Comparing Joint Pain Solutions
Thanks to modern medicine, we are living longer than ever!
Everyone wants to live a long, happy life but longevity does have some
downsides. Arthritis impacts nearly half of all seniors. When it becomes
serious, joint pain can impact your whole day and even put you in danger. Given
this, it’s not surprising thatthe
American Association of Hip And Knee Surgeons predicts, by 2030, there will
be 500,000 hip replacements and 3 million knee replacements every year.
Joint pain can be treated in numerous ways. Each option has
pros and cons.
PAIN MEDICATION
Depending on the severity of your joint pain, it may be manageable with
medication. Reducing inflammation can relieve some joint pain. Supplements
and creams are available over the counter that may relieve arthritis pain. For
more serious pains, your doctor may prescribe stronger prescription
medications.
Pain medication can help you maintain your normal
activities. However, masking the pain does not correct the underlying issue. If
your arthritis remains minor, then pain medication is a cheap, simple solution
but worsening joint pain may require you to explore alternate options.
JOINT
REPLACEMENT SURGERY
When common activities at home and work become difficult or
impossible to maintain because of joint pain, a total joint replacement can
greatly increase your health and quality of life. While all surgeries have
risks, hip and knee replacements are common, very successful surgeries.
During
a hip replacement, a surgeon removes the joint that has arthritis and is
causing pain. Then an artificial joint takes its place.
A knee replacement is similar. A surgeon removes the damaged
surface of knee joint to get rid of the damaged bone. Then, the knee is
resurfaced with a prosthesis made of metal and plastic. Generally speaking,
there are three parts: the tibial component, the femoral component, and the
patellar component.
While these are very well understood surgeries, joint replacements,
like all surgeries, have risks. Blood clots, fracture, infection, and
dislocation are some
of the risks to keep in mind before choosing a surgical option. The surgery
itself may cause mild to moderate pain, and nausea can be caused by the
combination of pain medication and stress.
Successful joint replacements will decrease pain in the long
term and improve mobility. Most people recover
from surgery in six weeks and are pain-free within a year. Artificial joints
usually last over 20 years, although younger, more active people may wear it
out faster. Follow up visits
are important to ensure the artificial joint works in the long term.
STEM CELL THERAPY
If your arthritis is too severe for pain medication to
handle but you are not comfortable with the risks, recovery time or maintenance
involved with a joint replacement, stem cell therapy may be your best bet!
Stem cell treatment takes adult stem cells from your
bone marrow and injects them into a damaged joint. Stem cells are your
body’s way of replacing and repairing damaged cells naturally. By targeting
your body’s natural healing process to a specific location, doctors can repair
old damage from arthritis. Unlike pain medication, stem cell therapy treats the
root cause of your pain.
Stem cell injections are minimally invasive. Patients do not
need to spend the night in the hospital and you usually need only one or two
injection cycles. Some patients experience mild pain for two or three days at
the injection site. Ice can help reduce inflammation and can bring relief to
these slight pains.
The recovery time is also incredibly short. Stem cell
treatment is done on an outpatient basis. You rest for the first two days and
restrict yourself to general use for the first two weeks. Cardio activities are
safe after three weeks and, after 4 weeks, weightlifting and running are
permitted.
If your arthritis pain is too extreme for pain medication
and you would prefer to avoid a major surgery, call us at (210) 293-3136 to start your
treatment!
