My ortho keeps on saying that I may need TKR for my right knee and I am still holding out. I went to a chiropractor and listened to him speak about cold laser therapy on knees. It is suppose to rejuvenate the nerves and muscles around the knee help with the pain. He said it will take 8-15 weeks to see if it shows any improvement. We will see. Anything to keep from going under the knife!
At this point it’s stalling surgery, yes? What level of functioning do you think you’ll get up to with this treatment?
Why are you stalling surgery? If its a dislike/fear I get that I do people are often too quick (especially when hurting) to go under the knife, if putting off mean until the last Bowl game I get that. Waiting until you are older so you can be the spryest in the lunch line senior citizen center I don't get that. They only do that surgery when what is supposed to be there isn't. This isn't rotor-rooter time. There isn't anything left to shave/reshape whether your use a cold lazer or star trek phaser set to stun it it doesn't matter. The problem is there are plenty of nerves working, that's why you hurt. Take a look at a picture of a knee in an anatomy book. You'll notice something missing - muscles. You have muscle well above and well below the knee but none right near the knee. What the hell is he going to rejuvenate? (there are a few tendons and a few ligaments)
And here is the most amazing little fact. Go to an ortho he will tel you try x for 6 - 8 weeks or try y for 6 - 8 weeks and we will see if it get better. Common injuries almost ALWAYS get better in 6 -8 week. A quack will take your money for 6 - 8 weeks and be a genius if it gets better and oh gee we tried if it doesn't.
If just NEED a knee replacement, please just go get it done, because you will feel so much better afterward! You know that docs don’t recommend a TKR, until a pt is just falling apart, and those cold lasers?-They ain’t going to cut it. Surgery is scary, especially a big joint surgery, but they do them really well now. Recovery isn’t too bad. In fact it’s probably less painful than what you are living with now.
I know 6 people who’ve undergone a tkr - from age 34 to 72. Every. Single. One. Said they wish they’d done it earlier!
Sorry. That’s, “if YOU need a knee replacement…”
GrumpyCat said:
If just NEED a knee replacement, please just go get it done, because you will feel so much better afterward! You know that docs don’t recommend a TKR, until a pt is just falling apart, and those cold lasers?-They ain’t going to cut it. Surgery is scary, especially a big joint surgery, but they do them really well now. Recovery isn’t too bad. In fact it’s probably less painful than what you are living with now.
Rebel, your surgeon has said that you may need a TKR, or that you should probably have a TKR? If he is still undecided, all you have to lose in the meanwhile is the (potentially considerable amount of) money which you will pay the chiropractor. The treatments may help a little for a while. But if your knee is damaged enough to need replacement, I’m guessing that laser treatments won’t help enough.
I have had both my knees replaced, and like everyone else I’ve met with TKRs, once I did it, I was wishing that it could have been sooner. If your surgeon is willing to replace your knee, I’d say go for it asap. Yes, surgery hurts, but post-op pain is different from joint pain, and you know it will end. Doing the physio is hard. But living with a bad knee is harder. I’ve done both.
Best wishes for a good decision and good results!