Pain is a localized and unpleasant sensory perception in the body, activated by sensory nerve endings. It can be classified according to its intensity, origin, and duration (acute and chronic). Pain can be caused by diseases or trauma, these being the main cause of musculoskeletal pain. Other causes include degenerative or inflammatory arthropathies.
Traditionally, most conditions have been treated with surgery to treat chronic pain or repair an injury. In some cases, surgical treatment is the one of choice, depending on the severity and situation of the injury.
However, nowadays conservative therapies are used more and more, which include non-invasive and comprehensive care, with the purpose of relieving pain, healing the injury and/or reducing the risk of progression and complications. Examples of conservative treatment in musculoskeletal injuries include:
Pharmacotherapy
Physiotherapy
Immobilizations
Repose
Infiltrations
It is advisable to use this as first-line management, especially when it can prevent the progression of the damage of the lesion and thus avoiding surgery. An example is prolotherapy, which favors the rapid and natural recovery of the tissue, helping to avoid surgery just to eliminate pain. As mentioned above, surgical treatments may be unavoidable, so you should always see a specialist who handles conservative therapies (such as a sports medicine doctor) for a second opinion.
An ultrasound, also known as sonography, is a safe, non-invasive medical test that produces images of the inside of the body using sound waves, using a probe (transducer) with gel on the skin.
It is mostly used as a diagnostic tool in various branches of medicine. Its use in specialties of the musculoskeletal system has been increasing, especially since it can be applied to all joints and the spine. Ultrasound in these cases can help diagnose alterations such as:
Osteoarthritis
Tendon tears
Hematomas
Shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis
Sprains
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Soft tissue masses
Cysts
The benefits of this exam are that it is painless, widely accessible, and inexpensive compared to other imaging studies, and does not use radiation. It also has the advantage of being able to be performed in the doctor’s office and show the image in real time, which favors an accurate diagnosis and information on the inflammatory process or injury. Also, the ultrasound is used as a guide for more invasive treatments such as infiltrations, regenerative therapies, among other interventions.
When requiring a medical assessment for a musculoskeletal injury or discomfort, it is preferable to see a doctor with experience and knowledge in ultrasound for a complete and accurate care.
Treatment for calcium attachment, its advantages, and frequency of use.
IV or intravenous treatments are liquid substance therapies administered directly into the bloodstream through a vein using a catheter. This may include vitamins, minerals, or certain medications.
This type of treatment can be used to treat diseases with calcium alterations, such as osteoporosis, fractures, bone metastases, or hypercalcemia (high levels of calcium in the blood). Calcium is one of the most abundant minerals in the body and it mainly takes an important part in our skeleton and teeth. In addition to its skeletal function, it also helps in the structural maintenance of cells. Calcium intakes and needs vary according to the gender and age of each person, likewise, a poor intake, certain medications, or diseases such as those already mentioned, can cause a decrease in calcium levels in the body.
Calcium attachment refers to the administration of medicines, such as zoledronic acid, which belongs to the bisphosphonate class, it slows down bone degradation and thus increases its thickness, also decreasing the amount of calcium that is released to the bloodstream. The presentation of zoledronic acid is in solution, so its administration is intravenous.
Its application must always be under the supervision of a professional. For patients with osteoporosis, it can be administered once a year since the medication stays active during that period, this being one of its great advantages, compared to oral administration.
Before its application, it is important to be well hydrated and the doctor should be informed if you are taking any other medication or supplements, as well as if you have any type of kidney disease. The most common side effects are:
Nausea
Inflammation
Diarrhea
Loss of appetite
Fever
Other more aggressive, but less common adverse effects include pain in the mouth and teeth, allergic reactions, renal alteration, or osteonecrosis of the jaw, which is extremely rare, but it is the reason why a dental evaluation is required prior to treatment.
Before starting with this medication, it’s important to attend to a medical consultation with a specialist who has experience in this type of therapy for a complete evaluation and its safe application.
IV therapy or intravenous therapy is a procedure of administering liquid substances into the body through the blood vessels to hydrate or deliver medication to the patient. The process is done through a catheter (which gives access to the vein) that helps introduce the solution to our system. The solutions vary in their content of electrolytes, nutrients and vitamins depending on the needs of each person. We can guide you on which would be the best for you through a medical consultation.
A solution with a high benefit for the patient is a combination of glutathione and vitamin C (ascorbic acid). Both are antioxidants that protect against free radicals, help prevent infections, and reduce the risk of various illnesses and health problems such as osteoarthritis, cancer, aging, asthma, and eye diseases.
It is also important to mention that you do not have to have a medical condition for its administration, since it also raises energy levels, helps with the appearance of skin and hair, and strengthens the immune system; glutathione causes our system to have an increased response against pathogens in our body, and at the same time allows more white blood cells to be produced. Vitamin C promotes the activity of neutrophils and speeds up the response of cells.
The oral intake of these substances is usually delayed and incomplete due to the gastric process to which they are subjected. For this reason, with the help of IV therapy, they reach the bloodstream directly, ensuring their absorption.
Intravenous therapy is a safe and fast route of application. Its use isn’t limited to hospitals or medical offices, with medical supervision it can also be provided for home management.
Prolotherapyis a regenerative treatment that consists of injecting an irritating solution into sites with degeneration and pain such as joints, tendons, and ligaments. The proliferating solution can include Dextrose, P2G, Morrhuate sodium, glycerin, growth hormone, platelet-rich plasma, and stem cells, among others. This therapy causes a local inflammatory process which leads to natural tissue repair and healing.
The goal of prolotherapy is not only to reduce pain, but also to benefit function and movement, improve strength, and increases joint stability. It is usually indicated in patients with chronic pain (which has not responded to other treatments) or injuries due to trauma; It is used in conditions such as low back pain, osteoarthritis, tendinitis, fibromyalgia, etc.
Although, in some cases, unfortunately, the only option is to perform surgery, many times proliferative treatments are a better option for patients as they are less expensive and invasive.
Why choose prolotherapy and not surgery?
Fewer risks or complications.
No side effects
A quick recovery
It is more economical
It is an outpatient procedure
Results are fast and effective
Since some conditions are in a gray area in which the patient can benefit from surgery or prolotherapy, it is important to always go to a specialist doctor trained in proliferative therapies for an appropriate medical assessment and thus define whether or not the patient is a candidate for this treatment, or, if applicable, define whether surgery is unavoidable.
Physiotherapy is the science that, through a set of therapeutic methods such as heat, cold, water, massage, and electricity, has the purpose of rehabilitating, preventing, and curing pain in patients with injuries or physical disabilities.
Some of the more notable benefits are:
Improves mobility
Alleviates the pain
Increases strength and flexibility
Helps with posture
Reduces inflammation
Prevents injuries
Why is it important to go to physical therapy even if I don’t have any pain?
Among the types of physiotherapy, there is preventive physiotherapy, which aims to avoid musculoskeletal injuries. Physical therapy is also for healthy patients or patients without present injuries to educate the person about their activities, improve physical condition, and strengthen our body through massages and exercises that relax and tone our muscles, posture correction, and reduction of tension.
From an athletic point of view, physical therapy helps with performance, shortens rehabilitation time, prevents future injuries, and adapts the athlete to their training.
However, physiotherapy is indicated for treatment and prevention for any person, regardless of gender or age. Going to therapy regularly, even without any condition, improves the quality of life.
