October 2024 Healthy News from Executive Chiropractic of Iowa Treatment Options via Chiropractic Care for Knee Pain
HELP FOR KNEE PAIN
Knee pain is all too common. While West Des Moines knee replacement surgery can offer relief, it is not without risks. According to a study by Iordache et al., predictive factors such as severe pain and limited mobility must be weighed against potential complications like infection, device failure, and the necessity of revision surgery. More specifically, the characteristics of a patient who will likely need a total knee arthroplasty due to knee osteoarthritis include being female over 65 years of age who has high erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), hypertension, and fibrinogen value (a blood-clotting protein produced in the liver in response to injury, infection, and inflammation) associated with low overall KSS (knee society score) and specific KSS function values averaging 56.70. (1). Good to know! For those wanting non-surgical options, innovative treatments like those based on the Cox® Flexion Distraction Decompression technique show promise. A retrospective case series by Albano (2) highlights its potential in alleviating knee discomfort by gently decompressing the knee joint, presenting a less invasive alternative for those aiming to boost joint function and reduce pain. Albano treated 25 patients with knee pain. Their mean VAS (visual analog score) numbers that reflect how they see their pain dropped from 7.7 to 1.8. The mean number of treatments was 5.3 over an average of 3 weeks. Acute pain patient scores dropped from 8.1 to 1.1 in 4.8 treatments in 2.4 weeks while chronic knee pain patient scores lowered from 7.5 to 2.2 in 5.4 treatments in 3.3 weeks. And the best part: no adverse reactions! (2) Distraction of the knee follows the same principles of Cox® Technic spinal manipulation. In simplistic terms, open the joints by stretching to reduce pain! Let’s talk about any knee pain you may be suffering at your next West Des Moines chiropractic appointment at Executive Chiropractic of Iowa!
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Luigi Albano on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson about the use of distraction principles based on The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management to ease knee pain.
TIP OF THE MONTH: Supplement with Chondroitin Sulfate and Curcumin
You’ll note in the paragraph above on West Des Moines knee pain that an elevated ESR (sed rate) – a marker of inflammation - is a risk factor for knee replacement. Chondroitin sulfate and curcumin are two influential allies in the battle against inflammation, especially for those suffering from conditions like knee osteoarthritis. Chondroitin sulfate has been shown to deactivate the NLRP3 inflammasome, which plays a crucial role in the inflammatory process, thereby possibly alleviating joint pain and stiffness as evidenced by the study conducted by Chang and colleagues. (3) Curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, is another potent anti-inflammatory agent that helps alleviate osteoarthritis symptoms by controlling the p38MAPK pathway, according to research by Wang et al. (4) These two have hope for many knee pain sufferers seeking relief from joint discomfort, helping enhance mobility and quality of life. Executive Chiropractic of Iowa is ready to chat about the appropriateness of these natural compounds for you at your next visit!
Bring your knee pain (and send that of your friends and family!) to Executive Chiropractic of Iowa! We’re ready to help.
Schedule your West Des Moines chiropractic appointment now!
Thank you! Have a great October!