peculiar symptoms in each individual case.