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Joint pain is caused because of a condition called arthritis, which implies an inflammation in the joint. © Shutterstock
Balms, hot water bags, medicinal oils are the typical remedies for joint pain. In some extreme cases, people also consider expensive joint replacement surgeries. While most of these are feasible options, there comes a point when one needs to look beyond balms and medications. But the question is - Is surgery the only answer? To understand the solution, we must observe closely the cause behind the pain.
Joint pain is caused because of a condition called arthritis, which implies an inflammation in the joint - the point where the bones meet and move. This point is covered by a shock-absorbing matter called cartilage. As a person ages, gradual wear and tear in the cartilage leads to osteoarthritis. It is this point of problem that has to be directly addressed. One such modern form of treatment that deals with the problem area alone medically but without surgery is Pulse Electromagnetic Field (PEMF) therapy.
PEMF therapy uses electromagnetic fields to treat Osteoarthritis and other Degenerative conditions. The primary mechanism of action of PEMF-mediated pain-relief is to involve promoting the reduction and resolution of inflammation. PEMF also has a beneficial effect on chondrocyte proliferation, matrix synthesis, and chondrogenic differentiation leading to Cartilage Repair & Regeneration. PEMF also aids in increasing cellular metabolism in the pain area helping to relieve chronic pain.
The equipment used to carry out this treatment is comparatively smaller than the MRI machine. Only the affected area is directly in contact with the apparatus thereby ensuring the patient doesn't feel claustrophobic or experience any discomfort.
Pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy has proved to be safe and has also shown promising therapeutic effectiveness on bone and cartilage related pathologies, including knee and cervical spine OA. Low frequency pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) can provide non-invasive, safe and easy to apply method to treat pain, inflammation and dysfunctions associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA) and PEMF has a long-term record of safety.
PEMF is a non-invasive and non-surgical method, which is also cost-effective in the long run.
Surgeries are not recommended for older people, since there could be potential post-op complications. The recovery time post-surgery for others could also vary, followed by painful physiotherapy sessions.
The high expense incurred, stress, and post-care procedures of surgery make PEMF therapy instead of surgery worth a shot. In case a patient undergoes surgery, the minimal recovery time is up to three months with a lot of painful physiotherapies involved whereas PEMF gives a painless experience with signs of recovery being evident within just two weeks of starting the treatment.
PEMF is also recommended as a preventive treatment before the pains and inflammations reach an advanced stage. The very fact that it goes in sync with the idea of 'Prevention is better than cure' makes PEMF therapy a wise choice.
The article is contributed by Dr. Shuaib Kausar, Founder & Chief Orthopaedic Surgeon, Total Orthocare.