FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.couriersun.com september 5, 2013 • HEAlth • The Courier sun 47 Hospital for special surgery • Queens 176-60 union turnpike, suite 190, fresh Meadows, new york 800.757.9589 • www.hss.edu/queens Ways to Manage Arthritis Pain As anyone who has arthritis will tell you, it can be a real pain. Osteoarthritis, the most common form of the disease, affects 27 million Americans and is caused by wear and tear on a joint. Dr. Osric King, a nonsurgical sports medicine physician at the Hospital for Special Surgery Physician Office in Queens, says there are measures people can take to relieve the discomfort. The first step is to be proactive. Anyone who experiences pain, stiffness or swelling in a joint for more than a week should see a doctor for the proper diagnosis. Osric King, M.D. Dr. King also offers these tips that may help people dealing with arthritis pain: • Be careful not to overdo physical activities that may aggravate an arthritic joint. • Try to keep your weight down to avoid stress on the joint. • Take over-the-counter or prescription pain medication. • Start physical therapy or an exercise program to strengthen muscles around the joint. • Use cold or heat. However, if a joint is hot and swollen, use a cold pack. Put a cloth or thin towel under the cold pack to protect the skin. • Rest a joint until it feels better. • Use an aid, such as a cane, to relieve pressure on a knee or hip, when needed. • For knee arthritis, consider injections of a substance that lubricates the joint. The procedure, called viscosupplementation, generally works best for mild to moderate arthritis. When conservative treatments don’t help, patients with severe arthritis may want to consider joint replacement for permanent pain relief, according to Dr. King. For more information about Dr. King and the other specialists at HSS Queens, or to make an appointment, visit HSS.edu/queens. Advances in Knee and Hip Replacement Give Patients a Leg Up For people with severe arthritis, activities of daily living can be difficult, if not impossible. It most often affects the knee or hip. When conservative treatments such as medication, rest and physical therapy fail to provide relief, patients often consider joint replacement surgery. “Over the past decade, major improvements in techniques and implant design have greatly advanced the field,” said Dr. Geoffrey Westrich, an orthopedic surgeon with offices at the Hospital for Special Surgery Physician Office in Fresh Meadows, Queens and at the main hospital in Manhattan. “One option for patients Geoffrey Westrich, M.D. is minimally invasive hip and knee replacement, which entails a shorter incision and yields a better cosmetic result.” “Mini-incision” joint replacement requires a high level of skill and training, and generally only highly specialized orthopedic surgeons such as Dr. Westrich perform the procedure. For some patients, a partial knee replacement may be possible. “Less extensive than total joint replacement, it is appropriate for patients whose arthritis is limited to just one area of their knee,” Dr. Westrich explained. “Patients who qualify usually experience less pain right after surgery and a faster recovery.” Nowadays, more younger patients are opting for joint replacement to resume their active lifestyles. Many people in their 40s and 50s don’t want to slow down, despite joints worn out by years of activity, an injury or advancing age. When choosing an orthopedic surgeon and a hospital, patients should make sure the physician is highly experienced and specializes in hip and knee replacement, and a high volume of joint replacements are performed at the hospital. For more information about Dr. Westrich and the other specialists at HSS Queens, or to make an appointment, visit HSS.edu/queens.
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