Today (October 12) is World Arthritis Day. There are 355 million people living with arthritis worldwide. In Asia, 1 in 6 people develop arthritis, the world's leading disabling disease, at some point in their lives. The current number of arthritis patients in China is estimated to be more than 100 million, and the number is increasing.
As one of the theme practice activities of "I do practical things for the masses", the Party Branch of the Tuina Department of Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine now held a "hand joint" health free clinic in the outpatient clinic, early in the morning, the citizens arrived from all directions, the chief physician team of Tuina Gong Li patiently answered questions, and the director of Gong Li who diagnosed and treated many patients had a lot of fans on the spot, and the citizens were amazed: magical Tuina!
At the free clinic site, there are many problems among the public, which also makes the medical staff feel strongly that the scientific demand for arthritis is very large, and there are many misunderstandings.
According to experts, knee osteoarthritis has a certain relationship with age, sex, weight, and injury. The prevalence of knee osteoarthritis in people over 40 years of age is as high as 29.7%, mostly in women. The high incidence of knee osteoarthritis in women is mainly associated with decreased estrogen levels in women. In addition, weight is also an important cause of the incidence of knee osteoarthritis, some studies have found that the incidence of knee osteoarthritis in obese women is 4 times that of women of normal weight, while men are 4.8 times, and weight loss can significantly reduce the incidence of knee osteoarthritis by 25-50%.
In terms of confirmed diagnosis, experts remind that for most elderly people, X-rays tend to show bone hyperplasia and degenerative changes in the knee joint. But studies have now found that there is no parallel relationship between the severity of knee osteoarthritis and the imaging manifestations, and it is not that the more serious the bone spurs, the more serious the disease. Bone spurs are somewhat self-compensatory by the human body in search of a new mechanical balance. Once the compensation is lost, corresponding symptoms will occur, such as pain, joint movement disorders, etc. Therefore, x-ray is not the only criterion for clinical diagnosis, and the diagnosis of knee osteoarthritis is mainly based on the age of the patient and symptoms such as knee pain, stiffness, and bone swelling combined with relevant tests.
In fact, for patients with knee osteoarthritis, it is more important to have joint function, such as going up and down stairs, walking ability, etc. Gait analysis technology can dynamically, objectively and quantitatively assess the walking function of the human body, and comprehensively reflect the functional state of the affected knee joint.
At present, there is no radical cure for knee osteoarthritis, only symptomatic treatment, and the treatment is not as the public thinks - the bone spurs are removed, but through various treatments, reduce pain and improve the flexion and extension function of the joints. Yueyang Hospital after more than ten years of efforts to use tuina techniques to treat patients with early and medium-term knee arthritis, has a certain curative effect, the treatment research team found that most of the patients with knee osteoarthritis with pain, flexion and extension dysfunction, muscle loss as the main symptoms, so its treatment to "meridian tendons" "both muscles and bones" and other classic theories as the guide, through the stimulation of pain as a tendon, the flexor extensor group is released, to achieve the purpose of relaxing the tendons and smooth joints. Experimental studies have also proved that tuina can promote the recovery of flexor and extensor muscle strength.
In life, the public can rub the calf nose point, A is a point, blood sea acupoint, Yangling Spring and other acupuncture points as joint health care, the so-called "knee pain calf nose to ask, A is often rubbed." Blood sea yang mausoleum, health to walk."
Expert analysis, the cause of knee pain in general is more complex, for the majority of elderly friends with knee pain, we must go to a regular hospital, early diagnosis, early treatment, so as not to delay the condition, miss the best treatment period. Self-massage and exercise therapy may relieve some knee pain, but should be done under the guidance of a doctor if necessary. For friends who do not have knee pain, especially elderly friends, these massages and exercises can help to walk away from knee pain and healthy.
Author: Tang Wenjia Shen Li
Editor: Gu Jun
Image source: Respondent