Most of the knee pain in middle-aged and elderly people is caused by "degenerative knee arthropathy". To improve pain, the utilization of chondroitin and glucosamine is also effective while living a life of taking care of the knees. This article will explain degenerative knee arthropathy.
■What is degenerative knee arthropathy?
The knee joint is where the femur (thigh bone) and tibia meet. The tip of each bone is covered by a soft tissue called articular cartilage, which plays a role in absorbing the impact of the bone and smoothing the movement of the knee. In addition, the meniscus in the gap between the two bones also acts as a cushion to cushion the impact.
Degenerative knee arthropathy is a condition in which the meniscus cracks and the cartilage of the joints wears out, causing inflammation. As we age, the burden on our knees increases over the years, and we are more likely to develop diseases.
■Symptoms of degenerative knee arthropathy
Usually, degenerative knee arthropathy begins with a small injury to the cartilage and meniscus of the joints and progresses slowly over several years. The degree of progression is divided into four stages: pre-stage, early-stage, progressive, and terminal, and the following symptoms occur.
■■疼痛
Even if the cartilage is worn out, the cartilage itself does not have nerves, so it does not cause pain, but if the cartilage disappears and the bone is exposed, the nerves of the bone will be stimulated and the pain will occur.
■■No bending, no elongation
When the cartilage and meniscus wear down the articular cartilage and meniscus, the knee stiffens and cannot move smoothly. As symptoms develop, the area of motion of the knee narrows.
■■Stagnant water
The joints are filled with synovial fluid secreted by the synovium (the membrane that surrounds the joints) that allows the knee to move smoothly or to provide nutrients to the articular cartilage. When the synovium becomes inflamed, there is an oversecretion of synovial fluid, and fluid accumulates.
■Points to note in advance
Some people think that knee pain is something that is given up because of age, but once the worn articular cartilage is difficult to regain its original state, it will gradually worsen if left unchecked. In order to get through each day comfortably, it is important to start treatment as early as possible. Degenerative knee arthropathy is suspected if the following items are met.
< checklist >
□ tripping easily
□ can't sit on their knees
□ start moving the knee pain, and after walking for a while there is no pain
□ makes a squeaking sound when the knee is bent and extended
□ have a sense of incongruity and a feeling of hanging when bending the knee
□ if you want to sit and stretch your legs, the back of your knees won't stick to the floor (you can't stretch them straight).
□ when you sit and stretch your feet, there is a difference in the way you stretch
□ the depression next to the knee-side plate disappears
■What are chondroitin and glucosamine?
The thickness of the articular cartilage of the knee is 3~5mm, and the mesh-like collagen tissue is entangled with a substance called proteoglycan and chondrocytes. When propanesan is synthesized, its material is chondroitin. Chondroitin is produced in the body but decreases with age.
Chondroitin absorbs water from worn cartilage, imparts water retention and elasticity, and has the effect of repairing and regenerating damaged cartilage.
At the same time, glucosamine has the effect of activating the metabolism of cells in the joint part and repairing the part equivalent to the cushion of the cartilage, suppressing the friction of the cartilage and repairing the damaged cartilage and promoting regeneration. The pain and fatigue of the knee are also relieved when walking, and the movement of the joints is supported for smooth walking.
■ Live a life of taking care of your knees
Degenerative knee arthropathy is a disease that prevents deterioration and alleviates pain by reviewing lifestyle habits. First of all, let's eliminate obesity, which is a big burden on the knees. Don't force your diet to restrict, avoid overeating and picky eating, and pay attention to a nutritionally balanced diet. Be careful not to lack protein and calcium, which make muscles and bones.
In addition, a large bend of the knee can cause a burden, so try to avoid kneeling and Japanese toilets. If your knees get cold, your symptoms will worsen, so don't cool yourself by air conditioner. In order to warm the knees and promote blood circulation, bathing and warming are effective. In addition, by using crutches to reduce the burden on your knees, you can use crutches to reduce the pain. It is also possible to wear protective gear to reduce the burden on your knees with light compression.
In Japanese stem cell therapy, "stem cells" are extracted, cultured, and injected into the damaged part of the body from the patient.
Stem cells have a "self-renewing capacity," which means they can divide into cells that are identical to their own abilities. Therefore, 0.2 ml of fat from the abdomen is sufficient to culture stem cells. People want to extract more fat, but only about one grain of rice can be extracted.
Stem cells are also "pluripotent," meaning they can be transformed into various hematopoietic cells, such as bone, cartilage, tendons, nerves, and skin. Cultured stem cells seek out and attach to damaged areas of the body, reducing inflammation and repairing wounds.
You may be thinking, "Aren't there enough stem cells in my joints?" However, stem cells are found in areas with high blood flow, so in joints and tendons with low blood flow, stem cells are few in number. That's why stem cells are injected into the affected area to promote recovery from inflammation and damage.
Stem cells have been proven to be effective not only in repairing wounds, but also in restoring worn cartilage and repairing deformed joints. Many patients come to our hospital after receiving standard treatment at orthopaedic clinics and orthopaedic clinics. 70%-80% of patients experience improvement in symptoms with stem cell therapy. We encourage those patients who no longer feel the effects of rehabilitation or hyaluronic acid injections to consider stem cell therapy. The duration of treatment depends on the progression of the disease, but is usually between three and six months; Some people take more than a year to improve.
However, many people have had the experience of healing well after a scrape, but leaving a scar after digging up. Similarly, in the joint area, severely damaged wounds will not be completely repaired. That's why we recommend stem cell therapy before the damage deepens and it's too late.
In addition to stem cell therapy, there is also a regenerative medicine method called "PRP therapy".
PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma) means "platelet-rich plasma" in Japanese, and it contains nutrients that promote the growth of new tissues and cells. PRP is a safe and effective treatment.
It is safe because it uses the patient's own blood and can be treated in a single day. Another major advantage is its ability to respond quickly to injuries and is also being introduced into the treatment of athletes.
PRP is a quick treatment, but it can only attract stem cells to the affected area, and he is likely to combine PRP with stem cell therapy.
As mentioned above, stem cells cultured from our own blood and fat are used, so we have little to no worries about side effects such as allergies and allogeneic rejection. In addition, unlike drug therapies used to relieve pain, the effect of repairing tissue damage itself is also expected.
Stem cell therapy is a revolutionary treatment that eliminates many drawbacks. However, treatment takes time because the patient's own cells need to be harvested and cultured.
If you feel discomfort in your knee joint, you only need to go to the clinic for an injection, and maybe in the near future, you can no longer endure the pain of your joints with early treatment.
Even if joint pain is cured with stem cell therapy, it will not help if the joint pain recurs due to lifestyle habits such as lack of exercise and malnutrition.
◇ Japanese stem cells
In 2012 and 2016, two Japanese physicians, Shinya Yamanaka and Yoshinori Osumi, were awarded the Nobel Prize in the field of regeneration. On the one hand, there is a lot of expectation for the efficacy of stem cells for diseases that have been declared "powerless", and on the other hand, there are concerns about the safety of this new medical technology.
In order to ensure the safety of stem cell therapy, the Regenerative Medicine Safety Act was passed in 2014, which officially included stem cells in the supervision and allowed medical institutions to use them as a medical technology in clinical practice. After the passage of the bill, regenerative medicine began to spread among the private sector in Japan, and in 2015, medical institutions began to apply for stem cell therapy licenses for various parts of the human body. Facial injections must be licensed for facial injections, and each medical institution must report the treatment case of that year to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare every year as a clinical basis.
It can be said that this medical system in Japan has promoted the advancement of regenerative medicine.
About us
◇The only designated trusteeship in China for the exclusive local hospital in Japan
The Japan Stem Cell General Hospital managed by ISEI HEALTH has the largest number of regenerative medicine cases and clinical cases in Japan, and provides a large number of case bases for the Japan Regenerative Medicine Committee to formulate cell culture and treatment standards.
We are an authorized and designated overseas user (China) service custodian by Japanese hospitals. Through a team of professional medical consultants and translators, we are committed to providing the best medical technology and safe and comfortable medical services in Japan to our Chinese customers.
In the past nine years, in addition to local patients in Japan, it has also received political and business celebrities from South Korea, Singapore, the United States, Turkey and China.
We are a professional company that has passed the qualification examination of the Japanese government (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and has passed a rigorous examination to legally carry out business for overseas customers in Japan as a designated agency for the guarantee of medical visas in Japan and a Japanese travel industry qualification agency. Again: we are not a third party, let alone an intermediary. We do not charge any fees other than normal hospital fees and related service charges.
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