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Consultation with Dr Lee Joon Kiong
(Orthopedics), March 3, 2024.
Dato' Dr Lee Joon Kiong
Doctor's Diagnosis Requires Joint Replacement; Should Follow Advice; Tough to Reverse Solely with Health Supplements
Question:
Hello. I went to see a specialist, who said I need a knee joint replacement, but I don’t want to undergo surgery (afraid of pain), so I am seeking alternative treatments.
Through a friend’s recommendation, I chose to consume a product containing hydrolyzed collagen protein. It is said to have the effects of stimulating the production of collagen in the body, repairing joints and bones, revitalizing the skin, and so forth.
I have been taking it for 4 months now. While there is no pain when I walk, I can’t walk for more than an hour, otherwise it will still hurt, but it is not as painful as it used to be.
Later, I also bought collagen peptides to consume (only for 3 weeks), which are also said to repair knee joints.
I thought that using both products simultaneously would lead to a faster recovery.
I’d like to know:
Q1: Can taking hydrolyzed collagen protein and collagen peptides really repair bone joints? Because I stopped experiencing pain after taking them for 4 months, does that mean the joints have been repaired, hence it no longer hurts?
Q2: I plan to continue taking them for a few more months and then visit a specialist next year for X-rays to see if the bone joints have been repaired, so I can avoid the pain of surgery. I wonder if my idea is too naive?
Thank you.
Doctor’s Answer:
Mild Knee Osteoarthritis
Knee osteoarthritis can be classified into different stages: mild, moderate, and severe.
The most important aspect of treating mild knee osteoarthritis is lifestyle modification.
This includes reducing the load on the knee joint by limiting activities such as squatting, kneeling, sitting cross-legged, using low stools, and going up and down stairs or slopes.
Medications include short-term anti-inflammatory drugs, mid-term drugs to help soft tissue repair, and long-term (6 months or more) glucosamine, proteoglycans, or collagen.
However, if you want to achieve the ideal treatment result, you can’t rely on medication alone.
Moderate Knee Osteoarthritis
For moderate to severe knee osteoarthritis, it may be necessary to use hyaluronic acid injections to lubricate the knee joint.
Severe Knee Osteoarthritis
Of course, severe knee arthritis requires joint replacement surgery.
Severe arthritis refers to the severe wear and tear of joint cartilage and friction between bones, resulting in deformity of the knee.
If your primary physician, through clinical examination and X-ray assessments, confirms the necessity of surgery to replace the damaged knee joint, then you should follow your primary physician’s advice.
Of course, after thoroughly understanding the success rate of the surgery and potential complications, you can proceed with the surgery assuredly.
Friendly reminder: The products, services, and cases mentioned in this article or advertisement are for reference only and should not be used as the basis for diagnosis. The doctor’s opinion needs to be paramount.
