Step ahead to control Osteoarthritis

Kolkata, Oct 20 : Knee pain or arthritis has become the most common problem in the lives of both young and old with India accounting for over 14 million people afflicted with Knee Osteoarthritis.
In order to help the sufferers with various ways to deal with this problem 'Knee to Know', an educational forum, on the occasion of 'World Health and Bone Week' has come up in Kolkata with a programme to bring about awareness on the management of Knee Osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis.
According to a survey made by World Health Organizations(WHO) in about 40 percent people over 70 suffer from Osteoarthritis of the knee among which 80 percent of the patients have some degree of limitation of movement and 25 percent cannot perform their major daily activities of life.
Thus 'Knee to Know' has taken an initiative which aims at making people aware of the severity of knee problems and the importance of seeking doctors advice at the earliest.
Dr.M.S. Ghosh , Sr. Orthopedic Surgeon, Kothari Medical Center, present at a programme here on Wednesday said, "Osteoarthritis or inflammation of joints is considered to be the physiological ageing process. This disease is caused by heaviness, degeneration of cartilage coating of the joints and menopause in case of females."'
He added, "In India almost 5-6 percent of the affected are found to be females. The males suffer from this disease at an early stage of life while the females at the later stage."
According to the doctor the factors causing the disease are age, heredity, obesity, trauma or injury, physical inactivity, overuse of joints in case of athletes, misalignment of legs etc. and the way of identifying this disease is through imaging or X-ray.
Various treatment options available for relieving Osteoarthritis are non-pharmacological which includes education and awareness of patients like weight loss, proper diet etc, exercise, acupuncture, physiotherapy, occupational therapy like morning walk, walking with braces or stick etc; pharmacological options include medication like analgesics, paracetamol, NSAIDS, Opioids and injections which may cause side effects and lastly surgical method.
Dr. Sanjay Chatterjee, Sr. Consultant and Head of the Department of Physical medicine and rehabilitation, Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals said, 'Viscosupplementation is now available as a one short relief to Osteoarthritis.
"This is all about the replacement of pathologic synovial fluid with a fluid that matches the biochemical and mechanical component of synovial fluid. This is done through injection which may cause hypersensitivity. This gives a 2year relief to the patients who follow the do's and donts after taking the injection. Knee problem can be controlled if checked and taken care of at an early stage and well in advance, the doctors said. (Agencies)



2011-10-20



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