If you have hip or knee pain and facing the possibility of hip replacement surgery, just what are your options?

If you look at the surgical services offered by insurance medical services, you will notice that the majority of the surgeons are experts in knee and hip replacement.  I have a problem with the explosion of joint replacement surgery because I feel it is being used too much as the first option for joint pain, whereas it should really be the last option.  By the way, waiting is not really an option.

There are a number of reasons why you should not dive straight into joint replacement:

• Surgical complications including reactions to the anaesthetics, stroke and heart attack, postoperative infection and chronic postoperative pain.  These are all quite common in my opinion.
• Joint replacements may not last a lifetime and can wear out quickly, requiring replacement.  It is the second and the third operations that are the really tricky, risky and expensive as compared to the first. So, joint replacement is best timed to last the rest of your life.
• Joint wear can lead to the leaching of exotic metals into the body causing localised tissue damage and wider systemic harm.
• Joint replacement does not cure what may be the root causes of joint degeneration which may include, nutritional deficiencies, heavy metal contamination or damage relating to drugs, such as for blood pressure, depression or asthma and other steroidal medication.

If you have hip or knee pain and facing the possibility of joint replacement surgery, just what are your options? 

• Take you time: arthritis takes years to develop and a few more months delay while you consider your options will be of no consequences - unless your quality of life is being significantly compromised, if you rely heavily on pain medication and if you lose sleep due to pain.
• Take large doses of a quality glucosamine and chondroitin supplement for at least three months - regardless of the degree of degeneration.  Even if you have one or two joints that are beyond repair, your many other joints will benefit from this.
• Contact me to organise some appropriate testing to assess your nutritional and hormonal status, as well as whether or not you have been exposed to toxic elements such as mercury and lead.  These tests will identify possible causes of accelerated joint degeneration and help us rid or minimise these.
• If you are on medication I can assist you with determining whether or not the medication is accelerating arthritis.  This is common and seldom talked about, possibly because the prescribers of the medication are reluctant to implicate themselves!
• If you are having difficulty with exercise, such as running, which may be stirring up your joints, I can assist you with discovering satisfying alternative activities that are joint-friendly.

Every year of delay in having joint replacement is in your favour, so long as you are not suffering unduly.  Medical advances are happening every year with the surgical options to you improving all the time and techniques refined.

To help you with exploring this whole area of joint replacement, I have copied the first few paragraphs of an article by Dr Mario Trucillo about hip replacement surgery:

Hip Replacement

• HIP REPLACEMENT
 
• SURGERY
 
• METAL-ON-METAL
 
• COMPLICATIONS
 
• RECALL
 
• LAWSUIT

Hip replacement, also known as hip arthroplasty, is one of the most common surgical procedures in the United States, with approximately 332,000 total hip replacements performed in 2010 alone as a way to correct a variety of types of hip pain. Patients experiencing hip pain have numerous non-surgical options, but depending on the type of damage and efficacy of treatments like physical therapy and medication, a hip resurfacing or replacement may be necessary. Your doctor or an orthopedic specialist can help you determine the best course of action to manage hip pain.

Hip Pain

The hip is a ball-and-socket joint that connects the leg to the rest of the body. The ball-shaped top of the femur, known as the femoral head, fits into the “socket” of the pelvis, known as the acetabulum. The ball and socket that make up the joint are separated by a spongy cartilage and synovial fluid that serve to lubricate the joint. All of these components, properly functioning, are important to normal day-to-day activities. However, because of the strain placed on the hip joint over a lifetime, hip pain is a common occurrence, particularly in the elderly.

Rest of article here:

http://www.recallcenter.com/hip-replacement/

About this website 

The advice in these articles is given freely without promise or obligation. Its all about giving you and your family the tools and information to take control of your health and fitness.

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Why do I get joint pain when I take Vitamin C?

Any idea why I get joint pain when I take Vitamin C?
Have had a few problems with this lately.
"R"
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Gary:
Short question: Long answer...

There is a line of possibility that I will explain:

A lack of copper and a deficiency of Vitamin C have similar effects in the body.  A copper deficiency mimics scurvy, causes bleeding gums and bruising.  This is to do with copper being critical for strong, resilient collagen. The joint surfaces, including cartilage are very sensitive to nutrient imbalances that affect collagen health.  An active person, like you, may first notice a deficiency of copper as joint pain.

An example of toxic element
accumulation

It is interesting to note, as well, that adrenal exhaustion is associated with copper depletion.  Work and family stress, coupled with exhausting exercise is a sure recipe for copper depletion.  This will be even more the case if you are exposed to toxins, such as lead and solvents.

Now, here's the possibility for what is happening with you: Vitamin C and copper must be in balance in the body.  Vitamin C is an antagonist of copper and vice-versa.  Too much vitamin C depletes copper (Too much copper depletes vitamin C), thus predisposing the joints to excess wear - pain.  It may be that you already are deficient in copper and even a small amount of extra vitamin C may depress levels below a critical point.  There are contributing factors to this possibility as follows.

If you are in an occupation, or have a past-time in which you are or have been exposed to toxins, such as lead and mercury, then you may risk copper depletion.  Typical at-risk occupations are building, plumbing, printing, painting, mechanical repairs and engineering. Add vitamin C to these toxins that accumulate deep in the body and you may worsen a copper deficiency.

Lead tends to accumulate deep in the bones, including the joints and this may cause a gradual erosion of healthy bone and cartilage over the years.  This will cause bone and joint pain.

Now, it just happens that vitamin C is an antagonist of toxic elements, including lead.  Vitamin C is used to safely chelate toxins such as lead out of the body.  So, if you take vitamin C in anything other than very small doses, the lead that is sequestered deep in the bone may be mobilised, thus increasing lead levels in the cartilages.  While this is a very good thing to have happen (Getting rid of lead and any other toxins), there is likely to be a temporary exacerbation of joint pain and this can come and go for quite a long time depending on your general state of health, toxic burden and any ongoing exposures.  This discomfort can be controlled by adjusting the dosage of vitamin C and by adding other nutrients such as sulphur, copper and zinc by way of supplementation.

In conclusion: The causes of your joint pain may be complex and most probably a combination of nutrient depletions/excesses, chronic stress (adrenal fatigue) and long-term exposure to toxins.   These are all assumptions that may or may not apply to you.  The only way to know what is going on is to do an ICL Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis and then to act on the findings.

In the meantime, there would be no harm and possibly plenty of benefit with taking vitamin C; however, not just any vitamin C.  I have a "Practitioner Only" only form that is a combination of Vitamin C, magnesium, zinc, manganese, potassium copper and bioflavanoids.  This is the safest and most effective formulation to take in the meantime.  You will need to consult with me first to determine if it is suitable for you.

As far as vitamin C dosage is concerned, it is rare to need more than 2,000mg per day over and above a healthy diet.

_______________________________________

About this website

The advice in these articles is given freely without promise or obligation.  Its all about giving you and your family the tools and information to take control of your health and fitness.  Please give me your support by subscribing to my free email updates. Please shop at my Online Store. Please encourage your family and friends to do the same. While we may not always be able to compete with the big operators on price, we aim to more than compensate through personal service!




Your email address:

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Do you have a question?  Email Gary: gary@myotec.co.nz. Include any relevant background information to your question.  Please be patient and be aware that I may not be able to answer every inquiry in detail, depending on workloads (My paying clients take precedence!). I will either reply by email or, most likely, by way of an article (Personal identifying details will be removed before publication).

I am a 59 year old woman with arthritis in the knees

I am trying to attend a gym about 3days a week, and they suggest I take a multi vitamin, but so many to choose from.  I seem to be tired alot.I also have arthritis,and especially in my knees[have just had them xray] and they seem to be on the move again.

I am not on any medication.  Have been taking Nutralife High Potency Joint Care,which doesnt seem to be having a effect at the moment and still got another 2 jars left to take yet.

Is there something else I should be taking with these?  Only be taking them about 5 weeks.
__________________________________
Gary:
The Nutralife Joint Care may be of benefit but you need to use this consistently for about three months at close to the maximum dose on the label before you will know for sure.

I am generally not all that keen on multi which is very much a hit and miss approach to nutrition.  It is much more preferable that a person completes a Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis and then changes their diet and choose supplements going by what is found in the testing.

Fatigue and arthritis are often associated with an excess of calcium in the diet and a relative deficiency of magnesium, so in the absence of any testing, you could work on reducing your calcium intake by cutting out dairy for a start and take a magnesium supplement daily.

There are a number of other nutrients that may contribute to joint degeneration and fatigue when in deficiency or excess.  These include copper, zinc, boron, cobalt and selenium.  lack of protein is common.  Testing will indicate what, if anything is out of balance.

With regards to joint supplements, the Nutralife Joint Factors 4500 may be better suited for your age and condition; but finish what you have first, or get some Joint Factors and alternate daily.

Please read more of my articles related to this topic by clicking on the key words at the bottom of this post. 

_______________________________________

About this website

The advice in these articles is given freely without promise or obligation.  Its all about giving you and your family the tools and information to take control of your health and fitness.  Please give me your support by subscribing to my free email updates. Please shop at my Online Store. Please encourage your family and friends to do the same. While we may not always be able to compete with the big operators on price, we aim to more than compensate through personal service!



Your email address:

Powered by FeedBlitz

Do you have a question?  Email Gary: gary@myotec.co.nz. Include any relevant background information to your question.  Please be patient and be aware that I may not be able to answer every inquiry in detail, depending on workloads (My paying clients take precedence!). I will either reply by email or, most likely, by way of an article (Personal identifying details will be removed before publication).

I have ruptured my ACL and Medial Ligament

Dear Gary,

About 11 years ago I suffered a serious injury to my left knee while playing sport, rupturing my ACL and medial ligaments, which left me bed-ridden for a month and on a long, long road to recovery. I was eventually seen by an orthopaedic surgeon who opted not to operate and told me to strengthen it with exercise.

I continued to play sport (mostly rugby and touch) and train at the gym for another 3 years, with the knee always giving me problems. It was often painful, would 'click' out and then back in, and the leg was obviously alot weaker than my right.

Then, at the end of 2000 during a touch game, my right knee gave way and I was diagnosed with a ruptured ACL. The injury was nowhere near as bad as the first one and I got by with some physio and rest. A year later I did the right knee again in a touch game and this time I had it checked by another orthopaedic surgeon (XXXX) who recommended surgery. Since I couldn't walk without it locking up on me I agreed and ended up having a full reconstruction.

While the right knee is as good as it can be, the left knee has continued to give me problems and over the last year has worsened. I get very sharp pains under my knee cap and too much activity on it (running, touch etc) often results in swelling and/or restricted movement. I saw XXXX again for advice and he recommended against any surgery and after x-rays diagnosed osteo-arthritis. He advised me to strengthen my leg through exercise in order to support the knee.

I am now 41 and still very active, training regularly at the gym and playing touch. I spend alot of time on the exer-cycle trying to strengthen my quads without stressing my knee joints too much, as well a doing leg exercises - limited due to the pain I get in my knee. I realise I need to take supplements to aid in the repair of my cartilage/joints and help my osteo-arthritis, so I have been reading through your website for advice.

It would seem my best options are either the "joint factors 4500" or the "joint food for athletes" but I'm not completely sure, so thought I would check first with you before purchasing. Which would you recommend given my history? And is there anything else I should look at taking?

Thanks for your time, I look forward to hearing from you.

Regards,

Darren
_____________________________________________________
Gary Moller comments:
Darren, Let me start with a few observations and comments:

It is a shame that your injury was not properly assessed and treated all those years ago when you first damaged it. There is little question that surgery to repair the damage was warranted.

It is absolutely critical that you look after your knees. They have decades yet to serve and there is nothing like the original. Plastic ones are your last resort.

Any physical activities, including Touch, which involve forceful acceleration, deceleration, twisting and turning and the possibility of violent contact with another player should be avoided for as long as there is joint pain and/or instability. If there is anything more than dull pain in the knee, the pain is telling you that damage is being done and you really should stop.

If there is ongoing knee pain, it is best to rest the joint for as long as it takes - be that 5,10,15 or more years. That means staying away from activities that cause joint pain. This includes most running sports, many gym exercises. Some cycling may be OK in your case; but do not overdo it.

Replace with sports like kayaking, swimming, snorkling, scuba diving, aquajogging and cycling. Rowing may be OK. In the gym, concentrate on the upper body. Sure, strong legs are important; but there is no benefit going beyond what is necessary to maintain stability.

It is time to give the Touch away. While you may find this hard to accept, the change will be exciting and refreshing, once you get into it. How about Waka Ama? Embrace change throughout life.

Which Joint Food is best for you? Definitely go with the JF4500 as your first and best value choice. Take the maximum recommended dose daily for at least 3 months. You can add 5-8 capsules of a quality fish oil per day or, preferably, with some daily flax oil. I also recommend that you complete the Active Elements Mineral Assessment because a mineral imbalance/deficiency can affect joint health and healing. You could also try wearing a quality elastic knee bandage - the ones with a small hole for the knee cap. This design may help to stabilise the kneecap during exercise as well as countering any swelling.

I hope this helps Darren. Please let us know how you get on.

Talk to Gary Moller (First 5 minutes are free):

I feel all my muscles have gone to the pack - please help me!

Hi Gary
I am having problems that seem to be brushed off by the medical and specialist team.

I have had neck and back pain for years, did gymnastics when very young. I have worked in the dental industry for over 25years on an off. I am 51years old and weigh 47kgs. I think I'm having menopause symptoms as well as everything else. Every joint in my body hurts and just picking up a jar of jam is a problem.

Have being going to a physiotherapist, who is treating me for long term neck and pain problems. I recently sore the doctor about my knee which when I kneel on it has a tearing feeling followed by pain and a Chinese burn like feeling, I can also stick a needle in three different parts of my knee and I don't feel a thing. Had an x-ray showed nothing specialist said could have hurt behind knee cap maybe still tender, have physio, I feel the fact theirs a horrible tearing and pain sensation when I kneel doesn't quite match the flippant way I was treated.

I'm sure I have some arthritis in my knuckles as they have changed shape, and the main finger I use for terminal work, is very swollen. Also my big toe and the bone on the side of it hurts more and more when I walk, doctor said could be a bunion, specialist said no nothing wrong that he could feel or see.

I also get tingling down left side of my face and thigh, the thigh may have been caused to the epidural I had when having my son, as I felt numb there for ages after the epidural and then the pins and needles just stayed with me, sometimes making it difficult to get to sleep at night.

I walk to work and back home 4 days a week, this is 45minutes each way, other than that and normal housework gardening cleaning windows etc I don't do any weight training or gym work.

I feel all my muscles have gone to the pack, could you please help me I am at my wits end, I think the doctors think I am imagining how I feel.
"J"
_________________________________
Gary Moller Advises:
"J", What you are describing could be applied to many of the women who seek my assistance. I call it various names, including "Wobbly Wheels Syndrome" (WWS), or "Fragile Body Syndrome" (SBS). It just feels as if one's body is falling apart.

What you are suffering from could be one of several possibilities - more than likely it will be several different things working in concert. The pins and needles, for example, could be as simple as a vitamin B deficiency causing a condition known as beriberi and could be the consequence of a stressful life and a course of antibiotics as long as several years ago. The joint pain could be a sign that you are seriously mineral depleted and or acidic. It could be as simple as a deficiency in vitamin C. Or you could be seriously low in vitamin D. Yes, you may be going through menopause; but menopause will only be part of it.

X-ray examinations, physiotherapy, exercise routines, medicine, drugs and being talked to are all probably a waste of time because I suspect the problem is to do with your cellular metabolism being compromised in some way or other. We need to exhaust this possibility, before looking elsewhere.

To get the ball rolling, can you please complete the Active Elements Assessment here. Please answer each question carefully and please tell me in the comments section about any medication you are taking, including supplements.

"J",

What kind of joint food preparation should I take following knee surgery?

"Gday Gary, I just watched the video on your website as to which glucosamine supplement to take, but I am still a little confused.
I am 22 and have had a knee reconstruction. I just recently had a meniscus repair operation on the same knee, and was told that my articular cartilage is beginning to wear out.
I was thinking about taking the Balance joint food for athletes supplement, to possible help aid my cartilage in regaining some strength, however I am worried about the low levels of chondroitin present. Is this the supplement I should take , ore one of the other ones? \
I appreciate your help with my situation. "
Garry

_________________________________
Gary Moller comments:

Garry, I appreciate the situation you are in, having had two major knee ops myself in my 20’ s and facing the prospect of early arthritis. Fortunately, a sensible approach to exercise and the use of good nutrition means the prospect of arthritis seems further away than it was 10 years ago.

I recommend that you use the straight Nutra-Life Joint Food because it is high in Glucosamine which will help cartilage repair. Because you are still young, you do not need huge amounts of Chondroitin which hydrates the cartilage.

You need lots of MSM. MSM is highly beneficial for cartilage repair as well as being surprisingly effective for managing joint inflammation and pain. Kordels MSM provides a pure and cost-effective source of MSM.

The combination of all three nutrients (MSM, Glucosamine and Chondroitin) gives a powerful nutritional effect on that damaged knee joint of yours. I recommend that you commence by taking 6 rounded teaspoons per day of Joint Food and three capsules daily of MSM for the first three months, then lower to the recommended levels on the label thereafter. Boost the dosages of both at any time if there is any joint pain or swelling.

Take extra of both around periods that you know will be throwing extra stress on the joint, such as when doing competitive sport or a long hike with a back pack. I would commence these two days before the anticipated stress and strain and continue the regime for about three days afterwards to aid a full recovery.

While Nutra-Life Joint Food contains generous amounts of vitamin C, a total of 2,000mg per day or more may assist joint health.

If your knee flares up or hurts for any reason, then take extra MSM (up to 4 capsules per day) for 3-4 days along with extra Joint Food (six teaspoons per day). By having the MSM separate you can better use it for managing any episodes of joint pain and inflammation.

Always take these nutritional supplements with food, spread them over the day and never use as a substitute for quality food.

Which Joint food formulation is the best one for you?

In this video, I explain the differences between the three commonly available glucosamine and chondroiting joint food powder formulations.

Vitamin D deficiency among patients attending a central New Zealand rheumatology outpatient clinic

Abstract
Aims To measure the Vitamin D status in patients attending a rheumatology outpatient clinic because of the known musculoskeletal and immunosuppressive effects of Vitamin D deficiency.
Methods 66 consecutive patients at a private rheumatology clinic in central New Zealand were recruited at the beginning of winter.
Results Of 66 patients, 55 patients were included in the analysis. 43 (78%) had 25OH cholecalciferol levels that were below the reference range (50–150 nmol/L), and of these 12 (22%) had levels classified as moderate to severe deficiency (<25>
Disease/condition
Number of patients
Rheumatoid arthritis
Inflammatory arthritis
Psoriatic arthritis
Polymyalgia rheumatica
Backpain and muscle pain
Arthralgia
Osteoarthritis
CREST syndrome
Enthesopathy
Exercise induced urticaria
Juvenile RA
Oligoarthritis
Post viral fatigue
Reactive arthritis
Sarcoidosis
SLE
Spondyloarthropathy
Tendinitis
Undifferentiated CTD
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Gary Moller comments:
This study, published in the NZ Medical Journal by Dr Chiu of Wellington reflects very much my own findings when dealing with people with chronic health conditions. One of the most difficult things to get done in these cases is to get a blood test for vitamin D. Doctors rarely test for it despite the wealth of research evidence about the link between vitamin D and health.

For those of you who are athletically inclined, consider this: low vitamin D is associated with joint and muscle pain and muscle weakness. And it is no concidence that more babies are conceived over summer months than any other time of year!

As Dr Chiu points out in the Discussion Section of his paper, the optimum level for vitamin D is around 120 nmol/l. The fact that his results are at the end of summer is of great concern because it can be expected that D levels will plummet over the winter months.

Building up vitamin D levels is not an easy task, as I have found out personally. Despite a change of occupation that took me out from under flourescent lighting all day and into natural lighting surroundings and plenty of sunlight, my levels have been low. Last winter we holidayed a couple of weeks in sunny North Queensland. Despite this, my own vitamin D levels coming into spring were a low 68 nmol/l. This really shocked me and confirmed the need to really work on building levels over summer by a mix of vitamin D rich foods and careful sunbathing.

Roll on the 120-160nmol goal!