Chris Cummins, M.D., Discusses Osteoarthritis of the Knee and an Exciting Potential Treatment Option

Dr. Christopher Cummins of Oxford, Mississippi, is a family medicine specialist with over 20 years of experience in the medical field. He graduated from Saba University School of Medicine in 2003. One of the areas where Dr. Christopher Cummins of Oxford, Mississippi, has the most experience is treating osteoarthritis of the knee. Before sharing one of the treatments that has offered the most pain relief to his patients, Chris Cummins, MD, will provide more general information to help people identify osteoarthritis of the knee.

Unfortunately, Dr. Christopher Cummins of Oxford, Mississippi, notes that osteoarthritis is a fairly common form of arthritis, and the knee is amongst the most commonly affected joints. Throughout a person’s life, the joints go through a completely normal process of damage and repair. When this natural process changes the shape or the structure of the joints, this is known as osteoarthritis.

For those unfamiliar with what a joint in the body is, Dr. Christopher Cummins of Oxford, Mississippi, notes that it is a part of the body where two or more bones meet. Our knee joints are located where our shin bones and thighs come together. The small bone at the front of the knee commonly known as the kneecap also meets at this point. The reason people don’t experience pain when these bones come together is that the end of our bones are covered in cartilage, which allows bones to rub up against one another without any friction.

Dr. Christopher Cummins of Oxford, Mississippi, notes that people who develop osteoarthritis will have the cartilage in the knee joint to thin out, which in return does not allow the bones to move as smoothly as they should. This can lead to both pain and stiffness. Osteoarthritis is most commonly experienced by people over the age of 50 as the wear and tear of life leads to osteoarthritis.

It is not uncommon for people to only struggle with osteoarthritis in one knee. Dr. Christopher Cummins of Oxford, Mississippi, notes. This is particularly common for people who suffer a knee injury earlier in life. Osteoarthritis impacts people in different ways. Some people only feel pain when they first wake up. Others may find that pain is evident when they head up the stairs or attempt to run for an extended period of time. It’s also not uncommon for people to find that they wake up randomly in the middle of the night with knee pain. While it is not what any patient wants to hear, it’s very possible that people with osteoarthritis will experience good days and bad days.

One of the reasons Dr. Christopher Cummins of Oxford, Mississippi, believes it is so important for patients to seek out a treatment plan for osteoarthritis is that those who suffer from daily pain will often experience feelings of anxiousness or depression. When this occurs, it can affect a person’s ability to sleep and maintain healthy relationships. Anyone who is experiencing any of these issues must talk to their family doctor as soon as possible.

The good news for people suffering from osteoarthritis of the knee is that they are not alone. Knee pain caused by osteoarthritis is suffered by millions of people worldwide. When millions of people are suffering from the same affliction, the medical community is going to provide as many treatment options as possible. Dr. Christopher Cummins of Oxford, Mississippi, has been a major proponent of GenVisc*850, a 5-injection hyaluronic acid from OrthogenRx.

GenVisc*850 is a treatment option for people with knee pain who have not had a positive response to non-pharmacologic therapy and simple analgesics. While patients may be directed by their Doctors to take five total injections, there are plenty of documented cases of patients finding relief in as few as 3 injections. For those who have not heard of GenVisc*850, Dr. Christopher Cummins of Oxford, Mississippi, notes that it is a treatment plan that has been approved in 64 countries with over 46 million syringes distributed across the globe.

As with any treatment option for osteoarthritis in the knee, Dr. Christopher Cummins highly recommends that every patient meets with their doctor and discusses all of the options they have to gain the pain relief they deserve. Medical professionals can also discuss different lifestyle changes that may lead to decreased joint pain, such as weight loss and particular exercise routines.