SBS Show 'Three Perspectives' Explores Solutions for Joint Inflammation and Pain Relief

The SBS knowledge health variety show 'Three Perspectives' delves into managing inflammation starting from the joints and explores ways to alleviate severe pain.

Airing on April 12 at 8:35 AM, 'Three Perspectives' will focus on 'knee health' as outdoor activities increase with the arrival of warm spring weather. Symptoms like a heavy, stiff knee after starting exercise or discomfort when climbing stairs are often dismissed as temporary fatigue. However, these could be signs of cartilage silently wearing away. Experts emphasize the importance of early management of seemingly minor pain to maintain joint health.

Inflammatory substances originating from the joints can spread throughout the body via the bloodstream, affecting the heart, liver, and brain. Studies have shown that arthritis patients are at increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, and inflammation spreading to the brain can lead to cognitive decline and depression. Thus, knee pain, often overlooked, could be the 'starting point of inflammation' that affects the entire body.

Docent Lee Chang-yong sheds light on the tragic life behind the legendary fame of 19th-century French actress Sarah Bernhardt, who enjoyed 'BLACKPINK-level' popularity. Known for being the first French woman to play Shakespeare's 'Hamlet,' she once wrote to her doctor asking to have her leg amputated, sparking curiosity about her story.

Family medicine specialist Lee Seo-hyun explains that there are no approved drugs worldwide to stop arthritis, which remains a near-incurable disease. Maintaining the health of the cushioning structure within the joint is key to protecting it from inflammation, emphasizing the importance of a crucial component at its core.

Orthopedic specialist Cho Jin-woo describes the reality of arthritis pain as "bones grinding inside the knee and a knife stabbing the joint." Pain scale analysis shows that while toothache scores 4-5 and childbirth pain scores around 8, end-stage arthritis pain reaches a staggering 9.1, making it one of the worst pains humans can experience.

This pain is a reality for more people than expected. Since the mid-20th century, knee arthritis has doubled, with approximately 4.3 million people in South Korea suffering from the condition as of 2023. This number is equivalent to half of Seoul's population, indicating that many are living in a state of 'enduring pain.' Before the inflammatory response originating in the joints spreads throughout the body, attention must be paid to 'this' that can extinguish the flames of inflammation.

SBS 'Three Perspectives' episode 40 airs on April 12 at 8:35 AM.

Reporter Kim Se-ah, TenAsia haesmik@tenasia.co.kr