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Title: KNEE (AND OTHER JOINT) SURGERIES OFTEN WORTHLESS
Tags: knee, monterey, surgery, surgical, surgeries, doctors, fresno, surgeon, hea
Blog Entry: "In July 2002, research showed what lots of us have known for years-that arthroscopic surgery for banged up knees is more or less worthless. The finding that this lucrative orthopedic surgical procedure does no good comes as a shock to lots of doctors and lay persons. Even early improvement right after surgery does not last. And the final "proof of the pudding" revealed that sham (fake) knee surgery was just as effective as the real thing!" Health Alert, Vol. 19, No.9 Arthroscopic knee surgery was proven useless six years ago.1 In a study, half the patients got real arthroscopic surgery, and the placebo group got sham (fake) surgeries. That's where they actually poked two holes in the knee and pretended to fix it. These people had as good or better results than those with real surgeries. Even for those who got some good results immediately following the actual surgery, the "bad, old knee" returned with a vengeance months or years down the road. Surely this research would have put an end to arthroscopic knee surgeries, right? Are you kidding? There are more performed now than ever (over 500,000 a year) because they make millions of dollars for doctors, surgery centers, and hospitals. And if you don't get good results, or even if you are crippled (yes, this simple surgery can cripple), it doesn't matter. The surgeon will simply tell you that you don't heal as well as most people. Based on the finest scans available, surgeons set out to cut, aspirate, _air, and "clean out" debris from knee joints. It seems very high tech, but it is far from that. The truth is that the pain in most knees is caused by something unrelated to what is discovered on MRIs. Therefore, all the surgical manipulation is useless-regardless of how technical it may seem to be. What these surgeries can do, however, is cause permanent damage. And the damage can take its toll in ways that neither the patient nor the doctor could ever imagine. Aside from the standard surgical damage that causes a weak, swollen, inflamed, and painful knee for weeks, months, years, or even for life, there are even worse things that can happen. The chronic pain and disability caused by some joint surgeries can induce drug addiction in some people. Because they can't function, can't sleep, and can't enjoy life, stronger and stronger pain medications may be prescribed, and that leads to more and worse side effects, as well as a possible addiction. Consider the surgeon who nicks an artery during "simple and safe" arthroscopic surgery. The nicked artery bleeds into the knee joint. And before the nursing staff can recognize what is going on, the knee is partially destroyed-rendering the patient crippled for life. Or the surgery that makes the knee worse, followed by another surgery to fix the first-only to make it worse still. These treatments render patients impaired or crippled for months or years. And unless they can finally heal from the damage done to the knee, they will suffer for the rest of their lives because of a surgery that should never have been done in the first place. Of course there is the worst case scenario where two, three, or more surgeries are performed, each one making the knee, shoulder or some other joint worse. Finally there is nothing left to do. And if it is a shoulder, there is not even a joint replacement surgery to replace the one ruined from botched arthroscopic surgeries. The patient ends up on powerful pain pills, is severely depressed, and finally dies from an overdose of painkillers. Think this can't happen? Think again. These are just a handful of cases involving my own personal friends, or patients that came to me too late. Arthroscopic Knee Surgery or Not? Let's face it, when you tear your knee up in an accident-skiing or whatever-thank goodness for great surgeons. But thousands upon thousands of surgeries for sore knees? When you realize that for most cases, these surgeries have been proven to be ineffective-and that disaster can happen from simple arthroscopic surgeries that "barely leave a scar"-you simply have to rethink your surgery plans. This kind of surgery should be avoided except in very specific and last-resort cases. For most cases, the reason this is true is simple indeed. Most common knee pain is caused by muscles. And the things that are so scientifically noted on your MRI report usually have nothing to do with the pain. So just what can you do? The therapists most versed in handling knee and other joint problems are Kinesiologists. Kinesiologists are muscle experts, and they are usually chiropractors or osteopaths. Another excellent therapy for joints is called Active Release Technique, which is also practiced primarily by chiropractors and osteopaths. A dozen or so treatments will usually balance the muscles and soft tissues of the joint. You owe it to yourself to exhaust these types of treatments first. There are millions of people who have become surgically crippled. They would tell you "if only I knew before my arthroscopic surgery what I know now." Great therapists who understand kinesiology or active release technique are often difficult to find. The best way to start is by asking around your own town-to see if rave reviews about one doctor or therapist keep coming up. You can also find out if an active release technique therapist is in your neighborhood by going to www.activereleasetechnique.com. You may be able to find a kinesiologist by calling the International College of Applied Kinesiology (lCAK) at 913384-5336 (or email them at ICAK@dci-kansascity. com). Add the Nutritional Factor Your knee will not get better, no matter what therapy you get-including surgery-unless you have the necessary nutrition to heal . And whether you have surgery or not, you will get better faster with the right nutrition. With knees and other joints, the major nutritional factor remains virtually unknown to most people and their physicians, doctors, and therapists. It is raw bone nutrition . Nothing helps heal a joint faster than raw bone with the marrow. If we could simply chew this up, we would all heal much faster. But since this is not possible, we use the next best thing-raw bones with the marrow, processed without heat or chemicals into supplements. You can get this from Calcifood Wafers or Calcifood Powder from Standard Process. Take Calcifood Wafers (6-12) or a tablespoon of Calcifood Powder daily. And you will need the ancillary joint nutrition to go with it. If you simply have a bad knee without arthritis or osteoporosis, take Calcifood, plus Calcium Lactate (6 daily), Cataplex C (4-6 daily), Glucosamine Synergy (3 daily), and a daily tablespoon of Cod Liver Oil. All products, except the cod liver oil, are by Standard Process. Strict vegetarians will have a harder time healing joints. The nutrition from bone and fat are critical to joints. In addition, a low-fat diet, statin (cholesterol-lowering) drugs, and antacids all impair joint healing . A Mediterranean diet with this nutritional protocol provides the nutrition needed to heal joints. If you have arthritis or osteoporosis, add two additional nutritional supplements. For people with osteoporosis , add Standard Process Cal-Ma Plus (3 daily for 2 months, then 1 daily for a year, taken 1 week on, 1 week off). And if you suffer from severe pain, stiffness, and/or arthritis, add Raw Butter to your eating plan. Real butter oil (solid at room temperature) contains the Wulzen Factor and Activator X, both natural anti-pain and anti-stiffness nutritional factors. Stretching and Strengthening Ice is best immediately following an injury, and stretching and strengthening is usually necessary for recovery and prevention of future injuries. Your therapist can prescribe proper stretches and resistance exercise (weights) for your particular problem. And it does make a difference. In 1964 I had a very severe high school football knee injury. I basically tore apart my medial meniscus cartilage and my medial collateral ligament. Because they are the stabilizing structures of the entire inside of the knee, this was serious indeed. Today I would have had immediate surgery. An attempt at repairing my ligament would have been made. An attempt to repair my torn meniscus would have been made, or it would have been removed. All the debris would have been aspirated from my knee, and, most likely, my knee would never have been the same. But in 1964 there was no arthroscopic surgery, and we had no money for a surgeon anyway. So we opted to do nothing, other than get therapy from an old-time osteopath, and follow his advice to stretch and strengthen my knee with weight lifting and eating well. That was 44 years ago. And after 6 months of recovery, I never again had any trouble whatsoever with my knee. I have competed for the USA in track and field and still play every conceivable sport -- all with no medial meniscus cartilage, and most likely a torn medial collateral ligament -- never even thinking about my old knee injury. The lessons here are simple. Most joints will heal and correct themselves given the right circumstances of correct therapy and nutrition. Surgery is only needed in rare instances. And arthroscopic surgery, especially of the knee, is often worthless, risky, and dangerous. And if our surgery goes badly, you will be begging to get our old knee back. Notes 1 New England Journal of Medicine July 11, 2002 4July 2008, Volume 25, Issue 7 HEALTH ALERT Dr. Bruce West, 100 Wilson Rd., #110, Monterey, CA93940 Dr. Bruce West For All Your NUTRITIONAL Needs If you need it, I have it . Jerry Kossack, B.S., C.N.C. Wellness Consultant 559-431-7678 - Fresno, CA