Well, here we are in Orlando, where it’s cloudy but not even raining yet. And the press has worked itself into a lather over the approach of Fay, a tropical storm with hurricane potential. Now, it is true that Fay has spawned some tornados, apparently killed ten people and should be taken seriously. But so far, virtually nothing that has been predicted has happened.
 
I’m well aware that meteorology is an inexact science. That’s rather like saying King Kong is a large monkey. I mean, these guys are wrong so often that they could probably do better if they flipped a coin. They know it’s raining when they look out the window. For all the sophisticated computer models, specialized radars and scientific analysis, they are clueless about what’s going on in the real world.
 
See, the problem is the computer models. The models are accurate ONLY if the premises on which they’re based are valid. Wrong assumptions, wrong results. Since the facts on the ground (or rather, in the air) are always changing, it makes it tough to accurately predict what’s actually going to happen. You see, I understand their limitations, but talk about your overpaid guys!  They get paid whether they’re right or wrong! In fact, most people expect them to be wrong. Meanwhile I was supposed to be perfect–any deviation from perfect is assumed to be defacto evidence of malpractice. Feh! Makes me sick!
 
Don’t get me wrong. I’m glad we don’t have to deal with a major hurricane. It’s just annoying that every prediction these guys make is presented with a certitude that keeps us all in a state of fear. That was the premise of a very good book by Michael Crichton, he of Jurassic Park fame, of the same name (State of Fear). His theme was the constant “state of fear” that the media tries to keep the public in, with one dire prediction after the next. And it’s absolutely true.
 
And here’s something else to think about: this is the same “science” that supports those who buy into the whole apocalyptic “global warming” business. Almost all of it is based on computer models, just like the day to day weather, apparently with the same degree of accuracy. 

This would explain the phenomenon of melting polar ice caps, rising seas (which, given Al Gore’s time line, should have swallowed several coastal cities by now) et al, which are a product of extrapolated computer models. Same problem: if the assumptions on which the models are based are faulty (ie. warming, such as it is, is the product of man made activity, greenhouse gases and the like), the results are, too. This is why the polar ice caps of Mars are also observed to be receding, absent ANY man-made activity (so far as we know). And it explains why our polar ice is now INCREASING, contrary to the predicted findings of the models.
 
People who are fully invested in the whole global warming enterprise are aware of these disturbing variations in the real world from the computer models. That’s why you now hear more about “climate change,” than global warming these days. Here’s a clue: the climate is ALWAYS changing–that’s what it does. And all climate is a function of the activity level of the SUN, the source of all energy on earth. The amazing thing is not that climate varies now and again, but that the narrow range necessary to preserve life on our little planet is remarkably constant.
 
So while the meteorologists and weathermen appear to be fey on Fay, I’m going to look out my window, onto the real world, and see what the weather’s doing. Still cloudy, still no rain, mildly breezy here in Orlando. But the radio says twisters were noted in Southern Florida. Which way will it go? They have NO IDEA, though they have plenty of predictions. Ah well, let’s hope it misses us. We’ll soon know…
 
Speaking of the crappy weather of the Hurricane Season, ever notice that your joints ache when it’s about to rain? Or that you feel sleepy when it’s cloudy and damp? Well, that’s a function of specialized nerve endings in the tissues around your joints that respond to a fall in barometric pressure (baroreceptors). Any inflammation, as from synovitis, arthritis, a chronic sprain or strain, a recent fracture (even if healed) aches with damp weather.
 
You can ease those aches and pains with some local heat applications and the various anti-inflammatory measures I teach in my newest program, HOW TO AVOID KNEE SURGERY    http://drbillsclinic.com/avoid_knee_surgery.html
Using measures from across the medical spectrum, you can relieve pain, reduce inflammation and restore function in your painful knee–without surgery. 

Til next time, my friend, stay dry, stay safe, and 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

My wife and I took her father and his wife out for dinner last night, in celebration of Father’s Day. We had to drive up to Palm Coast, where they live, in teeming rain. My father-in-law got this enormous blue sun umbrella, that we could all fit under, to keep us dry, as we walked from the car, across the large, open courtyard to the restaurant. 

We chose a nice Seafood Restaurant in the European Village Resort, called Barbara Jean. It’s a nice, homey, casual place with pretty good seafood. We all got the crab cakes, which were really tasty.  As we usually do, we asked where the shrimp and fish came from. Turns out that they are products of Fish Farms–not a good thing.
 
As I’ve mentioned before, Fish Farms, especially those in Asia (China, Thailand or Indonesia), are notorious for having the fish in extremely crowded conditions, swimming in their own waste, and pumped up with steroids to stimulate faster growth and antibiotics, so they can tolerate the unsanitary conditions. Now, I haven’t been to any of these Fish Farms, myself, and so, my opinions are based on reports from the media (which I tend to distrust on most other topics), but why take a chance?  In addition, Farm raised fish do not have the same level of omega-3 free fatty acids, as do their free swimming wild cousins, so they’re not as healthful as wild, line caught fish. Fortunately (to my knowledge) crab is not raised in Farms, so that seemed to be the best choice on the menu. And, as I said, the crab cakes were really good.
 
Now, possibly because of the inclement weather, my wife complained of pain radiating down her thigh, from the hip to the knee, along the outside of her leg. She has a known trochanteric busitis/tendinitis, which is most likely the source of her pain. But damp, or in this case soaking wet, conditions actually increase pain, when inflammation is involved. Why? Well, there are special nerve endings in the joint and tendon tissues called baroreceptors, which respond to falling barometric pressure, as when it’s raining. So that aching that you feel on damp days is not just your imagination; there’s a basis in fact for your aches and pains.
 
In any case, she complained to me, “Hey how come I’m married to a hot shot orthopaedist, and I’ve got knee pain? What did you say your specialty was again, buddy?”
 
Nothing like a smarta$$ woman. Never should have put shoes on them…but I digress. 

So, I replied, “Uh, have you done any of the exercises I gave you? No? OK, how about the fish oil? No? Well, how about the OTC anti-inflammatory medications–did you take any of them? No. If you haven’t done any of these things, I guess it’s not too surprising that you still have knee pain.” Oddly enough, she didn’t really appreciate this insightful analysis of her position.
 
This is so typical, though. When I was in practice, every day we had office hours, without fail, at least a half dozen patients would come in complaining of persistent pain, having done nothing that I had recommended they do, at the last visit. Yet, they were surprised, and occasionally upset, that despite the fact they had done NOTHING to help themselves, they were still in pain. Proof positive again, as if
more proof were needed, that Man is a rationalizing, not a rational, animal. 

It’s like they expected that just because they came to see me, their symptoms would just vanish, with no effort on their parts, at all. Kind of like the faith healings at old time revival meetings, where the preacher would just set his hand upon their heads and say, “HEAL!” And they would fall out and later testify, “I’m healed, I can WALK again!” I always wished I really had those kinds of powers….Sadly, being mortal, I have to rely on science and skill and imparting common sense to those who will listen and DO what I tell them to do.
 
My wife’s problem is not uncommon. It usually comes about as a result of unaccustomed activities, that overstress the iliotibial band (ITB). Once that band on the outside of the hip and thigh becomes inflamed, pain can occur at any point along its length, even on the outside (lateral side) of the knee. It will usually respond to rest, local heat and the stretching exercises I teach in my PAIN-FREE PROGRAM, which you can see at   http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html
 
But, for heaven’s sake, it won’t happen if you don’t FOLLOW MY RECOMMENDATIONS and DO THE EXERCISES. Now, it’s expected that my wife will ignore me. I mean, she’s my wife. She thinks that I and all physicians are quacks! Like Kahlil Ghibran said, “A prophet is forever without honor in his own land.” But you don’t have that excuse.  And despite what my darlin’ wife thinks, I actually DO know what I’m talking about. But don’t just take my word for it. Get my PAIN-FREE PROGRAM, and see if you don’t feel better. Go to  http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html   You’ll be glad you did and your knees will thank 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