Worked my butt off this past weekend, cleaning the house for an anticipated visit by my father-in-law’s wife’s brother and his wife, from Italy. Seems the guy is reported to be allergic to cats. Heh. That would make ours the wrong house to visit, as a general rule (we’re down to 24 now, having just lost Misty, our oldest, on this past Christmas Eve Day).
 
But, as these nice folks have never been in the States before, in the interests of international diplomacy, we decided to go the extra mile and super clean the place to make it “safe” for an allergy sufferer.
 
But first, we had to trap the cats and confine them. Otherwise, you’re just spinning your wheels. Fortunately, like me and most of our friends, they’re “food sluts.” Nothing they wouldn’t do, no place they wouldn’t go, for a tasty meal. So, my wife and I cracked open a few cans of wet cat food and played “Pied Piper” with them.
 
It’s quite a sight to see them all following the aroma of the food, right into the bedrooms, where we locked them in for the day. Then, we could work in peace.
 
So, we finished the house and then set about making some food. One thing about Italians is that they know good food. So we pulled out all the stops.  Turned out pretty well, too. They seemed to like everything and had seconds….
 
Nice couple they were: Mario and Tina. Live near Naples (the real one, not the one in Florida), have four kids, the oldest of whom is now in his forties. And they speak no English. Fortunately, Anna, Charlie’s wife and Mario’s sister, is bilingual, so we had our own built-in interpreter. Very lovely people. And we had a good time.
 
During the meal, Mario mentioned to my father-in-law that his son was supposed to have surgery on his knee. Between Anna’s interpretations and sign lingo, I was made to understand that he was having arthroscopic surgery on his lateral mensicus, which according to an MRI scan, was torn. And, since he found out that I was an orthopaedic surgeon, he naturally wanted to know if I thought that surgery was necessary.
 
Pretty good question, really. I pointed out to him that if he had read my book on treating knee pain, DR. BILL’S LITTLE GREEN BOOK FOR ELIMINATING KNEE PAIN  http://www.drbillsclinic.com/eliminate_knee_pain.html  he would know the answer. And a lot has to do with the nature of the tear, where in the meniscus it is, and how active he intends to be after surgery. And all that is assuming that the tear actually exists.
 
The MRI scan is a great tool for diagnosis. On the medial side of the joint (inner side), its accuracy is about 90-95%. But, because of the screwy anatomy of the lateral compartment of the knee joint, MRI findings of the lateral meniscus are only about 60% accurate. So, actual pathology has to confirmed at arthroscopy, before you can begin to decide on appropriate treatment.
 
Apparently, he got the injury playing football. Not our idea of football, as in the Superbowl, but European football, or soccer. The rapid twisting, cutting movements in that game result in lots of meniscal tears. And, despite his age, he’d like to continue playing, after the proposed procedure. That being the case, he SHOULD have the surgery. 
 
If he was a low demand user, ie., a couch potato, then the same injury need not be treated so aggressively. In fact, the pain could then be treated with a number of the non-surgical options that I recommend, from across the entire medical spectrum, including the best alternative treatments, in my newest healing program, HOW TO AVOID KNEE SURGERY: http://www.drbillsclinic.com/avoid_knee_surgery.html  
 
The exercises I show you, plus one, or several, of the other simple, easy to apply solutions for knee pain, including the anti- inflammatory properties of my POWERHOUSE OMEGA FORMULA,  http://www.favoriteformulas.com    an ultra pure, pharmaceutical grade fish oil, can often get rid of your knee pain fast and keep it gone, for good. Two capsules, twice a day, for a couple of months should do the trick, by reducing inflammation.
 
He felt very reassured that his son was making the right decision. And he was relieved that he had every reason to believe that his recovery would be fast and uneventful. Especially after I told him that I’d had such surgery myself and obviously, did well.
 
Then, it was time for them to make the run to the Orlando International Airport. Another of his sons was flying in to visit and they were going to pick him up. Naturally, they all want to go to Disney World.
 
So, having done our bit for U.S. international relations, and made two new friends, we all said “Ciao!” and bid them farewell. After a few well-earned moments of peace, for ourselves, the bride and I released the feline hordes, who descended on the kitchen, looking for more food!  There’s no end to it!
 
And, you know, that guy, Mario, never sneezed once! Guess we did a pretty good job. Well, that’s it for today, my friend. 
 
Remember that very soon, now, I will be asking you to sign up again, if you’d like to continue getting my daily emails and commentary, when I switch to a new server to improve email reliability and delivery. I know it’s a pain in the butt, but it’s necessary. 
 
On the other hand, if you’d like to bail, but were afraid of hurting my feelings, just don’t do anything and that will be done for you–you’ll just stop getting these daily ramblings and musings. To continue, you will have to take action, when the time comes.
 
Anyway, be well. Talk to you soon. 

Yours for a pain-free tomorrow,
 
Dr. Bill
 
“The Wellness warrior”         TM

P.S. For DR. BILL’S LITTLE GREEN BOOK ON ELIMINATING KNEE PAIN, a concise, but complete handbook on the root causes and the various options for treating knee pain, go to http://drbillsclinic.com/eliminate_knee_pain.html 
 
P.P.S. For DR. BILL’S PAIN-FREE PROGRAM: EXERCISES TO PREVENT OR ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN, please go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html 
 
P.P.P.S. For conventional and alternative treatments and exercises to relieve knee pain without surgery click on http://drbillsclinic.com/avoid_knee_surgery.html 
 
P.P.P.P.S. For the giant, comprehensive ADVANCED MASTERS’ COURSE: HOW TO ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN–ONCE & FOR ALL!, everything you need to know on causes and solutions for knee pain and the complete exercise program, too, go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/advanced_masters.html 
 
FREE BONUS CD with any order: THE HEALING POWER OF POSITIVE PAIN PERCEPTION

Copyright, 2010 by William Thomas Stillwell, MD, FACS
All rights reserved

Last week, while I was perusing my emails for Dr. Bill’s Clinic, I came across a request from one of my older subscribers. By older, I mean (quite naturally) older than ME. Ever notice how when anyone talk about “old guys,” they always mean older than THEM. Right?
 
Anyway, this man is, shall we say, in late middle age, has stayed in good shape and has been a runner for years. Problem is that he recently had a sudden onset of severe knee pain, after running to catch a bus, or something.
 
He was seen by an orthopaedist, who after examining him, decided that he may well have a torn meniscus. 
 
As you may know, there are two crescent shaped fibrocartilages, called menisci, which lie between the end of the femur (thigh bone) and the upper tibia (shin bone), inside the knee. 
 
They act as cushions and guides for motion of the joint, especially in twisting, or cutting movements. For more about these and other causes of painful knee pathology, please refer to my LITTLE GREEN BOOK:  http://www.drbillsclinic.com/eliminate_knee_pain.html
 
Because these cartilage structures are invisible on standard x-rays, the doctor ordered an MRI scan of the offending knee. This scan is terrific, because it can show the structures and can predict if they are torn, with an accuracy of about 90-95%, on the medial (inside) compartment of the knee.
 
Sure enough, he had a torn medial meniscus. But he also had a surprise–he had almost completely bare bone exposed on the end of his femur, in the medial compartment. The guy was understandably shocked. How could he have such bad arthritis and not have felt it before this injury?
 
The answer is, this is not an uncommon picture. Sometimes, the articular cartilage becomes degenerative and gradually erodes away, exposing the bone. Though most people will feel this as significant pain, as it happens, a few will compensate (high pain threshhold, endorphins, etc.) and will feel nothing, at all. Until something happens, as did here, to DE-compensate his defenses against pain. THEN, he felt it.
 
Naturally, as a believer in natural healing, he was leery of knee surgery. And studies have demonstrated that arthroscopic surgery added nothing to just medicine, physical therapy and exercises, like those I teach in my newly updated and expanded PAIN-FREE PROGRAM & DVD:  http://www.drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html 
 
HOWEVER…in this case, I DID recommend that he go ahead with surgery. Here’s why.
 
This man is very active and wants to remain so. He has exposed bare bone and therefore, will need at least a partial knee replacement, perhaps a total knee replacement, when his symptoms warrant it. But then, he will NOT be able to run or do any exercises involving impact, which could damage, or loosen the artificial implants.
 
He also has a significant tear, easily fixed, in addition to his arthritis. It seems reasonable to conclude that if the tear were “fixed,” he might well “buy time” and return to his asymptomatic state, at least for a while.
 
The studies that recommended against knee surgery for arthritis were talking about a general “clean out,” or debridement, NOT addressing a specific torn meniscus, with very specific mechanical symptoms, directly attributed to that damaged structure. When dealing with arthritis and knee pain, it IS best to be conservative, in most cases, where there is diffuse disease and no specific mechanical symptoms, as seen here.
 
That’s why I wrote my newest healing program, HOW TO AVOID KNEE SURGERY, which you can get here: http://www.drbillsclinic.com/avoid_knee_surgery.html 
 
The many treatments from both conventional and alternative medicine are designed to help you avoid the UNNECESSARY procedure. but if the surgery IS necssary, as it was here, then it should be done.
 
Well, he DID have the arthroscopy, he did, in fact have the tear that the MRI predicted, and he DID do very well. He’s now glad he did it, as he has returned to his preoperative state of virtually no pain. And the procedure has bought him time, which he can continue to enjoy, until further progress of his disease makes a total knee unavoidable.
 
I love being right. 
 
And the only other recommendation I gave him that I would give you, too, is to get on my Powerhouse Omega Formula, an ultra pure, highly concentrated, pharmaceutical grade fish oil, with a special enteric coating that prevents any fishy aftertaste and the dreaded “fish burps.”
 
http://www.favoriteformulas.com  
 
Omega 3′s have potent, long term anti-inflammatory properties that help to control the pain of arthritis, a as well as many heart and brain healthy effects, as well.
 
I also advised him to consider giving up the running, in favor of power walking, or hill sprints, which avoid the damaging shocks to the weight bearing joints, seen with running. If he listens to me, these measures may buy him even more time….
 
Til next time, my friend, be well.
 
Yours for a pain-free tomorrow,
 
Dr. Bill
 
“The Wellness Warrior”    TM
 
P.S. For DR. BILL’S LITTLE GREEN BOOK ON ELIMINATING KNEE PAIN, a concise, but complete handbook on the root causes and the various options for treating knee pain, go to http://drbillsclinic.com/eliminate_knee_pain.html 
 
P.P.S. For DR. BILL’S PAIN-FREE PROGRAM: EXERCISES TO PREVENT OR ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN, please go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html 
 
P.P.P.S. For conventional and alternative treatments and exercises to relieve knee pain without surgery click on http://drbillsclinic.com/avoid_knee_surgery.html 
 
P.P.P.P.S. For the giant, comprehensive ADVANCED MASTERS’ COURSE: HOW TO ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN–ONCE & FOR ALL!, everything you need to know on causes and solutions for knee pain and the complete exercise program, too, go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/advanced_masters.html 
 
FREE BONUS CD with any order: THE HEALING POWER OF POSITIVE PAIN PERCEPTION
 
Copyright, 2010 by William Thomas Stillwell, MD, FACS
All rights reserved

Now, in a young person, job #1 is to preserve the articular cartilage at all costs: in other words, prevent arthritis, which is what happens if an untreated, unstable torn meniscus is allowed to remain, without treatment. So, with this as our goal, the patient, his parents and I were all of one mind: this kid needed surgery, pronto!
 
With all best intentions, I scoped the kid, expecting to see and repair or remove this enormous tear. Only…there WASN’T ANY TEAR. I looked and probed everywhere.  Nope.  Nada.  Well, I wasn’t about to fix what wasn’t broken, so I shaved away some inflamed synovium at the medial (inner) joint line, and got out.
 
He had what we call a “false positive” MRI Scan, a diagnostic image that appears for all the world to be a bona fide meniscus tear, only the tear doesn’t really exist. Imagine my embarrassment when I had to tell the family that I didn’t find the expected pathology, other than the inflamed synovitis (swollen, reddened lining membrane of the joint, which can get caught between the moving bones, just like a torn meniscus).  

The family was very grateful that he didn’t have a tear and all turned out well, because the patient’s preop pain was relieved, probably because I cut away that inflamed membranous tissue. But you could very easily argue that this was a completely unnecessary surgery–I was chasing the chimera of a false finding on a scan. It taught me a lesson, that’s for sure.
 
The fact is, MRI Scans are, at best, only 90-95% accurate on the medial (inner) compartment of the knee joint. This drops to only 60-70% accuracy on the outer or lateral compartment of the knee, because of the more complex anatomy of the lateral meniscus. Bottom line: MRI Scans and other diagnostic tests are NOT 100% accurate. They are just one part of the puzzle and have to be interpreted, based on the physical findings and a patient’s response to treatment. 
 
There are lots of reasons for knee pain. You can learn more about them, in layman’s English, in my best selling LITTLE GREEN BOOK FOR ELIMINATING KNEE PAIN (see here at http://drbillsclinic.com/eliminate_knee_pain.html )
 
Many, if not most of them, can be treated with effective nonsurgical treatments, including alternative and complementary methods. The trick is knowing when surgery is really warranted–and when it’s NOT. That’s why I wrote HOW TO AVOID KNEE SURGERY, which you can see here http://drbillsclinic.com/avoid_knee_surgery.html
 
Remember, the very best surgery is the one you avoid. Til next time, my friend, be well. 
 
Yours for a pain-free tomorrow,
 
Dr. Bill

P.S. For DR. BILL’S LITTLE GREEN BOOK ON ELIMINATING KNEE PAIN, a concise, but complete handbook on the root causes and the various options for treating knee pain, go to http://drbillsclinic.com/eliminate_knee_pain.html
 
P.P.S. For DR. BILL’S PAIN-FREE PROGRAM: EXERCISES TO PREVENT OR ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN, please go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html
 
P.P.P.S. For the giant, comprehensive ADVANCED MASTERS’ COURSE: HOW TO ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN–ONCE & FOR ALL!, everything you need to know on causes and solutions for knee pain and the complete exercise program, too, go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/advanced_masters.html
 
FREE BONUS CD with any order: THE HEALING POWER OF POSITIVE PAIN PERCEPTION

Copyright, 2008 by William Thomas Stillwell, MD
All rights reserved

Well, here was my response:
 
 
“Sorry to hear of your knee pain. Perhaps I can help you.
 
“If you had arthroscopic surgery 15 years ago, but still have knee pain, it’s likely that you ARE healed, but you have residual degenerative (arthritic) changes inside the joint. Assuming no new injuries to the internal structures, that is the most likely explanation for your persistent pain. 
 
“This is a pretty broad topic, beyond the scope of a simple email. 
 
“But I have written several healing programs for just such problems. One of these may well help you, as they have helped a number of others.
 
“I would suggest you consider my LITTLE GREEN BOOK FOR ELIMINATING KNEE PAIN, manual & CD (get it at http://drbillsclinic.com/eliminate_knee_pain.html ), which helps you identify what’s causing your pain and offers methods from across the entire treatment spectrum (conventional, alternative and complimentary), and my PAIN-FREE PROGRAM, which you can get at http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html  which demonstrates the specially modified exercises I used myself (I had arthroscopic surgery, personally, a couple of years ago) and that I used on my own patients, during my years in practice. 
 
“These products are designed to compliment each other, as a set.
 
“Most recently, I wrote a new program to help people get rid of knee pain, without surgery, called (appropriately enough) HOW TO AVOID KNEE SURGERY. This program combines the best of conventional and alternative measures for short term relief of inflammation the major cause of acute pain) and specific, modified exercises for long term pain relief and restoration of function. 
 
“You can see that new program (and get it) at http://drbillsclinic.com/avoid_knee _surgery.html 
 
“I’m sure that one of these options will help you get the relief you seek, if you apply the principles I teach. Let me know how you’re doing. Good Luck!
 
“All the best,
 
“Dr. Bill Stillwell”
 
 
Well, it’s too soon to tell if he took my advice. But degenerative changes within the knee joint (usually ostearthritis) is the most common long term cause for persistent knee pain. Especially after you’ve had surgery. You see, a recent Canadian study has confirmed what an earlier clinical study had already suggested–namely, that arthroscopic surgery is NOT an effective treatment for osteoarthritis. 
 
Two groups, one which followed knee surgery with medication, physical therapy and exercise, and one which ONLY had medication, physical therapy and exercise, but NO surgery, were compared. There was NO statistically significant difference between the two groups, regarding pain and function. 
 
If there was no difference, then WHY would you have surgery, with all its attendent risks and potential complications? Right. You wouldn’t.
 
It’s too bad this man waited 15 years before getting my advice. If he had used the combined methods I teach in my new program, HOW TO AVOID KNEE SURGERY ( Get it at http://drbillsclinic.com/avoid_knee_surgery.html ), he might well have avoided years of frustration and pain.
 
So, a word to the wise…if you have knee pain, DON’T WAIT until after you’ve had surgery, which isn’t indicated anyway. Click on this link, RIGHT NOW: http://drbillsclinic.com/avoid_knee_surgery.html   and relieve your knee pain, for good!
 
Til next time, my friend, be well. Time to get a nice fat turkey ready for the feast….
 
Yours for a pain-free tomorrow,
 
Dr. Bill

P.S. For DR. BILL’S LITTLE GREEN BOOK ON ELIMINATING KNEE PAIN, a concise, but complete handbook on the root causes and the various options for treating knee pain, go to http://drbillsclinic.com/eliminate_knee_pain.html
 
P.P.S. For DR. BILL’S PAIN-FREE PROGRAM: EXERCISES TO PREVENT OR ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN, please go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html
 
P.P.P.S. For the giant, comprehensive ADVANCED MASTERS’ COURSE: HOW TO ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN–ONCE & FOR ALL!, everything you need to know on causes and solutions for knee pain and the complete exercise program, too, go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/advanced_masters.html
 
FREE BONUS CD with any order: THE HEALING POWER OF POSITIVE PAIN PERCEPTION
 
Copyright, 2008 by William Thomas Stillwell, MD
All rights reserved

“57 is NOT too young to have a total knee. But, there are a number of proven, very effective non-surgical methods that can help to relieve your pain, and restore your function, at least for a while. You may wish to get my newest healing program, HOW TO AVOID KNEE SURGERY   at http://drbillsclinic.com/avoid_knee_surgery.html
 
“Exercises help by increasing the stability and the support of the arthritic joint by increasing the mass and strength of the surrounding muscles. But they are only one method, among many others, that can delay surgery. If you have end stage arthritis, eventually you WILL come to a total knee. 
 
” But that day can be delayed in many cases–I had one patient I carried in this way for TEN YEARS,before he finally got it done. But remember, everyone is different, so you can’t predict how well these methods will work for you. Still, isn’t it worth a shot? 
 
” BTW, be sure you have your Total Knee done by a specialist in joint replacement, when the time comes. It’s a very technique dependent procedure, so a guy who’s doing a LOT of them will have better results and fewer problems and complications. Hope these  tips help. Good luck to you!…”
 
Hopefully, he’ll take my advice and click on   http://drbillsclinic.com/avoid_knee_surgery.html  He’s likely to find a highly effective combination of conventional and alternative measures and exercises that will give him FAST RELIEF from his knee pain and help him AVOID SURGERY, if that’s possible. How about you?
 
Til next time, my friend, be well. 
 
Yours for a pain-free tomorrow, 
 
Dr. Bill
 
P.S. For DR. BILL’S LITTLE GREEN BOOK ON ELIMINATING KNEE PAIN, a concise, but complete handbook on the root causes and the various options for treating knee pain, go to http://drbillsclinic.com/eliminate_knee_pain.html
 
P.P.S. For DR. BILL’S PAIN-FREE PROGRAM: EXERCISES TO PREVENT OR ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN, please go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html
 
P.P.P.S. For the giant, comprehensive ADVANCED MASTERS’ COURSE: HOW TO ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN–ONCE & FOR ALL!, everything you need to know on causes and solutions for knee pain and the complete exercise program, too, go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/advanced_masters.html
 
FREE BONUS CD with any order: THE HEALING POWER OF POSITIVE PAIN PERCEPTION
 
Copyright, 2008 by William Thomas Stillwell, MD
All rights reserved

Because of the sheer volume of such people, however, I also did the most surgical procedures on those people who failed to improve with the non-surgical approach.
 
Naturally, people are afraid of surgery. I mean, when you think about it, you’re completely vulnerable, helpless really, under anesthesia, strapped to a  table, with bright lights in your eyes, strange sounds, smells and sights all around you, and some guy is literally invading your body with instruments–it’s far more intimate than any romantic encounter you could imagine. 

And worst of all, you’re NOT in control. You’ve literally put your life in the hands of a stranger. That’s probably the worst thing about surgery–no doubt about it, it IS scarey: the lack of control and, most of all, the UNKNOWN. People are most afraid of what they don’t know and don’t understand.
 
But, in accord with what I said yesterday, the best antidote for fear is truth. When you KNOW what it is that you have to deal with, it’s much easier to handle it. When it has dimension, magnitude, duration and intensity, it has a FINITE size and shape, and it’s far less scarey.
 
So here’s the truth: surgery is nothing, more or less, than the human equivalent of going to the body shop. Our bodies are basically machines. Now I, and probably you, may believe that we are far more than that as people, but the body is, for all intents and purposes, a meat machine. And like all machines, if something mechanical goes awry, it requires a mechanical solution. 

It’s no more complex or difficult than that.
 
So it follows that you DON’T go to the mechanic unless you have a real mechanical problem, right? In the same way, you DON’T require surgery, unless there’s a very specific mechanical problem that only surgery can fix.
 
Most people who have kneecap pain WILL get better with the measures I reveal in my newest healing program, HOW TO AVOID KNEE SURGERY, which you can see at http://drbillsclinic.com/avoid_knee_surgery.html
 
But here’s the scoop on what you can expect if you DO need surgery for the painful kneecap. 

Arthroscopic surgery involves two or three mini-puncture incisions, maybe 1/4 inch long. It can be done with general anesthesia, where you are unconscious; local anesthesia, where only your knee is numbed; regional anesthesia, like a spinal or epidural anesthetic (injection into the back); or my personal favorite, local with conscious sedation. This last method is great because the pain is blocked by local in the knee, and you’re in a twilight kind of deep relaxation–you couldn’t care less what they were doing to you. It feels great! That’s how I had my own knee surgery done and I highly recommend it.
 
Through these mini incisions, an arthroscope (steel tube, 3-5mm wide, containing lenses and fiber optic light) is inserted into the joint, which is then inflated with sterile, salt water solution. The scope is then used to look around and document any pathology. 

If shredding of the kneecap cartilage is found, it is then removed, usually by a power shaver, and the fragments cut or shaved away are sucked out by a vacuum pump. This smoothes the surface of the patella.
 
If the kneecap is tracking too far to the outside (laterally), the tight tissues on the outside of the knee may be split, lengthwise, to release the tension and permit the kneecap to return to the center, where it belongs. Sometimes, a few sutures are placed on the INSIDE (medial side) of the capsule to aid the centralization.  But that’s pretty much it. 

Then, the scope and instruments are removed, the little punctures are sutured and the knee is dressed. Then, you go home, where you start the exercises I teach in my PAIN-FREE PROGRAM, which you can see at http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html
 
Once the mystery is removed and you think of these surgeries as mechanical adjustments, they’re far less intimidating, aren’t they? 

BUT, that doesn’t mean you run out and get surgery and I’m not advocating that. No. That’s the LAST thing you do, and then, only if nothing else is working.
 
The BEST SOLUTION is to do whatever’s necessary to let your body heal itself. And that’s where my new program, HOW TO AVOID KNEE SURGERY   http://drbillsclinic.com/avoid_knee_surgery.html   will help you. The idea is to use whatever works to relieve your pain, and AVOID UNNECESSARY SURGERY. 

Tomorrow, we’ll look at another knee surgery. The more you know, the less you’ll fear and better you’ll feel. Til next time, my friend, be well.
 
Yours for a pain-free tomorrow,
 
Dr. Bill
 
P.S. For DR. BILL’S LITTLE GREEN BOOK ON ELIMINATING KNEE PAIN, a concise, but complete handbook on the root causes and the various options for treating knee pain, go to http://drbillsclinic.com/eliminate_knee_pain.html
 
P.P.S. For DR. BILL’S PAIN-FREE PROGRAM: EXERCISES TO PREVENT OR ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN, please go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html
 
P.P.P.S. For the giant, comprehensive ADVANCED MASTERS’ COURSE: HOW TO ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN–ONCE & FOR ALL!, everything you need to know on causes and solutions for knee pain and the complete exercise program, too, go to http://drbillsclinic.com/advanced_masters.html
 
FREE BONUS CD with any order: THE HEALING POWER OF POSITIVE PAIN PERCEPTION
 
Copyright, 2008 by William Thomas Stillwell, MD
All rights reserved

The need for the surgery, as you might expect, was well documented by physical exam, and a positive MRI, that demonstrated a torn medial meniscus. It had been interfering with my walking and exercising and I had just had enough. I called two of my best buds in the Department; one was busy and didn’t return my call, but the other saw me right away. Hey, rank has its privileges, right? Well, he agreed that I needed the ’scope. So we booked it for the local Surgi-Center, which specializes in outpatient surgeries.
 
So on the big day, they rolled me into the OR, smiles all around. They started an IV and slipped me a little IV Versed (a short acting relaxant that has the side effect of short term amnesia). Very relaxing, almost pleasurable. I remember just a tiny stab of sharp pain in my left knee, where I needed a little more local anesthetic, otherwise, nothing. Woke up gradually in recovery, feeling fine. If you ever need to have surgery, this is called “conscious sedation” and it’s definitely the way to go.
 
As soon as I woke up sufficiently, they let me go and I went home. Set myself up in bed with my leg well elevated, with a big bag of crushed ice on it, to reduce swelling. At first, I was quite comfortable…then, the local anesthetic, injected into the knee at surgery, wore off. Oh boy! That was sore and even worse when I had to put it down to limp to the bathroom on crutches. So THAT’S what they were all complaining about. I suspected that MY surgeon had given me less anesthetic than I gave my patients. Took at least 2-3 days, before I could put some pressure on it.
 
Turns out I had a whole lot more pathology in that knee than I initially thought. That’s the thing about MRI’s and other interpretive examinations: the real thing is always worse than the scan indicates. In my case, a small area of bare bone under the residual meniscal rim, in other words, some arthritis. Now, with time, and me doing my own therapy, with the same exercises I teach at http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html   I gradually improved, more and more.
 
But after my left knee recovered, the right started acting up. I thought about going through the same process that I had just finished on my left knee, and decided that the odds were good that I had a “mirror image” lesion (in other words, the very same pathology) in my right knee. THIS time, I opted to AVOID SURGERY and treated myself with all the various options I knew about from across the entire treatment spectrum: the best of conventional therapy, alternative measures, dietary changes, nutriceuticals, the works.

And it’s worked–so far, I haven’t had to have surgery on my right knee. And these same measures are those that I used for the over 90% of my patients, who I was able to treat without surgery. Now, I’ve put all these strategies and a number of healing programs into my newest product: HOW TO AVOID KNEE SURGERY. Go see it at    http://drbillsclinic.com/avoid_knee_surgery.html
Get rid of your pain, restore your function, and do it WITHOUT SURGERY. 

Til next time, my friend, be well. And have a great weekend.
 
Yours for a pain-free tomorrow,
 
Dr. Bill
 
P.S. For DR. BILL’S LITTLE GREEN BOOK ON ELIMINATING KNEE PAIN, a concise, but complete handbook on the root causes and the various options for treating knee pain, go to http://drbillsclinic.com/eliminate_knee_pain.html
 
P.P.S. For DR. BILL’S PAIN-FREE PROGRAM: EXERCISES TO PREVENT OR ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN, please go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html
 
P.P.P.S. For the giant, comprehensive ADVANCED MASTERS’ COURSE: HOW TO ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN–ONCE & FOR ALL!, everything you need to know on causes and solutions for knee pain and the complete exercise program, too, go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/advanced_masters.html
 
FREE BONUS CD with any order: THE HEALING POWER OF POSITIVE PAIN PERCEPTION
 
Copyright, 2008 by William Thomas Stillwell, MD
All rights reserved