“DON’T IGNORE THE PAIN!”

I must admit I suffer from back pain, muscle aches and knee pain every once in a while. I think it is unavoidable since age is catching up with me and my bones , muscles and all are slowly but surely deteriorating.....sighhhh....

Back pain is quite a common problem. Most episodes of back pain get better quickly. Simple analgesics (pain-relieving medication) and a change of activity are generally all that is needed.

About half of all people who get back pain will have however have further episodes. The first step to managing back pain is to rule out the possibility of any medical problem, so it is important to get it checked out if the pain is constantly there….

Muscle aches are known as muscle pain, myalgia, or simply pain in the muscles. Muscle aches are also pretty common. Almost everybody has likely experienced discomfort in his or her muscles at some point because almost every part of the body has muscle tissue, so this type of pain can be felt practically anywhere.

Then there is knee pain, or  osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative joint disease, which is the most common type of arthritis. It is associated with the breakdown of a joint's cartilage. Cartilage is a firm, rubbery material that covers and cushions the ends of bones in normal joints. Its main function is to reduce friction in the joints and serve as a "shock absorber."

Osteoarthritis causes the cartilage in a joint to become stiff and lose its elasticity, making it more susceptible to damage. Over time, the cartilage may wear away in some areas, greatly decreasing its ability to act as a shock absorber. As the cartilage wears away, tendons and ligaments stretch, causing pain. If the condition worsens, the bones could rub against each other, causing even more pain and loss of movement. This is said to be hereditary….

All these aches and pain can make our daily life a pain to go through…especially if it reoccurs constantly or if it is persistent or ongoing for quite a while...and if that happens we really need to check it out!!!

A recent survey conducted by Gleneagles Kuala Lumpur (GKL) show that more than 82% of respondents would only seek proper Orthopaedic treatment as a last resort to a persistent musculoskeletal problem. 

This discovery has prompted GKL to launch the ‘Don’t Ignore the Pain’ Campaign in efforts to raise awareness on the importance of proper orthopaedic care and health.

“GKL’s ‘Don’t Ignore the Pain’ campaign aims to bring awareness to orthopaedic health and care, in order to live a full and happy life. 

Many Malaysians feel inclined to grit their teeth and bear with the pain when in fact, long term solutions are often available to help them regain their full vigour and quality of life,” explained Dr. Ahmad Adzuan bin Abdul Rahman, Chief Executive Officer of GKL.

Dr Chin Chee Howe, one of the longest serving Orthopaedic Surgeon at GKL was there also to enlighten us about all the problems that cause Orthopaedic and what was being done to help relieve the pain at Gleneagles Kuala Lumpur...

The ‘Don’t Ignore the Pain’ awareness campaign is ongoing from now until December 2015. 

During this time, GKL will be conducting a series of roadshows around Klang Valley to educate members of the public about orthopaedic health and proper care.

 On top of free orthopaedic consultations by physiotherapists from GKL, participants will also be able to explore treatment options available for their conditions. 

To further motivate attendees to follow through in taking first steps towards proper orthopaedic treatments,they will also be offered a first consultation at GKL for only RM10.

 “At GKL, we understand that seeking specialist care for orthopaedic problems may be very intimidating for many people. Our roadshows are organised with the hope to make it easier for people in chronic discomfort to seek the orthopaedic treatments or solutions they need, so that they can alleviate themselves from the burden of discomfort,” said Dr. Adzuan.

GKL has also made efforts to extend the reach of their awareness campaign with the launch of an interactive microsite (www.dontignorethepain.com). 

This microsite has a self-diagnosing tool to help visitors get insights on what their chronic musculoskeletal discomfort may be a result of. It also aims to be a strong information resource on taking the first steps in getting the help that they need towards orthopaedic treatments.

I am going to be checking it out after this so make sure you do too!!!

  

“We are very committed in spreading awareness on orthopaedic health with this campaign. We are aware that some people may not be able to make it to the roadshows where there will be complimentary orthopaedic examinations. However, we believe in bringing the awareness to them with the help of the microsite that is accessible anywhere,” expressed Dr. Adzuan.

The public can also win a cash voucher that offers them the first consultation fee for only RM10 at Gleneagles KL if they participate in the online pain stimulator game “What Hurts?” by logging on to the microsite.... isn't that fun!!! And you know what?!! You also stand a chance to win a Garmin VivoFit worth RM400 when they play “What Hurts” and / or join the various campaign contests on Facebook.

“We are attempting to make the topic of orthopaedic care a more approachable discussion for Malaysians of all ages. We hope that this campaign helps shed some light on a topic that isn’t always discussed at home. GKL has a fantastic pioneering team of orthopaedic experts and technology to help patients get the long term solutions that they need to live a full, healthy and happy life,” said Dr. Adzuan. 

  

The GKL Centre of Excellence in orthopaedics provides patients with end-to-end, cutting edge orthopaedic solutions in a simple, one-stop destination. With a strong team of pioneering physicians in orthopaedics and sports medicine, patients are provided the dedicated care that they need to optimize their physical capabilities after an injury or trauma.

For more information on GKL’s ‘Don’t Ignore the Pain’ campaign and Orthopaedics at GKL, please visit www.dontignorethepain.com or call (603) 4141 3000.