Page 19 - Senior Scene Magazine December 2017

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Osteoarthritis
(How to Avoid Joint Replacement Surgery):
Also known as Degenerative Joint Disease, Osteo- arthritis (OA) is an extremely common condition that involves the exposure and damage to bones in a joint as a result of cartilage loss. Millions of people do not know what it is, but continue to suffer silently in pain. OA is the most common form of arthritis, affecting approxi- mately 31 million Americans. Initially it was viewed as a normal ‘wear and tear’ condition, but now it has become quite clear that it’s a disease that worsens over time. OA can affect any joint, but it occurs most often in knees, hips, lower back and the neck. As OA worsens over time, bones may break down and develop growths called spurs. Bits of bone or cartilage may chip off and oat around in the joint further exacerbating the issue. Aside from the intense pain, it also interferes with the day-to- day life and can lead to functional disabilities.
OA becomes more common with age, however young people may develop the condition as a result of a joint injury, joint malformation or a genetic defect in joint cartilage. Both men and women have the disease but it is more common in men prior to age 45 and more com- mon to women after 45. OA is also more likely to occur in people who are overweight and in those with jobs that repeatedly stress particular joints.
The symptoms of this debilitating condition vary, depending on which joints are affected and how severely they are affected. However the most common symptoms are pain, stiffness and soreness after inactivity or overuse. Other symptoms included limited range of motion, clic- ing or cracking when a joint bends, mild swelling around a joint, or pain that is worse after activity or toward the end of the day.
This may make it dif cult to perform ordinary tasks at work or home. Simple tasks like making the bed, getting dressed, walking, and climbing stairs can become nearly impossible. The pain, reduced mobility, side effects from medication and other factors associated with OA can lead to negative health effects indirectly related to the joint disease.
Eventually, the pain is too much and something must be done. Those suffering from this disease may be dis- appointed to learn that they have few options for treating OA through traditional medicine. Traditional treatments attempt to prevent the condition from worsening. Exer- cise, weight control, non-drug pain relief techniques and medications are all an effort to manage the condition. Exercise and weight control can be an effective effort if the OA is in its early stages. If in the later stages of OA, this physically may not even be an option. Medications and non-drug pain relief techniques are merely an at- tempt to hide the pain, but do nothing for the condition itself.
Traditional medicine offers one more option, which is joint replacement surgery. Unfortunately many OA suf- ferers opt to have joint replacement surgery thinking that
it is their last option. As a result, joint replacement surgeries are being executed in staggering numbers. In fact, more than 600,000 knee replacement surgeries are performed each year, and this number is expected to exceed 3 million by the year 2030.
However, growing populations of OA sufferers are learn- ing that surgery is not the only option they have. Stem cells are becoming an increasingly popular treatment option for OA sufferers. Not only do stem cells work to reduce the pain and in ammation associated with OA, but they also work
to repair and regenerate the damaged tissue and bone at the cellular level. The reduction in pain and in ammation combined with the regenerative capabilities of stem cells are successfully helping OA sufferers avoid surgery and regain normalcy of function and life. Furthermore, this is all done using minimally invasive techniques that involve little to no risk and downtime.
Patients receiving these treatments often report signif- icant pain reduction within a few weeks. And due to the regenerative capabilities of stem cells, continued gains in pain relief and mobility are often experienced for months after receiving treatment. Most importantly, the pain relief from truly addressing the source of the pain and not just the symptoms is retained due to the regeneration and healing that has occurred.
Stem cells are the future of pain relief as patients now have the ability to experience lasting pain relief through minimally invasive procedures with very little or no risk, no medications and no extended recovery period that comes
OSTEOARTHRITIS continued on pg 39
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