Arthritis Anyone?

[rieshy]

I damaged my lateral meniscus which led to a MRI and now I'm finding out that I have "significant" arthritis.  I find out more from the ortho tomorrow.  I want to do some research before the appointment so words don't just fly over my head.  Can anyone recommend their favorite sites or books?  

 

Especially info or sites aimed at people who are heavily into marital arts and running?

[MBM]

Recently I've been suggesting pulsed electromagnetic field therapy (PEMFT), which I used successfully for nocturnal lower back pain that was waking me up. (I have no pain now after one month of using my device.) The first link explains what it is, the second link describes a knee device you can wear (the OrthoCor Active Knee), and the third link is Dr. Pawluk's website. Pawluk uses PEMF quite a bit in his practice. PEMF is used to heal certain bone fractures here in the US, btw, so an ortho would probably know about it.

 

http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/pulsed-electromagnetic-fields-how-they-heal

http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/ask-your-doctor-about-pulsed-electromagnetic-field-therapy

http://drpawluk.com

 

 

 

[ThatHomeschoolDad]

Not a book, but a food. Cherries. They have the highest concetration of anthocyanins, anti-inflamatory compunds. A 2012 study showed drinking cherry juice reduced inflamation - can't remember where I saw it.

[wingedradical]

I've also heard good things about PEMFs but the last I knew, they were so new here that they were hard to get unless you are an injured top athlete.

 

If your Dr. is traditional, he will probably suggest injections of hyoluronic acid such as SynVisc (there are other commercial names, too, but I don't remember them). It lubricates the knee joint and according to my Dr., he has had patients with severe arthritis who put off knee replacements indefinitely.

 

It used to be a series of 3-6 injections, but they now have a one-shot shot. It doesn't work for everyone, though.

 

Of course, cortisone injections can temporarily help with inflammation, but it is nasty stuff and isn't really an a long-term solution for arthritis like Synvisc.

 

Otherwise, it's exercises to make the area around the joint stronger and if you have excess weight, taking it off. Also, heat in the morning after inactivity, ice after activity and/or at night. 

 

Oh, and there is also an anti-inflammatory gel called Voltaren that works sometimes. The gel is better than meds you take by mouth because, of course, anti-inflammatories are terrible on your esophagus and stomach (and eventually, on you liver). 

 

I must be honest and say that herbal anti-inflammatories are not (in my experience) very effective once the inflammation hits a certain point. They just aren't strong enough. But you could try.

 

Also, you should know - if you have surgery for the meniscus tear (sometimes necessary and sometimes not recommended, depending on where the tear is located), expect the arthritis to advance much more quickly than if you don't.

 

Knee replacement is a very mixed bag -- the good news is, it's like a miracle once you reach total recovery. The bad news is, it is extremely difficult and painful afterwards (my doctor requires oxycontin for a minimum of two weeks afterwards - and even after that, it is a very long and arduous recovery). But if you are fairly young or even middle aged, that is probably far in the future and maybe things will be better, lol.

 

I'm a now disabled R.N. and have lupus (lots of arthritis though not osteo and not the knees so much but i had a left knee replacement due to osteo-arthritis resulting from a serious injury I had many years ago). Bah, now I'm in a wheelchair most of the time but that is unrelated to the knee.

 

[Pawz4me]

Oh, and there is also an anti-inflammatory gel called Voltaren that works sometimes. The gel is better than meds you take by mouth because, of course, anti-inflammatories are terrible on your esophagus and stomach (and eventually, on you liver).

 

My doctor is a huge proponent of topical gels.  He says they work better for smaller joints than larger ones, though.  So far I've been able to get by with using the OTC pain relieving ointments.  They work fairly well for my fingers, but not so much for my ankles.

[rieshy]

Thanks everyone!  I love cherries, btw.:)

[mommymilkies]

I'm taking fish oil for mine (knees and hips) as well as doing supportive and strengthening exercises from Restorative Exercise.

[MBM]

I've also heard good things about PEMFs but the last I knew, they were so new here that they were hard to get unless you are an injured top athlete.

 

The story of PEMFT in the US is interesting. They were first used for injured horses. Then sports team trainers heard about PEMFT and, wanting to help their athletes heal faster, began using the horse devices on athletes. It worked well. Thereafter, some medical people, mostly naturopaths and chiropractors but some MDs, too, began using them on patients.

 

PEMF does not fix the problem directly but improves the body's ability to fix itself.

 

If you need a device, Dr. Pawluk has researched quite a few and travels to Europe and Russia where they have been used much longer. (Nikola Tesla is the first to have created an electrical device for medical purposes.) Pawluk is an MD who has used PEMF for a few decades. He also has taught at Johns Hopkins. Anyway, you can buy the devices from his website. For someone with back pain, the Almag-01 might be a good choice. It's what I used. It cost about $600, though, so not cheap but better than sleepless nights!

 

My back pain lasted for four months and would occur around 3:00 a.m. every night. I've read that pain at night and not during the day is usually inflammation. It was about a 6-7 on a scale of 10 and is now a 0.

 

PEMF is also being used for quite a few medical problems ranging from nerve and musculoskeletal problems to depression to treatment of cancer, such as melanoma (electrochemotherapy). It's even being used to help children learn better. It's a fascinating therapy.

 

If your Dr. is traditional, he will probably suggest injections of hyoluronic acid such as SynVisc (there are other commercial names, too, but I don't remember them). It lubricates the knee joint and according to my Dr., he has had patients with severe arthritis who put off knee replacements indefinitely.

 

It used to be a series of 3-6 injections, but they now have a one-shot shot. It doesn't work for everyone, though.

 

Is this technically prolotherapy? From what I've read C. Everett Koop used prolotherapy for an injury of his and then began using it on patients thereafter. I think they sometimes use the hyoluronic acid in addition to sugar or saline. Prolotherapy works well for many but can be painful initially. But it seems to really fix the problem. One of the leaders in this area is Dr. Hauser http://www.caringmedical.com. He has a number of YouTube videos showing what the procedures entail. Prolozone is a newer form where they inject a bit of ozone and oxygen into the injured area -- not into veins or arteries. This is less painful. Frank Shallenberger is the inventor of that.

 

Of course, cortisone injections can temporarily help with inflammation, but it is nasty stuff and isn't really an a long-term solution for arthritis like Synvisc.

 

Otherwise, it's exercises to make the area around the joint stronger and if you have excess weight, taking it off. Also, heat in the morning after inactivity, ice after activity and/or at night. 

 

Oh, and there is also an anti-inflammatory gel called Voltaren that works sometimes. The gel is better than meds you take by mouth because, of course, anti-inflammatories are terrible on your esophagus and stomach (and eventually, on you liver). 

 

I must be honest and say that herbal anti-inflammatories are not (in my experience) very effective once the inflammation hits a certain point. They just aren't strong enough. But you could try.

 

Also, you should know - if you have surgery for the meniscus tear (sometimes necessary and sometimes not recommended, depending on where the tear is located), expect the arthritis to advance much more quickly than if you don't.

 

Knee replacement is a very mixed bag -- the good news is, it's like a miracle once you reach total recovery. The bad news is, it is extremely difficult and painful afterwards (my doctor requires oxycontin for a minimum of two weeks afterwards - and even after that, it is a very long and arduous recovery). But if you are fairly young or even middle aged, that is probably far in the future and maybe things will be better, lol.

 

I'm a now disabled R.N. and have lupus (lots of arthritis though not osteo and not the knees so much but i had a left knee replacement due to osteo-arthritis resulting from a serious injury I had many years ago). Bah, now I'm in a wheelchair most of the time but that is unrelated to the knee.

 

Have you ever been able to try a PEMF device for your arthritis? I know of some people with lupus who've been helped by them, but they can be hard to find. The chiros and naturopaths that I've researched usually use the mats and some of them are fairly reasonable. Ugh. Anyway, I'm sorry about your lupus. :(