Do you Really Need Knee Replacement

“You can manage with your knees for four-five years but finally you need to go for replacement, why not to do it now”.

“You can stand on your own, very next day”. And finally-

“Your knees are completely messed up. There is no cartilage. Better go for replacement”.

These are three common expressions of the orthopedic surgeons, when you visit them with knee pain. They don’t give it a damn in which area of the knee you have pain. They just want to replace something with your joint. This is the reason we find news like this everywhere-

Report from US says 80% of the knee replacement is not necessary. And miles away back home here, another news says- One in every 5 patients doesn’t need knee replacement.

But don’t worry, total knee replacement is just a procedure for surgeons. And as a patient most of us need to do it because we don’t have options.

Ayurveda might be a perfect option.

But we look at Ayurveda for some oil (without knowing should we massage our joints or not) and some herbs to apply as a paste. Not for saving our joints.

Ayurveda is promising in saving the knee joint and certainly can avoid any requirement of the knee replacement. You just need to be rational and sensible while approaching your Ayurveda doctor for treatment. Here we will discuss how Ayurveda can help you to get rid of the suggestion of Knee replacement.

Diagnose before Knee Replacement

In times of the highly skilled machines, the human skills are dying. And this applies more to the skills of a physician to diagnose. Most of the times, we miss the diagnosis. The standard procedure in case of the Knee joint pain is-

1. Patient complains about knee pain.
2. Go for X-Ray
3. Your surgeon tells- the three opening statements, we discussed in start.
4. You need to go for Knee replacement!!

What is the diagnosis? What will be the prognosis? Do knee replacement in early age will ease the life? Is knee replacement only option left?

And most importantly- is your knee pain is associated with knee problem only?

No, questions please!!

I had a patient from Jaipur only. When Aunty came to me, I checked her thoroughly and told her- you don’t have knee problem. This pain is coming from your back. Because in no case knee pain will travel to the lower and upper part of the knee. But she was convinced with infrastructure and machines with some known hospital for joint replacement.

She get done the replacement.

Her surgery was successful. No associated complications appeared. Recovery was good. The only problem was- her pain was as it is!!

She visited the surgeon again. And asked him about the problem. Surgeon told- surgery was good. But this pain seems coming from your back. Get done the MRI of lower back and we can do the surgery for that and pain will go away.

Patient returned to Ayurveda!!

The moral of story is- right diagnosis is the key of the treatment. रोगमादौ परीक्षेत ततो अनन्तरं औषधं !! Planning of treatment is secondary. The primary thing is the diagnosis.

But in medical world, primary is- targets of filling the beds of hospital and number of surgeries. Doctors are also under pressure of targets.

Are you a Candidate for Knee Replacement?

The idea of restoration is dying. We believe in buying new stuff instead of repairing the things, and the same approach is prevailing in this too. Replacement yields money which repair cannot do. Therefore without thinking about the “right candidature”- knee replacement is suggested blindly.

Here are the factors which are important to consider before going for knee replacement-

1. Age of the patient. This is not advisable to go for knee replacement in younger age.
2. Right Diagnosis: Before surgery one should know that whether knee replacement is required or not? And this should be honest opinion.
3. Condition of Knee joint: Is the decay too much to recover or it is in initial stage?
4. Valgus Deformity: The bend in knee – towards outside. How much is this?
5. Use of Painkillers? Can patient survive without painkillers or using the painkillers regularly?

We always consider these points with patients, while talking about the prognosis of the condition.

At Sukhayu we understand that every case is not just because of the “targets” of hospitals. There are millions of genuine cases too. And doctors are always not cheaters.

Because we are on the other side of the line, we can tell you honestly that either you need knee replacement or not? For that you can consult us online for the same through Video consultation. Book an appointment for the same.