Tuesday, December 28, 2010
AOC closed
AOC will be closed from 31st december to 2nd January 2011. AOC reopens on 3rd January 2011
Botox spinal jabs could be an effective pain killer
Botox spinal jabs could be an effective pain killer
Mumbai Mirror Bureau mirrorfeedback@indiatimes.com
Botulinum neurotoxin type A – better known as Botox – reduces responses to an inflammationrelated pain when injected into the spinal canal in mice, reports a study in the January issue of Anesthesia and Analgesia.
"Botox may be a useful analgesic in inflammatory pain," according to the new research, led by Won-Ho Lee, of Seoul National University.
The researchers used a standard experimental model of pain in mice to examine the effects of spinal botox injection.
In this model, a chemical called formalin is injected into the paw, producing a predictable two-phase inflammatory pain response.
Pain behaviours were monitored for up to four weeks in mice that did and did not receive spinal Botulinum neurotoxin.
Even a single spinal injection of Botulinum neurotoxin produced a pain-reducing effect: mice receiving the injection exhibited significantly fewer pain behaviours, particularly during the second phase of the pain response.
These effects were not accompanied by any movement abnormalities, suggesting that Botulinum neurotoxininjection did not adversely affect spinal cord function.
The pain-reducing effect of a single injection of Botulinum neurotoxin peaked at 10 days, then decreased up to 14 days.
Mice treated with Botulinum neurotoxin also had significant reductions in certain neurotransmitters involved in various types of pain conditions.
“This study draws attention to the many unexplored therapeutic avenues to help us control chronic pain,” says Steven Shafer, Editor-in-Chief of Anesthesia & Analgesia.
“Only by finding new approaches to attenuating pain transmission can we create therapeutic options to free future generations from the scourge of chronic pain.”
Mumbai Mirror Bureau mirrorfeedback@indiatimes.com
Botulinum neurotoxin type A – better known as Botox – reduces responses to an inflammationrelated pain when injected into the spinal canal in mice, reports a study in the January issue of Anesthesia and Analgesia.
"Botox may be a useful analgesic in inflammatory pain," according to the new research, led by Won-Ho Lee, of Seoul National University.
The researchers used a standard experimental model of pain in mice to examine the effects of spinal botox injection.
In this model, a chemical called formalin is injected into the paw, producing a predictable two-phase inflammatory pain response.
Pain behaviours were monitored for up to four weeks in mice that did and did not receive spinal Botulinum neurotoxin.
Even a single spinal injection of Botulinum neurotoxin produced a pain-reducing effect: mice receiving the injection exhibited significantly fewer pain behaviours, particularly during the second phase of the pain response.
These effects were not accompanied by any movement abnormalities, suggesting that Botulinum neurotoxininjection did not adversely affect spinal cord function.
The pain-reducing effect of a single injection of Botulinum neurotoxin peaked at 10 days, then decreased up to 14 days.
Mice treated with Botulinum neurotoxin also had significant reductions in certain neurotransmitters involved in various types of pain conditions.
“This study draws attention to the many unexplored therapeutic avenues to help us control chronic pain,” says Steven Shafer, Editor-in-Chief of Anesthesia & Analgesia.
“Only by finding new approaches to attenuating pain transmission can we create therapeutic options to free future generations from the scourge of chronic pain.”
Friday, December 24, 2010
Yoga & Knee Rplacements
STRETCH AT YOUR RISK
Yoga can tear your knee joints: Docs
New Delhi:If you are performing yoga on a regular basis, here is a word of caution from orthopaedic surgeons. Health studies show that certain exercises can cause wear and tear of bone joints forcing people to undergo surgeries.
“Studies have shown that deep knee bends can lead to wear and tear of the knee joints ultimately calling for a knee replacement surgery,” Dr Ashok Rajgopal, chairman of the Bone and Joint Institute in Medanta-The Medicity, said.
“Many yoga gurus have undergone knee replacement surgeries with us because of this excess wear and tear,” he said. Each time a person conducts deep knee bends he is actually dislocating the joints that puts pressure on them, the doctor explained. “This is witnessed among yogic gurus while doing vajrasana.”
Even patients who have opted for total knee replacement have complained of difficulty in walking or bending the knee post surgery. So experts have now come up with ‘customized knee joint replacement’ that promises to ease all discomfort associated with it.
“The standard implant used earlier would not replicate the original bone that existed before surgery. Ultimately, the alignment of the hip, knee and the ankle necessary for comfortable walking does not happen,” Dr Naresh Trehan said.
“Customized knee joint is a success because it is a carbon copy or the identical reproduction of the original joint. It is of exact size, shape and fits into the position of the lost joint bones. This gives good alignment and there are no post-surgery complaints,” the Medanta chairman and managing director said.
AGENCIES :The Times of India Thursday 23rd December 2010
Yoga can tear your knee joints: Docs
New Delhi:If you are performing yoga on a regular basis, here is a word of caution from orthopaedic surgeons. Health studies show that certain exercises can cause wear and tear of bone joints forcing people to undergo surgeries.
“Studies have shown that deep knee bends can lead to wear and tear of the knee joints ultimately calling for a knee replacement surgery,” Dr Ashok Rajgopal, chairman of the Bone and Joint Institute in Medanta-The Medicity, said.
“Many yoga gurus have undergone knee replacement surgeries with us because of this excess wear and tear,” he said. Each time a person conducts deep knee bends he is actually dislocating the joints that puts pressure on them, the doctor explained. “This is witnessed among yogic gurus while doing vajrasana.”
Even patients who have opted for total knee replacement have complained of difficulty in walking or bending the knee post surgery. So experts have now come up with ‘customized knee joint replacement’ that promises to ease all discomfort associated with it.
“The standard implant used earlier would not replicate the original bone that existed before surgery. Ultimately, the alignment of the hip, knee and the ankle necessary for comfortable walking does not happen,” Dr Naresh Trehan said.
“Customized knee joint is a success because it is a carbon copy or the identical reproduction of the original joint. It is of exact size, shape and fits into the position of the lost joint bones. This gives good alignment and there are no post-surgery complaints,” the Medanta chairman and managing director said.
AGENCIES :The Times of India Thursday 23rd December 2010
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Now, a jab that will help you delay knee surgery
Publication: The Times Of India Mumbai; Date: Oct 14, 2010; Section: Times Nation; Page: 19
Now, a jab that will help you delay knee surgery
Gel-Like Substitute For Synovial Fluid Works Wonders
Revathi Ramanan TNN
Chennai: It is now possible for osteoarthritis patients to be relieved of pain and delay knee-replacement surgery, by undergoing a procedure called visco supplementation.
It is a procedure by which a gel-like substance that mimics the naturally available synovial fluid (present in joints), is injected into the joint to supplement the viscous properties of the synovial fluid. It is particularly effective for younger people suffering from osteoarthritis and helps them delay surgery. “Nowadays because of more awareness among the people we see more cases of osteoarthritis and that too in people in their early forties. Visco supplementation helps us provide relief to those patients,” said Dr G Rajasekar, rheumatologist at Sri Ramachandra Medical University. He also mentioned that because of the sedentary lifestyles which people lead, osteoarthritis can set in earlier because of the related obesity.
“Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease which is characterised by loss of cartilage. Visco supplementation works when cartilage is available and not in the later stages of osteoarthritis when surgery or joint replacement is the only option,” said Dr Rajasekar. Knee osteoarthritis, he said, was the most common type of osteoarthritis and India has the second largest patient base of over 15 million. “Women are more susceptible to it and it worsens with age,” he said.
P Meena (67), who suffers from osteoarthritis and underwent visco supplementation, said that the procedure has provided her relief and she was able to carry on with household activities without much pain. “Though the pain is not completely gone, it has reduced to a great extent. I was scared that I would have to undergo surgery but now after this procedure I exercise regularly, take vitamin tablets and I feel much better,” she said.
Dr P V Mohandass of MIOT hospitals said there was a chance that corticosteroids (drugs to reduce inflammation or pain) could destroy the joints. Plus, they cannot be given to people who have diabetes. “Visco supplementation is better than giving corticosteroids because it encourages the knee to generate its own natural fluid,” said Dr AB Govindaraj, consultant orthopaedic surgeon at Guest Hospital.
But, visco supplementation is not an alternative to surgery, cautioned Dr Mohandass. “It gives only temporary relief for the pain. It isn’t curative in nature,” he said. Dr Govindaraj said the procedure had to be repeated once every year and every injection costs around 15,000.
MAKING
NO BONES ABOUT IT
Those with knee pain due to osteoarthritis now have an option to delay surgery by going in for a treatment called Visco supplementation
Now, a jab that will help you delay knee surgery
Gel-Like Substitute For Synovial Fluid Works Wonders
Revathi Ramanan TNN
Chennai: It is now possible for osteoarthritis patients to be relieved of pain and delay knee-replacement surgery, by undergoing a procedure called visco supplementation.
It is a procedure by which a gel-like substance that mimics the naturally available synovial fluid (present in joints), is injected into the joint to supplement the viscous properties of the synovial fluid. It is particularly effective for younger people suffering from osteoarthritis and helps them delay surgery. “Nowadays because of more awareness among the people we see more cases of osteoarthritis and that too in people in their early forties. Visco supplementation helps us provide relief to those patients,” said Dr G Rajasekar, rheumatologist at Sri Ramachandra Medical University. He also mentioned that because of the sedentary lifestyles which people lead, osteoarthritis can set in earlier because of the related obesity.
“Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease which is characterised by loss of cartilage. Visco supplementation works when cartilage is available and not in the later stages of osteoarthritis when surgery or joint replacement is the only option,” said Dr Rajasekar. Knee osteoarthritis, he said, was the most common type of osteoarthritis and India has the second largest patient base of over 15 million. “Women are more susceptible to it and it worsens with age,” he said.
P Meena (67), who suffers from osteoarthritis and underwent visco supplementation, said that the procedure has provided her relief and she was able to carry on with household activities without much pain. “Though the pain is not completely gone, it has reduced to a great extent. I was scared that I would have to undergo surgery but now after this procedure I exercise regularly, take vitamin tablets and I feel much better,” she said.
Dr P V Mohandass of MIOT hospitals said there was a chance that corticosteroids (drugs to reduce inflammation or pain) could destroy the joints. Plus, they cannot be given to people who have diabetes. “Visco supplementation is better than giving corticosteroids because it encourages the knee to generate its own natural fluid,” said Dr AB Govindaraj, consultant orthopaedic surgeon at Guest Hospital.
But, visco supplementation is not an alternative to surgery, cautioned Dr Mohandass. “It gives only temporary relief for the pain. It isn’t curative in nature,” he said. Dr Govindaraj said the procedure had to be repeated once every year and every injection costs around 15,000.
MAKING
NO BONES ABOUT IT
Those with knee pain due to osteoarthritis now have an option to delay surgery by going in for a treatment called Visco supplementation
Monday, June 7, 2010
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Medicine for aches and pains
I see patients popping pills on their own and nobody thinks twice before popping a ?combiflam? Brufen! I must warn everyone here that all these drugs which are grouped under a common heading ? Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, can damage our kidneys permanently.
Please be careful and do not take drugs on your own.
The safest bet is to take plain paracetamol for pain relief (Crocin or Metacin).
Some patients feel that allopathic drugs are dangerous and take fast relief powders dispensed by quacks.
I have got these powders routinely analyzed and they all have steroids in them! A popular ?vaidya baba? in south Bombay sells ?Sandhivat? tablets and there is a queue of 200 patients daily! On laboratory analysis they had pure steroids as the one and only ingredient!
Please be careful and do not take drugs on your own.
The safest bet is to take plain paracetamol for pain relief (Crocin or Metacin).
Some patients feel that allopathic drugs are dangerous and take fast relief powders dispensed by quacks.
I have got these powders routinely analyzed and they all have steroids in them! A popular ?vaidya baba? in south Bombay sells ?Sandhivat? tablets and there is a queue of 200 patients daily! On laboratory analysis they had pure steroids as the one and only ingredient!
knee caps in osteoarthritis
Knee CapsAlmost every single elderly person owns one of these popular caps. A support to an inflamed knee obviously helps BUT a long term use actually is detrimental to the knee. A long term use of any brace causes the knee muscle to loose their strength. A brace has to worn under supervision of a qualified orthopedic surgeon. I also see lot of patients buying expensive (3000 Rs) braces in a camp arranged by quacks. 400 to 500 patients are supplied with these braces which are again purchased in the hope that they will avoid a surgery. These quacks (none of them are even qualified orthotists) make these braces so rigid that the knee damage is accelerated! Then there are magnetic and other special belts, but remember that nothing can stop aging and all these are useless.
Friday, May 28, 2010
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