Health encyclopaedia - Alphabetical Topic List
| | A | | | B | | | C | | | D | | | E | | | F | | | G | | | H | | | I | | | J | | | K | | | L | | | M | |
| | N | | | O | | | P | | | Q | | | R | | | S | | | T | | | U | | | V | | | W | | | X | | | Y | |
Why is it necessary? of Arthroscopy
Arthroscopy is very helpful when trying to find the cause of a problem.
In many cases, joint problems can be diagnosed using non-surgical methods such as MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) or treated with physiotherapy. Physiotherapy involves a range of treatments, including manipulation, massage, exercise, electrotherapy and hydrotherapy.
However, sometimes X-rays and MRI scans are not always clear enough to make a proper diagnosis e.g. if the problem involves the soft tissues around the bone.
A few reasons why you may need an arthroscopy are:
- there is a need to look inside your joint to find out exactly what is causing your problem e.g. pain, swelling and inflammation,
- you may have a tear in your cartilage (smooth, connecting tissue that covers the ends of bones in a joint),
- you may have torn one of the ligaments (a band of fibrous tissue that connects bones or cartilage),
- you may have a loose piece of bone,
- you have been experiencing unsteady joints, or
- you may have arthritis in one or more of your joints.
Many types of arthritis including rheumatoid arthritis, involve a thickening of an internal membrane called the synovium and the removal of this can be done very easily with an arthroscopy.
