MUSCULOSKELETAL PAINS – SHOULDER, HIP, KNEE
PAIN MEDICINE | VITUS CLINICAL SERVICES | BANGALORE
OUR EXPERTISE
Identifying the cause of your pain using a combination of clinical examination and imaging technologies. Once the cause of pain is identified, we target our therapies using precision-based and minimally invasive injections on a daycare basis. Attention to detail and having all aspects of pain covered is our motto in providing pain control and long-term favorable patient outcomes.
OUR SERVICES
Our bodies are always in motion, and to maintain our everyday pace, we need healthy joints. From exercise to aging, there are many ways our joints tell us to slow down, take it easy or even stop.
While there are numerous at-home treatments for aches and pains in our hips, shoulders and knees, there are times when a visit to a physician is recommended, and even medically necessary.
HIP
As the largest joint in our bodies, the hip is prone to injury as well as wear and tear.
When it comes to the hips, watch for any obvious deformation, especially after an injury or fall. You should also see a physician if you can’t move your leg or put weight on it without hip pain – especially in your groin area. Be aware of any sudden pain, intense swelling or redness/fever, too.
However, going to the doctor isn’t just for severe hip pain. If you’ve been aching for a while and over-the-counter pain relievers worked for a bit, but have since stopped working, give your physician a call. A good rule of thumb is to give the pain two weeks. If ice, heat and pain relievers aren’t cutting it, make an appointment.
KNEE
Knee arthritis is extremely common problem and have an adverse impact not only on the mobility of a person but also on the social and economic facets of life. Pain is a common symptom even in mild and moderate degrees of arthritis. It is pretty well known now that in severe arthritis the “gold standard” option to regain mobility and functional independence is a surgery called total knee replacement. And at our centre we have had very successful outcomes in people who have chosen (and were eligible) for this surgery.
SPINAL PAIN - BACK & NECK | MUSCULOSKELETAL PAINS – SHOULDER, HIP, KNEE | HEADACHES | FACIAL PAINS INCLUDING TRIGEMINAL NEURALGIA | CANCER PAIN | CHRONIC ABDOMINAL PAIN | PELVIC PAIN | PHANTOM PAIN | PERIPHERAL VASCULAR PAIN | POST HERPETIC NEURALGIA | CHRONIC POST SURGICAL PAIN | FIBROMYALGIA | FUNCTIONAL PAIN SYNDROMES
However, there are situations where a person might have arthritis of the knee but a surgery may not be warranted in view of either early course of the disease or someone being unfit for anaesthesia and surgery. In such situations the convention has been to mainly manage them with pain killers and not surprisingly the side effects of these pain killers prevent their use in the long run.
In this regard interventional pain management offers these persons a well-controlled pain state that encourages them to actively participate in their social engagements and attain functional independence.
There are small nerves, called Genicular nerves which supply the knee joint and are responsible for carrying the pain impulses form the knee join. These nerves can be stunned into silence by radiofrequency current in a procedure called genicular nerves radiofrequency denervation. This can provide meaningful pain relief for up to an year and this procedure can be repeated as needed.
How is this procedure done?
If you are eligible for this procedure you will thoroughly examined by your pain physician and a diagnostic genicular nerve block will be done. This involves putting in a small amount of local anaesthetic injection around the nerve s that supply the knee. You will be then sent home to assess how this “test” injection has helped you. You will normally be aske d to report back in a few days’ time as to how useful the injection was.
If the “test” injection helps you, then you are considered as eligible for the radiofrequency denervation.
What is Radiofrequency denervation?
The nerves that were “test” blocked with local anaesthetic will need to be blocked for a longer length of time to attain long term pain relief. To this end, radiofrequency current t is applied to the nerves and the nerves are stunned into silence. This again is a minimally invasive outpatient procedure with an average stay of around 3 hours in hospital.
Contact your Pain Physician for further details.
SHOULDER
Shoulders can be tricky. There’s a lot of opportunity for “referred pain,” which means something else is happening in your body that really has nothing to do with your shoulder joint. The pain just shows up there. For example, if you have intense pain in your shoulder that can come with chest tightness or shortness of breath, call 911. That could be a sign of a heart attack. Neck issues can also refer pain to the shoulder area.
For shoulder joint pain, head to an emergency center if you experience any of the following:
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sudden pain
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your shoulder looks deformed
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you can’t lift your arm away from your body
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you have intense swelling
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if you feel a “pop” after an injury or fall
Many people dealing with shoulder pain finally decide to see their doctor when the pain affects their sleep. But you don’t have to wait that long. You should make an appointment if your shoulder is swollen or red, or if it feels warm or tender when you touch it.