| Creaky, achy joints, a twinge in the knee, a sharp | | | | Medications |
| shooting pain from the shoulder to the elbow, No big | | | | If lifestyle changes don't ease your pain, medication is |
| deal, right? | | | | often prescribed. For mild pain, a simple painkiller can |
| Wrong. All too often, we assume joint pain is a | | | | often help. Heat or cold therapy can often provide |
| normal part of aging that we just have to learn to | | | | temporary pain relief. For more prolonged pain which |
| live with. Nothing could be further from the truth. | | | | is not amenable to simple drugs, your orthopedician in |
| "Many people in India know very little about joint | | | | India will write you up for an anti- inflammatory drug. |
| pain," Contrary to what many may think, joint pain is | | | | Although this latest generation of drugs has come |
| not an inevitable part of aging. Unless someone has | | | | under fire recently in the US, their capacity to |
| suffered an injury such as breaking a leg, joint pain in | | | | alleviate pain in the elderly for short durations is |
| the 50-plus age group usually means osteoarthritis, a | | | | welcome. If Knee pain is due to osteoarthritis, |
| degenerative disease in which the joints' natural | | | | Glucosamine could be useful in the early stages. An |
| shock absorber -- Cartilage -- begins to break down. | | | | orthopedic surgeon may choose to supplement the |
| Without their protective layer, bones begin to scrape | | | | fluid in your knee with a synthetic substance which |
| against one other, causing joint pain and thwarting | | | | improves the viscosity of the joint fluid and |
| movement. | | | | ameliorates pain. |
| But never make a diagnosis by yourself. "The | | | | Surgery including Joint Replacement- |
| average person may not be able tell if it's the joint, a | | | | Joint replacements are advised for the elderly person |
| torn tendon or ligament, or pain in the area of the | | | | with severe knee or other joint pain. For the young |
| joint. An orthopaedic surgeon needs to evaluate you | | | | person, I perform some form of cartilage surgery in |
| to make sure you do in fact have joint pain and | | | | which the focal damaged areas of cartilage are |
| why." | | | | repaired by surgery. This is an alternative available for |
| X-rays can sometimes show changes that indicate | | | | young patients as they need not wait to attain the |
| cartilage breakdown, but often, the images are | | | | senior citizen's age (> 70) to get a joint |
| inconclusive. "Physical exam, MRI, and bone scans can | | | | replacement. Meniscal suture and Ligament |
| all be helpful in establishing a diagnosis that is not | | | | reconstruction in the knee help to restore the |
| evident on X-ray." | | | | mechanical stability for those sportspersons with |
| While there is no conservative cure for joint pain, | | | | knee injuries. These will postpone the advent of |
| you can find relief. Treatments range from lifestyle | | | | osteoarthritis. In those unlucky to have had a |
| changes to medications to surgery -- and should | | | | complete Menisectomy (complete removal of the |
| usually be tried in that order. | | | | semi- lunar cartilage) of the knee, Meniscal transplant |
| Lifestyle Changes | | | | will be available in Chennai soon. At present this |
| If you are overweight, the first step is to loose | | | | surgery is confined to a few centres in the US and |
| weight. A recent study shows that losing as little as | | | | Europe. |
| 11 pounds (5 kilos) can decrease the risk of | | | | For senior citizens if all else fails to relieve your pain |
| osteoarthritis of the knee by 50%. The next step is | | | | and disability, your doctor may recommend surgery in |
| to work with a physical therapist to develop an | | | | which an arthritic or damaged joint is removed and |
| exercise program that's right for you. Walking, and | | | | replaced with an artificial joint called prosthesis. |
| other low-impact exercises that don't put pounding | | | | The artificial joints, fashioned out of metal and plastic, |
| pressure on the joints are helpful but high impact | | | | can be as good as the real thing, restoring |
| exercises such as jogging should usually be avoided. | | | | movement and function. |
| "Exercise is a lifetime commitment," I recommend | | | | "Joint replacement is extremely successful, lasting |
| that patients work out for 40 minutes at a time, | | | | over 20 years for more than 90% of patients," The |
| three or four days a week. Wearing the correct | | | | procedure is becoming increasingly safer and less |
| footwear is also important. A regular and brisk | | | | invasive. |
| morning walk for one hour (recent recommendation) | | | | In summary, prompt consultation with your |
| will usher in a feeling of well being and is excellent | | | | orthopedic surgeon will lead to earlier diagnosis and |
| all-round exercise. Putting all your joints through a full | | | | effective treatment of joint pain and improve the |
| range of movement will go a long way in preventing | | | | quality of many lives affected by this common |
| stiffness. | | | | malady. |