Joint Replacement
Understanding Knee Pain
The ends of two or more bones, connected together by ligament tissues, form a joint. For example, your knee joint is formed by the lower leg bone, called the tibia or shin bone, and the thigh bone, called the femur. The bone ends of a knee joint are covered with a smooth layer called joint cartilage. Normal cartilage allows nearly frictionless and pain-free movement.
Although the entire process of arthritic joint wear and breakdown may take years to develop, symptoms may develop suddenly and without warning. None of our current homeopathic or prescription medical treatments “cure the arthritis” (defined as restoring the cartilage surfaces to normal--despite advertisements to the contrary). Current treatments may have variable levels of success in reducing pain and swelling, improving motion, and slowing further damage.
As the knee joint begins to show signs of wear, smooth cartilage begins to deteriorate, soften and fragment. The cartilage fragments break off, accumulate, and irritate the lining of the joint. This may cause inflammation, swelling, stiffness, and loss of motion. The synovium, a joint lining tissue membrane similar to the lining inside of your cheek, encloses every joint. The synovium produces fluid that reduces friction and wear in a joint. It also contains many nerve endings that produce pain and swelling when irritated by joint wear debris.
Although the entire process of arthritic joint wear and breakdown may take years to develop, symptoms may develop suddenly and without warning. None of our current homeopathic or prescription medical treatments “cure the arthritis” (defined as restoring the cartilage surfaces to normal--despite advertisements to the contrary). Current treatments may have variable levels of success in reducing pain and swelling, improving motion, and slowing further damage.
Osteoarthritis (OA) and Rheumatoid arthritis are the two most common forms of arthritis. The wear and tear of daily life is the most common reason for arthritis. Although joint wear is also affected by the genetic makeup and durability of our cartilage. Our genetically determined cartilage structure and durability determines our joint health and longevity. Other common factors that contribute to premature wear of joint surfaces include: joint injuries, overuse from work or sport activities, abnormal joint anatomy, abnormal bowlegged or knock-knee alignment, weak muscle control, and obesity.
