Specialized Expertise: The Importance of Seeing a Knee Pain Doctor in Singapore
So for the patients weighing the future of their knee and are seeking to preserve their active lifestyles, it is definitely a to consider these treatments in place of surgery. And if they do not suffice, the surgical options are always still on the table. These are second chances; chances for those who wish to continue without the pain and without the limitations that knee pain imposes, and to reach a point where rest from an active lifestyle is no longer life dictated.
A very brief but comprehensive explanation of Prolotherapy is that it is an injection of a proliferant solution at tendon and ligament insertions to repair injury and strengthen tissue. This can lead to permanence in resolution of pain, is nowhere close to as invasive as surgery, and can save a great deal of time and financial burden in the long run for patients opting out of a surgical treatment.
Caution is felt when addressing Prolotherapy as the AAPM&R is hesitant to suggest this to patients, largely in part to the insurance coverage aspect. This treatment has a high rate of success, especially in ACL injuries, and can save the patient from an assorted seen and unforeseen costs of treating this with surgery and post-op rehabilitation. This, however, is coverage that has been improving over time and strictly depends on insurance specific.
Measures such as PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) and Prolotherapy are the first line of defense in delayed aged onset knee pain. PRP has been suggested to be very beneficial and would be well worth it. Studies have shown significant evidence that PRP can alter the progression and sometimes regress damaged articular cartilage. It has been shown to slow and prevent the progression to osteoarthritis or delay the need for surgical intervention.
Orthobiologic treatments are encouraged because branding from knee pain presets anterior to premature knee replacement. The reallocation of healthy tissue (bone, muscle, ligaments, cartilage) is the long-term goal to set in action when relief from extremely common knee pain is sought. The obvious thing to do at first is to repair damaged tissue to a point where then, it may be decided that repair is not enough anymore and a knee replacement must then be considered. This, of course, would be best to avoid.
When you’re dealing with knee pain, the only thing on your mind is to make it go away. You may rest assured knowing that deterioration has not set in, but it still pains you to have it taken care of. The thought of intrusive surgery to resolve the problem may be a big stopper. Fortunately, there may be an alternative for you that is not as aggressive and quite manageable.
Benefits of Consulting a Knee Pain Doctor in Singapore
This is where seeing a physician is really beneficial. Specific injuries often require specialized testing such as an MRI, ultrasound, or CT scans to confirm the diagnosis. Once an accurate diagnosis is established, treatment can be geared to that diagnosis to improve the chances of success. An example might be arthroscopy to remove a piece of torn cartilage in the knee. Studies have shown that this is an effective treatment for relieving symptoms of a torn meniscus when compared to nonsurgical treatments. Sessions with a physiotherapist and/or prescribed home exercise are also more specific when geared to a particular diagnosis. Nothing can be more frustrating than a cookie cutter plan that is prescribed for different diagnoses. This is often the case when using resources such as the internet. There are so many pages of general information that it can be overwhelming and one site may conflict with another. This will only add to your confusion and frustration.
As your knee is under great stress throughout your everyday activities, knee pain is very common, often the result of a serious knee injury, overuse, or an underlying condition. Seeking an accurate diagnosis and early treatment is important. The physician can help in your quest to recover from knee pain. He is going to consider the whole body, your activity level, work requirements, and personal needs to develop a plan that will be most beneficial for you. If you want general advice regarding knee pain, try health and fitness tips for many ideas.
Accurate Diagnosis
For some patients with knee pain, seeing a knee pain doctor Singapore who is an expert in the musculoskeletal system is important. This may include generalists who have a special interest in orthopaedics or rheumatology to rheumatologists or orthopaedic surgeons. Your primary care doctor will help guide you to the appropriate specialist based on the probable diagnosis and the type of treatment that would be best for you. Seeing the right specialist may mean that the best diagnosis can be made and the best treatment can be given. In some cases the expertise of one specialist may overlap with another and a clear decision about the best type of specialist for you may only come with time. A good example would be a young athlete with an injury to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). This type of injury may be best diagnosed by a sports medicine orthopaedic surgeon but the decision about the best treatment for the long term health of the knee might best be made in consultation with a specialist in arthritis care.
When treating knee pain, several conditions can cause pain and disability. Sometimes the changes in the knee joint that accompany aging may cause pain. Various tests may be required to determine the exact cause of the problem and to decide on the best course of treatment. Your knee pain doctor will do a thorough evaluation and possibly involve other physicians to do the same. It is reasonable to get imaging studies of your knee and these might include x-rays, various types of MRI or CT scans. In some cases, the doctor will remove some fluid from the knee to send to the lab to help make a diagnosis. Evaluating and treating knee pain is a process that requires patience on the part of the patient and physician as it may take time and effort to get to the diagnosis and to make the right decisions about treatment.
Personalized Treatment Plans
The main objective of seeing a knee pain doctor in Singapore is to get an accurate diagnosis to ascertain the cause of the knee pain. There are many possible causes of knee pain, and misdiagnoses are common. By having a knee pain specialist diagnose and treat your ailment, you’re far less likely to be exposed to the risks associated with surgery such as infections, failed surgery, and lingering pain. High quality care is less invasive, less risky, and less costly than low quality care. Personalized treatment plans are individualized plans created by professionals used to map out the best possible way to treat patients with recurring or chronic conditions. High quality care plans of this nature are a type of best practice designed to get the best results with the most effective use of resources. This content will explore the ways and means of obtaining a personalized treatment plan, and the expected benefits to the patient and the health care system.
Access to Advanced Technologies
Evidence-based medicine is the integration of clinical expertise, the best research evidence, and patient values. With the lack of funding, time, and resources, the knowledge and research evidence in clinical practice is often difficult to keep updated. However, it is essential that the best current clinical evidence underpins patient care in order to achieve optimal clinical outcomes. At the Orthopaedic Clinic, we translate current incisive research evidence into clinical practice in order to optimize our patient outcomes. In this era of information technology, evidence-based resources are more abundant, clinical tools are more accurate, and information delivery is faster. We are confident that our use of such resources and tools enables us to deliver the best evidence-based diagnosis and care for our patients. This will have a direct influence on the rate of our patients’ recovery, ensuring that it is a smooth and uncomplicated one. This contrasts greatly against the situation in public institutions, where clinical guidelines and protocols often do not represent current best evidence due to slow periodic updates.
These days, technology is a cornerstone in medical care, and patients now expect treatment to be quicker, safer, and more reliable. The practice of evidence-based medicine is encouraged to eliminate traditional practice variations in order to improve the consistency of care. The ever-increasing demands for improvements in the quality of care and the decreasing availability of clinical time put pressure on clinicians to achieve their results quicker and with more accuracy. Outdated clinical tools will eventually result in suboptimal diagnoses and treatment. This is especially true in the field of musculoskeletal injury. It is therefore a rational decision for patients to seek clinicians who have the ability to make use of current medical evidence and technologies in order to optimize their clinical outcome. When it comes to sophisticated technology in the field of musculoskeletal injury, Singapore is among the best in the world.
Common Knee Pain Conditions Treated by Doctors in Singapore
Regardless of the medical professional treating the knee pain, the most important step is getting an accurate diagnosis. “Each of these conditions comes with different anatomical factors and patient factors. A diagnosis of what the problem is, is the most important step to solving the problem. Treatment needs to be specific for the condition, in order to have the best outcomes,” explains Dr. Tan Jee Lim, consultant orthopaedic surgeon at Gleneagles Medical Centre and Visiting Consultant at the National University Hospital. He adds, “For example, the treatment for a ligament injury is very different from treatment for osteoarthritis. So if the diagnosis is wrong, it’s likely the treatment will be ineffective.” In all cases, rest, ice, compression, and elevation are helpful in the acute stage when there is pain and swelling. Thereafter, treatment can be tailored to the specific diagnosis. In serious cases, it might mean surgery and a long period of rehabilitation. However, it can also mean just keyhole surgery and a return to full function within a matter of weeks. With accurate diagnosis, effective treatment, and careful rehabilitation, all conditions carry a good prognosis. Gaining an understanding of the common conditions and learning about what each treatment entails is the first step in the prevention of knee pain in the later years of life.
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis and affects many adults in their middle years and older. It is a condition that affects the whole joint, including bone, cartilage, ligaments, and muscles. Despite popular belief, osteoarthritis is not a self-inflicted disease. It is not caused by aging, rather the changes that happen in the body as we age. There is probably more than one cause for osteoarthritis; it is more likely a result of a combination of many factors. This can include genetic predisposition, developmental abnormalities, previous injuries, and obesity. It can also be due to stress on the joint from work or sport. Basically, osteoarthritis is a failure of the repair mechanisms within the joints which causes the cartilage to break down faster than the body can repair it. Over time, the cartilage begins to degenerate and in severe cases can wear away to the point of bone-on-bone contact in a joint. Osteoarthritis can cause pain, swelling, and reduced motion in a joint. Although the disease is primarily related to the aging population, it can also affect younger people, especially those that have had serious joint injuries. Osteoarthritis most commonly affects the knees and the hip, as they are the weight-bearing joints which sustain the most stress. It can also affect the fingers, thumb, and big toe.
3.2. Ligament Injuries
Ligament injuries can vary from simply being a partial tear of the ligament to a complete tear, which can be an avulsion injury where the ligament has torn off a fragment of bone. The more severe injuries, such as complete ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) tears or a PCL (posterior cruciate ligament) tear, may result in the knee being very unstable, and the patient may feel as though the knee is giving way. If the ligament is completely torn, it will not heal by itself as it does not have a good blood supply. But if a knee is simply feeling a little unstable due to a partial ligament tear, then physiotherapy with a focus on strengthening the muscles around the knee joint may prove to be beneficial.
Ligament injuries often produce severe knee pain and discomfort, together with swelling and a feeling of knee instability. These are usually sports injuries because they involve a sudden unexpected force applied to the knee, which the ligaments were not prepared for. This often happens in football, rugby, or skiing, but it can happen with a simple twist of the knee if the foot is fixed on the ground.
Meniscus Tears
If the tear is not suitable for repair, or there is just not enough of a tear for repair to be necessary, the next option to consider is meniscectomy, which is the partial removal of the meniscus. This is a last resort option if symptoms are not relieved by physiotherapy and medication. Elevation and rest are key to the management of a torn meniscus, so too is pain and inflammation control. The RICE regime is recommended, consisting of rest, ice, compression, and elevation. Wearing a knee brace and using crutches may be necessary for a short period. Physical therapy is advised for the restoration of knee strength and function, and a progression of exercises allows a gradual return to various different activities. Full recovery post-meniscus injury is dependent on the type of treatment that is received and the specific rehabilitation program that is followed.
In the past, treatment of a symptomatic meniscus tear in a patient that also had evidence of knee osteoarthritis was arthroscopic (keyhole) partial meniscectomy. However, more recently there seems to be a shift in the treatment of meniscus tears, as evidenced by a recent local study. The null hypothesis is that analysis of the data determined that there is no association between meniscectomy and knee OA, meaning orthopedic surgeons are trying to prove that partial meniscectomy does not lead to a faster progression of knee osteoarthritis. This is due to the fact that meniscus tissue has poor healing potential, and excision of the torn fragment only further removes the protective function of the meniscus. This has seen surgeons attempt to repair the torn meniscus in order to retain as much of its function as possible. With new operative techniques and implants, the reported success rates of meniscus repair are greater than 80 percent. A repaired meniscus requires very specific and protected rehabilitation of about 3 months. Failure of repair can occur if the patient starts stressing the repair too early, causing the meniscus to tear at the site of the repair.
Most commonly, an isolated tear of the meniscus produces pain in the knee. At times, a complex tear can produce mechanical symptoms, such as catching or locking of the knee, which is due to a fragment of the torn meniscus interfering with normal knee movement. If the torn fragment is large enough, it can lead to a sense of instability in the knee.
Meniscus tears are one of the most frequently occurring cartilage injuries of the knee. The sports-related activity of the patient often involved some sort of twisted motion of the knee while it was flexed, and the forceful impact that grabbed or squatted. The amount of trauma required to cause a tear can vary. In the older adult, degenerative changes of the meniscus can predispose to a tear with a movement as simple as getting up out of a chair.
The meniscus is a small ‘C’-shaped disc of cartilage in the knee joint. The meniscus has many important functions and provides the knee joint with added stability. However, partially because of its shape that contours with the two bones it is situated between, the medial and lateral femoral condyles, and meniscal wear that is consistent with age, the meniscus is more prone to injury than the articular cartilage.
