Healthy News October 2024 Chiropractic Care Options for Knee Pain

Knee pain is all too common. While Manahawkin knee replacement surgery can deliver relief, it is not risk-free. 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 need for 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 made 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 are promising. A retrospective case series by Albano (2) highlights its potential in decreasing knee discomfort by gently decompressing the knee joint, offering a less invasive option for those wanting to improve joint function and reduce pain. Albano treated 25 patients with knee pain. Their mean VAS (visual analog score) scores that reflect their view of 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 bad reactions! (2) Distraction of the knee follows similar principles of Cox® Technic spinal manipulation. In basic terms, open the joints by stretching to ease pain! We’re ready to talk about any knee pain you may be suffering when we next see you at Manahawkin Chiropractic Center!

Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Luigi Albano on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson  about the utilization 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 can see in the above report on Manahawkin knee pain that an elevated ESR (sed rate) – a sign of inflammation - is a risk factor for knee replacement. Chondroitin sulfate and curcumin are two potent partners in the battle against inflammation, especially for those experiencing conditions like knee osteoarthritis. Chondroitin sulfate has been shown to deactivate the NLRP3 inflammasome, which has a key role in the inflammatory process, thereby possibly easing joint pain and stiffness as evidenced by the study conducted by Chang and colleagues. (3) Curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, is another strong 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 patients looking for relief from joint discomfort, helping improve mobility and quality of life. Manahawkin Chiropractic Center is ready to talk about the suitability of these natural compounds for you at your next visit!

Bring your knee pain (and send that of your friends and family!) to Manahawkin Chiropractic Center! We’re here to help.

Schedule your Manahawkin chiropractic appointment now!

Thank you! Have a great October!

References for HEALTHY NEWS – October 2024