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Knee Injections for Knee Pain: Just The Facts
Published April 3, 2012 | 
Pain Of The Knee
Pain Of The Knee
Pain Of The Knee
Cortisone knee injections (aka steroid injections) are common knee treatments prescribed by orthopedic knee doctors as a means of providing temporary knee pain relief. Unfortunately, most knee pain sufferers don’t really understand what cortisone does, its side-effects, and why it’s important to consider other knee treatment alternatives before getting cortisone knee injections.
Two Types of Cortisone:
1) The first form of cortisone is the one naturally produced by our adrenal glands and released into our bloodstream in times of stress. It is considered our ‘fight or flight’ hormone.
2) The second form of cortisone is man-made or synthetic. This is the form that is injected into the knee joint to temporarily reduce swelling and inflammation in the knee. For example, Kenalog and Celestone are all name brands of synthetic cortisone injections that are used by orthopedic doctors.
What Do Steroid Injections Actually Do?
Cortisone is a type of steroid. It is not a pain reliever it is simply an anti-inflammatory. It indirectly provides knee pain relief because it reduces the fluid around the knee joint thereby relieving the pressure on the tissues in the knee.
When Should You Get A Cortisone Injection?
If you’ve had a recent injury, for example from a fall, a car accident, or playing sports and you have acute or severe swelling or inflammation in the knee joint then you should consider getting a cortisone injection. More than likely you will notice immediate relief after the shot; however, the effects will be temporary so while you’re still experiencing relief you should be searching for a REAL SOLUTION to your problem.
Reasons to Avoid Cortisone Shots:
1) Steroid injections will not cure you. Results will be temporary, even if you experience a reduction in swelling, inflammation, and pain in the knee joint. After having an injection, you must be cautious, since it is not unusual to exacerbate an injury during this time. (The worst part is you won’t know if you’ve reinjured the knee until the effects of the cortisone wear off.)
2) Only three steroid injections are allowed on a yearly basis because long term and repeated use will cause bone loss, weakening of tendons, and cartilage loss in the knee joint.
3) Do not get a cortisone injection if you don’t have fluid or swelling around your knee. It won’t help you.
4) If you’re diabetic then your blood sugar will need to be monitored since it causes a spike in blood sugar levels.
5) Shots in the knee joint are painful (especially if the area isn’t numbed properly) and can cause infections.
6) Again getting a cortisone injection is not a long term solution to relieving chronic knee pain. It does nothing to heal and repair injured tissue that is causing the pain.
A Better Knee Treatment Alternative…
A safer more effective knee treatment alternative to knee injections is cold laser therapy. Cold laser therapy is a painless, non-invasive knee treatment option that allows physicians to treat the cause of the problem thereby eliminating knee pain and inflammation. Cold laser therapy doesn’t just temporarily ‘cover up’ the pain like pain medications or knee injections. Cold laser therapy works by stimulating the healing process on a cellular level so that injured and damaged tissue can heal and repair itself faster.
In the long run, cortisone injections destroy bone and cartilage as well as weaken the tendons and make them more vulnerable to tears. For example, if you have been diagnosed with ‘bone on bone’ the last thing you want is more cartilage or bone loss. Or if you have tendonitis and you’ve gotten multiple cortisone injections to help relieve the inflammation around the knee then its highly likely that the tendon could tear. Even a torn meniscus will have a difficult time healing on its own with prolonged cortisone use.
The problem with knee injections is that you’re trading short term relief for long term problems. It’s similar to taking prescription medications, you’re ‘helping’ relieve one condition but you’re creating another problem because of the side-effects from the drugs.
In Conclusion…
A cold laser therapy knee treatment program should certainly be an option considered by individuals suffering from chronic knee pain; especially since it is painless, safe, and more effective than cortisone. Cold laser therapy is certainly not a cure-all but it sure beats the ‘conventional’ alternatives that we KNOW aren’t long term solutions for treating chronic knee pain.
Copyright (c) 2011 Dr.Schnee,D.C.,PA
Dr. Alexandra Schnee, D.C. specializes in cold laser therapy for knee pain. She practices in Irving, Texas at the DFW Spine & Joint Center. She helps knee pain sufferers avoid uneccessary knee injections and knee surgery with cold laser knee treatments. To order a free report about Dr. Schnee’s Cold Laser Knee Program visit http://www.HelpMyKneePain.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr_Alexandra_K_Schnee
Knee Brace After Surgery
Published April 3, 2012 | 
Knee Surgery Knee Surgery
Knee Surgery Knee Surgery
Knee Surgery Knee Surgery
Are you thinking about having a knee surgery?
Your doctor may have mentioned that you will be needing a knee brace for after surgery. So what kind do you get?
1.) Introduction
Knee braces are used by people to help ensure that their knee is supported and to alleviate the pain that they are feeling. Knee braces are constructed using a variety of materials. They are designed in a way to either cover your knee cap or allow for an open patella. The kneecap is left open in most knee braces available in the market. Remember, you do not always need to cover your knee to help provide stability to it.
It is important to make sure that the knee brace you are wearing is well designed. In reality, a well designed knee support will make a huge difference in the life of a sufferer of injured knees. One of the many benefits that they offer is to help you avoid painful movements that could probably lead to aggravation of the injury you have sustained. This is really important if you think about it. Why push a hurt knee? Why threaten a healing injury?
Right after a surgery you may be wearing a large knee brace that keeps your knee locked out in extension. This can be helpful because everything is very delicate after a surgery and your doctor will not want anything to disturb the procedures results.
3.) As Time Passes After a Surgery
This time period is still considered to be after surgery is done, but you will most likely heal as the days and weeks go by. A knee brace for after surgery now can be seen with different eyes. These braces can still provide you with maximum support, but often times you are allowed to move your knee around more and thus your physician will request that you are allowed more free range of motion to get the blood going.
4.) Your Brace Specialist
When it comes down to it, you may need a couple different knee braces depending on how long after the surgery you are. You will need to talk to your brace specialist with any questions and they can help guide you toward the best options. Do not just go to someone on the internet that does not know what they are talking about. Of course everyone claims to be experts, but you should be able to ask them questions and get some qualified answers when it comes to purchaing one of these supports.
* This is health information. We are brace specialists who have seen the benefits of bracing over the years, but we have to suggest that you speak to your doctor regarding medical advice.
The Brace Super Store
If you would like to take your stability and pain relief to the next level (affordably) then visit us online today at http://www.drbraceco.com DR. Brace Co. is an education based site, created by true brace specialists, that can provide helpful information and meaningful support. If you have questions come to our site and let us know, or call toll free 1-888-564-4888. We will respond.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Daniel_P._Sims
Knee Exercises – Start With This Light Exercise After ACL Knee Injuries
Published April 3, 2012 | 
Knees Exercise
Knees Exercise
Knees Exercise
If you have recently suffered an injury to your ACL knee or have gone through surgery such as meniscus surgery, it is important to start with “light” knee exercises before building to higher resistance training.
We will focus on minor leg lifts for this knee treatment exercise in order to help strengthen the largest muscle supporting the knee joint, which is the quadriceps.
Before doing these knee exercises, remember to warm up first by doing about 5 minutes of light walking.
First, you will need to find a place to sit comfortably that has back support, such as a on the floor against your wall.
Then, with your legs straight out in front of you, put a pillow under your right knee.
All you have to do is slowly raise your right foot off the ground by straightening your leg. You should feel the back of your knee putting pressure on the pillow below it (do not lock your knee).
Hold this position for about 10 seconds and slowly let your leg fold back over the pillow.
Do this exercise until you feel a good burn in your quadricep, which is that muscle on the front of your leg just above your knee joint.
Repeat this same exercise with your left leg.
Do these knee exercises at least twice a day until you can comfortably do it for 3 minutes at a time for each leg, then you know that it is time to move on to the next resistance level. All you have to do differently at this point is sit in a chair and raise one leg at a time.
Jesse has grown a passion for knee exercises as he wants everyone who has experienced, or is trying to prevent, ACL knee injuries to be able to enjoy moving around like they did in their youth.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jesse_Morrison
