If you’re suffering with osteoarthritis of the knee you’re not alone. The CDC now estimates that 32.5 million Americans suffer from osteoarthritis (OA), and more than 14 million of those suffer with OA of the knee. It is the most common form of arthritis and generally accepted as the number one disability in the world. The good news is the team at Georgia Medical Treatment Center now offers a wide range of non-surgical protocols, supportive treatments, and guidance to help ease the pain OA of the knee and allow patients to get back to an active lifestyle while avoiding major knee surgery.
Osteoarthritis is often referred to as the “wear and tear” arthritis, because it’s inflammation that results from cartilage degeneration over the years. Healthy cartilage is what cushions and lubricates the knee joint. When that cartilage starts to deteriorate or disappear altogether, the bone surfaces begin to rub together causing stiffness, pain and discomfort.
Osteoarthritis usually goes hand in hand with aging, so older people are much more likely to suffer from OA. It is estimated that half the world’s population over 65 suffers from some form of OA. The other major causes are family history and obesity. Obesity leads to added stress and wear and tear on the knee joint, and often to more rapid deterioration of the knee cartilage.
At Georgia Medical Treatment Center we offer a wide range of non-surgical knee injections and supportive therapies that can help you manage your OA and get back to enjoying an active life.
A knee injection therapy praised by Tiger Woods and many other professional athletes is called Platelet Rich Plasma or PRP. The essence of this therapy is to harness and optimize the natural healing processes of the body.
During this therapy, a small amount of blood is drawn from the patient and then spun in a centrifuge to separate out the plasma which is rich with growth factors that can accelerate healing. That growth factor rich plasma is then re-injected into the knee joint where it helps to promote and accelerate natural healing.
A 2017 study published by the Journal of Orthopedic Surgery and Research found that these injections were more effective in treating knee pain than any other injection therapy. Since this treatment uses the body’s own blood and no additional medicines, it is considered highly safe and effective.
With natural wear and tear over time there can be a reduction in the fluid that works to lubricate the near joint. The result can be a lack of cushioning in the joint and chronic pain. With our gel injections, often referred to as ViscoSupplementation, we replace the fluid with a natural lubricant your body produces every day.
For many a steroid injection into the affected knee joint can provide quick and long lasting pain relief. The team at Georgia Medical Treatment Center has extensive experience with steroidal injections and uses only the highest quality medicines and equipment to provide maximum relief.
In addition to our injection therapies we also offer a series of non-injection therapies that can complement your knee injections or, on their own, provide substantial relief from the pain of OA in the knee.
A key to living with osteoarthritis of the knee is to keep active and exercise regularly. That’s where physical therapy can offer great relief. Through physical therapy and carefully designed exercises, we work to strengthen the muscles and ligaments around the knee to improve strength, stability and alignment.
It’s just common sense. Being overweight adds extra stress to the knee joint. As the joint becomes more and more painful, we often tend to walk and exercise less. With our physical therapy and exercise programs, we help our patients keep their weight down allowing regular exercise and an active lifestyle. We also guide our patients to programs for swimming, yoga, cycling, regular stretching and other activities that increase joint mobility while limiting impact of damage to the knee joint.
Through bracing we are able to “unload” pressure on the joint and reduce pressure on the knee cartilage and capsule. Bracing can be a strong complement to our injection therapies leading to faster and longer lasting knee pain relief.
If you’re suffering with the effects of osteoarthritis and want to get back to an active and pain free lifestyle, don’t wait another day. Get in contact with Georgia Medical Treatment Center and schedule an appointment today!