Osteoarthritis - Low Cost Surgery Under Knee Replacement in World Class Hospitals in India

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common problem for many people after middle age. OA is sometimes referred to as degenerative, or wear and tear, arthritis. OA commonly affects the knee joint. Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disorder.

As part of the aging process, joint fluid decreases. With wear and tear, the cartilage becomes thinner. If the muscles and tendon protecting the joint become weakened, if there is overweight, or if there is persistent abnormal posture or activities such as squatting or sitting on low stools, the condition would become worse.

Most of the time, the cause of OA is unknown. It is mainly related to aging, but metabolic, genetic, chemical, and mechanical factors can also lead to OA.

Symptoms Osteoarthritis include:

o The most common symptom of osteoarthritis in any joint is pain that worsens during activity and gets better during rest. As the disease advances, the pain may occur even when the joint is at rest.
o Grating of the joint with motion
o Pain seems to increase in humid weather
o Joint swelling
o Limited movement
o Morning stiffness

A physical exam can show limited range of motion, grating of a joint with motion, joint swelling, and tenderness. An x-ray of affected joints will show loss of the joint space, and in advanced cases, wearing down of the ends of the bone and bone spurs.

The most common medications used to treat osteoarthritis are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Injections of steroids into the joint can relieve pain but it would aggravate the arthritis. It should not be used unless absolutely necessary.

Surgery may be required for certain severe cases of deformity. These include arthroplasty and knee replacement therapy.

India healthcare are globally developed with best medical facilities & world class treatment by internationally certified Surgeons.

There are dedicated specialized hospitals in India achieved accreditation from Joint Commission International ( JCI ) standard. JCI is gold standard in global healthcare standard like Indraprastha Apollo Hospital (New Delhi - located in North India), JCI Accredited Apollo Hospitals (Chennai - located in coastal South India), Wockhardt Hospital, Mumbai. They availed high quality and cost effective advanced surgery in India.

The Hopsitals is best in the world in terms of

o State of the art diagnostics.
o World class operating theaters & Intensive care unit.
o Highly Qualified & experience doctors & surgeons may be trained abroad.
o English speaking highly trained paramedical staff.

A price range of 5000- 7000 US dollars is quoted for a Knee replacement depending upon the type of implant chosen and the class of accommodation.

Finding Arthritis Pain Relief

Knowing what exactly arthritis is first...

In the search of expert's advice on arthritis pain relief, I was surprised to find out that there are more than a hundred forms of arthritis and rheumatic diseases. Now let's first take a look at what arthritis exactly is learn about the four most common types -- osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, and fibromyalgia.

Arthritis, or "joint inflammation" is one of the most common ailments today that can cause excruciating pain in the body. It affects the muscles and specifically the place where two or more bones meet, ie the joint, such as the hip or knee. Arthritis signs and symptoms include joint pain, swelling, stiffness, weakness, deformities, inflammation, and limited movement of joints, which can interfere with the most basic daily tasks such as walking, climbing steps, opening bottles, or brushing your teeth.

Fibromyalgia, or "soft tissue rheumatism" refers to pain in the soft fibrous tissues in the body - muscles, ligaments, and tendons. (Ligaments and tendons connect muscles to bones.) People with fibromyalgia may have other symptoms, such as trouble sleeping, morning stiffness, and headaches, poor memory and concentration. Women are at least four times more likely than men to develop fibromyalgia. And fibromyalgia usually occurs in people over age 50.

Osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease, is the most common form of arthritis. It occurs when the cartilage wears away, causing the bones begin to rub against each other and making movements painful. Cartilage, a slippery and spongy substance, covers and cushions the bones such that it allows a smooth movement of the joints. Osteoarthritis often affects the hands and weight-bearing joints such as the knee, hip and facet joints (in the spine) and occurs as the cartilage degenerates with age. Hence, it is the most common form of arthritis pain amongst the aged.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a debilitating disease that affects commonly the hands, wrists, and knees. The immune system mistakenly attacks itself and causes the joint lining to swell. The inflammation then spreads to the surrounding tissues, and can eventually damage cartilage and bone. Rheumatoid arthritis does not just affect the joints. Tendons are like ropes which run inside lubricated tubes. The lubricating system is very similar to that in the joints themselves, so it is not surprising that tendons can also be affected by rheumatoid arthritis. In a few people, other parts of the body such as the lungs and the blood vessels may become inflamed Many people with rheumatoid arthritis have difficulty carrying out normal activities of daily living, such as standing, walking, dressing, washing, and using the toilet.

Gout is a painful condition that occurs when the body cannot eliminate a natural substance called uric acid. The excess uric acid forms needle-like crystals in the joints that cause swelling and severe pain. Gout most often affects the big toe, knee and wrist joints. To reduce the risk of urate crystallizing in the joints it is important to drink plenty of water - if possible as much as 3.5 litres a day. According to recent scientific evidence, drinking a glass of skimmed milk every day may be helpful in getting gout arthritis pain relief. But beer or other alcoholic drinks should be avoided as they could make gout worse.

Arthritis Treatment

Some of the factors that are linked to the development of arthritis pain are injury (e.g from sports) and complications from other conditions (such as diabetes), heredity and lack of physical activity. Many studies have also identified a link between obesity and arthritis. Excessive body weight puts an extra stress on the weight-bearing joints (back, hips, knees, ankles and feet). Because of the way joints work, the pressure in your knee joints is many times your body weight when you walk. Even a small weight loss can make a big difference to your joints. Too much body fat may also increase inflammation in the body, making your joints more painful. Joints also naturally degenerate overtime with age; hence arthritis is often associated with older people.

However, it is also known that children, though relatively rare, can also develop a condition called juvenile idiopathic arthritis. This involves an inflammatory disorder of the connective tissues, characterized by joint swelling and pain or tenderness. It can also affect organs as the skin, heart, lungs, liver, spleen, and eyes. Generally, arthritis pain relief can be found in a combination of medication, exercise, rest, weight-management, diet and nutrition. From blood tests and X-rays, you doctor would be able to diagnose which type of arthritis you have and recommend the most appropriate course of treatment. Manuka honey which has been known to have higher antibacterial activity than other types honey is also gaining popularity in treating arthritis pain due to its natural anti-inflammatory properties and healing power. It reduces joint inflammation and provides a natural form of pain relief. To prepare, mix 2 tablespoons Manuka Honey and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder into 1 cup of warm green tea, consume this honey cinnamon drink daily in the morning and evening.

The combination of honey and cider vinegar is also an extremely well known home remedy for arthritis. All over the world, people have so passionately testified about how this cleansing drink has helped them find relief in joint pains. Many nutritionists believe that in this cleansing drink you can find minerals such as potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, natural silicon, pectin, and tartaric acids that are effective in fighting body toxins, inhibiting bacteria and helping the body to maintain its vital acid-alkaline balance. To prepare this health tonic, mix two teaspoons of vinegar and two teaspoons of raw honey into a glass of warm water, and drink this three times a day. It may take several weeks to see the effects. Dr. D.C. Jarvis in his book

Arthritis and Folk Medicine (Galahad Books,1997) also offered the same folk medicine prescription for arthritis pain. He believes that treatment of arthritis, and many other health problems, must begin in the stomach. Jarvis found that when an apple cider vinegar cocktail is taken daily, calcium deposits are released back into solution in the bloodstream to be re-circulated to the bones, thus obtaining arthritis pain relief and preventing osteoporosis.

Alternatively, some people also recommend soaking arthritic joints in hot apple cider vinegar. To administer, use a quarter cup of vinegar mixed with one and a half cups of water. One can also soak a cloth in this mixture, put it on the affected area, and wrap a towel over the soaked cloth to keep in the heat. Keep the hot mixture on for only ten minutes at a time, and repeat it after the joint cools for another ten minutes.

Source: http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/arthritis-pain.html

Knee Joint Pain: You Don't Have To Live With It Anymore!

Have you ever stood up just to find yourself sitting straight back down again because of a knee joint pain? Bad enough as this is when you reach a more stately age, but it can also happen to you when you're a lot younger, too.

In this article we're going to have a look at knee joint pain and some of the reasons why you may be starting to feel its effects, no matter what age you are.

Often you'll just feel as though you've a twinge, or that you've stood up too quickly and something has just 'clicked' to give you the knee joint pain, and, as possible as that all is, it's also possible that it stems from something else.

There are a number of ligaments and tendons in the knee and any of these can pick up an injury for the most innocuous of reasons. You can cause minor and sometimes major damage to them by over stretching, or even by not stretching. It can be a difficult balance knowing how much is too much when it comes to stretching.

Before doing any form of exercise that could cause knee joint pain - which may or may not include standing up in the case of some people - it's always a good idea to warm up. There are plenty of good warm up routines that you can try out, but if you've already had some problems with knee joint pain you'll want to find the exercises that don't put too much stress on the part of the body.

Another thing that may cause some damage is when you bump your knee on something. In the case of a sports person that could be the accidental 'nudging' of an opponent's head, or, in the case of our person doing a bit of casual standing up, it could be caused by bashing the knee on a coffee table. The effect, bizarrely enough, is pretty much the same.

The knee is one of the most exposed bones in the body and covers, as mentioned earlier, a number of tendons and ligaments, as well as cartilage that can easily be damaged. With all of those things that can be tweaked, or damaged, it's a difficult thing to know just how serious your knee joint pain actually is.

As you get older other factors can start to creep in too. There is a natural degeneration in the bones and cartilage of older people and this will often lead to the knee joint pain that they get. There aren't too many things that you can do to prevent this natural aging process from happening, however, if you take the time to visit your doctor and get an exercise routine that is suited to you, you should at least be able to help slow down the effect of aging on your joints.

So, if you're young, old, fit, or unfit there's still a strong possibility that you'll get a knee joint pain. You could be out running and notice the effects of it sometime after you've stopped, or you could be standing up after kneeling down tending to the garden; it's not something you can really become immune to.

If a problem does flare up then you should see if you can treat the knee joint pain yourself i.e. apply something cold to it, apply something hot to it, stop whatever you're doing and sit down, unless it happened as you were sitting down to start with, in that case, stay where you are.

I had all of the above knee joint pain problems myself and so like you my search began for a way to end it. Then...

How Can Technology Improve Education?

To show the effect of technology on education, Don Kenzek, CEO of the International Society for Technology in Education uses an analogy of technology in the medical field.

"If in 1970 you had knee surgery, you got a huge scar," he said. "Now, if you have knee surgery you have two little dots."

Advances in technology have allowed teachers to move beyond traditional methods of education, which primarily rely on the use of text-books and verbal instruction. At one time, a student's only exposure to technology was found in a basic computer class. Now, technology has enabled the creation of various teaching and learning tools that can "demonstrate concepts, assign projects, and assess progress."

The drawback with incorporating technology into education, though, is hesitation by U.S. schools to utilize new educational tools and methods. Other nations around the world are looking for ways to integrate technology and education, while we are still questioning whether this merge should take place at all.

Kenzek points out the following 8 ways in which technology has proved effective in instruction and student progress.

1. Improved simulation and models can assist teachers in demonstrating difficult concepts and specifically help students that are visual learners.

2. Global learning exposes students to other cultures and puts them in touch with other people around the world.

3. Virtual manipulatives allow students to experiment with unfamiliar concepts and ideas.

4. Probes and sensors allow students to collect data, compute statistics, and analyze results quickly and efficiently.

5. A more efficient assessment of student progress can be made and monitored with new forms of technology.

6. Storytelling and multimedia encourage teamwork and excites students.

7. E-Books create a level of ease, convenience and visualization that isn't available with standard print textbooks.

8. Epistemic games put students in real-world situations and train them to use innovative thinking.

New technology has helped to make positive changes in education by rapidly advancing instruction methods, which allow for greater student retention and progress.

Arthritis: Causes and Treatment

Arthritis is defined as joint inflammation and is also used to describe dozens of other rheumatic diseases. The term 'Arthritis' covers osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus, gout and fibromyalgia, to name but a few. The most common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis and usually affects older people as it is a degenerative condition. However it can affect younger people, particularly if a joint has been injured or is deformed. There is no known cure for osteoarthritis but general wear and tear on the joints is a factor in developing the disease.

Osteoarthritis affects cartilage which covers bone between the joints and acts as a shock absorber. When the cartilage wears out bones rub against each other which can cause excruciating pain. Osteoarthritis attacks people in different ways. It generally develops slowly over the years but in some people it can develop extremely quickly. Sometimes the disease can be quite mild whereas in other cases it can produce a lot of pain and disability. Osteoarthritis frequently occurs in the hands, spine (including the neck and lower back) plus the knees and hips. Symptoms involve pain and stiffness in the joint. In the very early stages of the disease people may only suffer pain after exercise which quickly disappears after rest. As time goes on the pain can become constant and prove particularly debilitating. In its worst form, mobility may be lost. Fortunately, the majority of people are not crippled by osteoarthritis. When treated properly, millions of people live full and active lives for years.

Correct management of the disease is vital. Obviously, in order to treat the disease, doctors need to ascertain that symptoms are, in fact, those of osteoarthritis and not some other illness. In order to diagnose osteoarthritis, as there is no simple test which indicates the presence of the disease, doctors usually carry out several tests. These include a clinical history of the patient, a physical examination, X-rays and often MRI or Magnetic Resonance Imaging. If the test results prove positive, the doctor will then embark on a programme of pain management. This will vary from person to person, depending on the severity of the pain.

There are many treatments which help to control and lower the pain, plus helping to restore mobility. Good nutrition and rest are an essential part of the treatment in addition to exercise and weight loss. If people are carrying too much weight, then weight loss is crucial as osteoarthritis will aggravate weight-bearing joints such as the hips, knees and spine. Before taking up any form of exercise it is advisable for the patient to discuss the subject with a doctor. The wrong sort of exercise could result in more damage to the joints. Anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen are usually prescribed for pain relief. The use of heat cushions or ice packs will also often help to reduce pain. Never take alternative or herbal medicines for arthritis without a doctor's approval. When treating knee joints, a series of injections may be prescribed to reduce pain, under the careful supervision of a doctor. This treatment may not be suitable for all people suffering from painful knee joints. The decision will be made by a doctor. Finally, surgery may be an option in some cases, particularly those concerning the hip as well as other joints. Joint replacement techniques have improved tremendously over the years and, for people suffering constant pain, surgery can provide them with a new lease of life.

Pediatric Orthopedics: Bone Conditions Commonly Found in Children

Pediatric orthopedic illnesses are very common in child athletes. In the majority of cases of these conditions, the abnormalities are simply alternative forms of typical development, and as the child grows, the deformities start correcting themselves. In the majority of cases, there is no treatment required as the condition corrects itself; however, in some cases, medical treatment is required because the problem may be caused by worst problems; some are even caused by the physical activities of the child athlete.

Hip Dysplasia

One common pediatric orthopedic condition is known as developmental hip dysplasia, which is also referred to as DHD. With this condition, there is a dislocation of the hip at birth; each person experiences a different degree of dislocation. Some individuals can live perfectly normal lives with this condition, but others do need some medical help to be able to have full mobility. Out of 1,000 live births, there are two to four cases of DHD reported, and females have higher chances of developing this condition. The prognosis for DHD is very good: children who are 6 months and younger have a 98% chance of successfully recovering, and children 2 to 16 have an 80% to 90% chance of recovery.

In-toe Gait

Another pediatric orthopedic condition is known as an in-toe gait; however, this condition is commonly referred to as "pigeon toe". Children who are 2 to 5 years of age have higher chances of developing this condition, and research concludes that 10% of children in that age group have this condition. If the child has no pain, stiffness or symmetrical deformities, then the chances of correcting this deformity are high. The good news with this condition is that the majority of children who suffer from it have it corrected by the time they're nine.

Knock Knees

A condition known as knock knees is also highly common in children. Knock knees go inward, which can cause physical limitations. In addition, some children with knock knees feel some pain in their joints and have difficulties with their mobility. Rickets and other similar treatment options can be used to repair this condition. Another similar condition to knock knees is bow legs. Bow legs are different from knock knees because they go outward, which resemble the way English bulldogs are built. Just like knock knees, bow legs can be treated with rickets and similar items.

Flat Foot

A troublesome but common childhood problem is known as flat foot. There are two types of flat foot: rigid and flexible. The flexible flat foot doesn't cause any mobility problems, so medical treatment is uncommon for it; although some people do make walking more comfortable by adding special insoles to their shoes. The rigid flat foot is a whole new story: medical treatment is required because, as its name implies, the rigid flat foot causes mobility difficulties. The treatment for this condition has caused some controversy, but there are ways to correct the problem with minimal discomfort.

Overall, pediatric orthopedic issues can be corrected if treatment is started early on. If your child is suffering from one of these conditions, the best thing to do is get treatment from a bone specialist as early as possible in order to minimize effects.

Knee Surgery Recovery - What You Should Know

Before you actually undergo a knee surgery, your surgeon will talk to you about the things that you should do to recuperate after the surgery. The recovery period usually range from six weeks to eight weeks. After this period of time, the knee rehabilitation will start. In most cases, the patients are able to successfully recover from the surgery and they are able to carry on with their normal lives. While the surgery is important, the knee surgery recovery is equally as important.

Usually, the patients who undergo the surgery will be moved to an inpatient rehab after a few days of the procedure. These patients are usually advised to elevate their leg so that they can recover quickly. In addition to this, ice packs are also used on the area that has been operated. The knee surgery recovery will also involve physical therapy and overall, you can expect to spend two to three months for knee surgery recovery.

On the second day of the surgery, you will be asked to get up from the bed and start walking slowly. Of course, you will be given a walker with the help of which you will be able to walk. Needless to say, there will be a therapist with you when you start your physical therapy. As long as you are comfortable, you will allowed to put up with as much weight as you can. Just remember that the therapy is extremely important part of your knee surgery recovery so do your best.

While you will have to rest during the entire knee surgery recover period, except of course during the physical therapy, you should make sure that you are following your doctor's orders because following his suggestions will definitely benefit you if you want to recover from the surgery in as little time as possible. Get in touch with your doctor regularly and update him on your condition. If you feel that your knee is not feeling as good as it should then you should go and see your doctor immediately.

You will be given a medication after the surgery so as to get relief your knee from the pain. Usually, your doctor will advise you to stop taking the medication if there is no longer any pain on your knee. If you are someone who drives then do not start driving just a week or two after your surgery.