My successful treatment

Dena

Hi - I just joined today, so if I slip up with any forum etiquette I apologise in advance.

Some years ago I started getting pain in my knees. My GP said "Well you're getting to an age where you're going to start getting aches and pains" (Right. Thanks.) On the recommendation of a work colleague I went to a private physio who (according to my colleague) was one of the top three knee specialists in the country (I have no idea whether that was true). Anyway, she treated both of my knees, using the kneecap as a sort of pestle to grind down the bits of torn cartilage and rubbish that were hanging about inside my knee joint. It was absolute AGONY I can tell you, but the following day I was completely pain-free in my knees and could run/jump/dance (as much as I ever could run/jump/dance).

After a couple of years I started getting twinges in my knees again, so I went back and she did it again, and again I was 'cured'. She's done this for me maybe three or four times altogether and it's kept me completely mobile for the past 10 years. At the time of writing I honestly don't think there is anything my knees could ever do that they can't do now.

A fortnight ago I started to get pain in my hand, near the base of my thumb. I went to my GP and he said "Yep - probably arthritis. Take pain killers". It didn't get any better, and it started to seriously affect my normal activities - I couldn't even tie my toddler's shoe-lace. Anyway, I thought it was worth trying my physio, though I doubted she could do anything for my hand, but she did the same grinding thing in my hand that she's previously done in my knees. It wasn't quite as painful as the knees, but it is EXTREMELY uncomfortable. She did say that she can use acupuncture if necessary (and I think she meant she could use acupuncture to block the pain while she's doing the treatment).

I did ask her whether this treatment reduces the 'life' of the joint - in other words will the joint wear out sooner because of the grinding, but she assured me that only 'dead' tissue will be susceptible to the grinding and it will not shorten the life of the joint at all. I think it would only be suitable for Osteoarthritis and not Rheumatism, but again I can't be sure.

I'm posting this on here because I know how limited the resources of the NHS are, and I suspect that very few people are aware that this treatment is possible and might bring them relief. It's not exactly cheap - my physio charges £38 for a session and sometimes my knees have needed two or three sessions before they're good to go again for another few years.

I hate to think what I'll do if/when she retires, but I have heard of another physio in our area who does similar treatment, and I think it may be that Sports Physiotherapists are more likely to use similar techniques (don't quote me - I could be wrong).

If anyone else knows of miracle cures I'd love to hear about them :-)

Cheers,
Dena

cebeem

Hi Dena nice to meet you.
Do you have a diagnosis of arthritis?
My problems are mainly the hands but the grinding type treatment would tend to irritate my joints...my rheumatology physio advises only gentle often passive exs on my joints .
I have from time to time had remission but never a cure.
Your positive outlook may well be helping you feel benefits.
Long may your relief continue.
C

trisharay

Hi Dena,
Could you please tell me what the treatment is called? I have RA and my knee is killing me at the moment. I suspect that three years of cortisone is starting to cause osteo there cos it's become creaky lately.
I find that Chinese acupuncture absolutely amazing for all joints. Been to other acupuncture treatments but they never use enough needles.
regards, trisha

Dena

trisharay wrote:

Hi Dena,
Could you please tell me what the treatment is called? I have RA and my knee is killing me at the moment. I suspect that three years of cortisone is starting to cause osteo there cos it's become creaky lately.
I find that Chinese acupuncture absolutely amazing for all joints. Been to other acupuncture treatments but they never use enough needles.
regards, trisha

Hi Trisha,

I don't know what it's actually called, but I will ask next time I go. I need to go again for my shoulder so I'll ask at the same time.

I don't know enough to know whether the treatment I have is suitable for many different types of arthritis... Reading some of the comments on this site I realise that I know very little indeed :-( I haven't had x-rays or anything, my GP said it was most likely arthritis and I'm afraid I left it at that (but I'm beginning to think I might ask for a more definite diagnosis now, after looking on this site....)

I did ask how/why the treatment works and she said that I have areas of torn and damaged cartilage, and these torn bits get in the way and cause pain. The 'grinding' removes the torn, loose and frayed bits of cartilage so that there is a smooth surface of cartilage again. She said that it doesn't remove healthy cartilage but obviously the daily wear-and-tear means that there will come a day when I'm through to the bone. She has assured me that the grinding will not hasten that day.

I will ask what it's called and whether it's a widely-recognised treatment.

Best wishes,
Dena

valval

Dena wrote:

trisharay wrote:

Hi Dena,
Could you please tell me what the treatment is called? I have RA and my knee is killing me at the moment. I suspect that three years of cortisone is starting to cause osteo there cos it's become creaky lately.
I find that Chinese acupuncture absolutely amazing for all joints. Been to other acupuncture treatments but they never use enough needles.
regards, trisha

Hi Trisha,

I don't know what it's actually called, but I will ask next time I go. I need to go again for my shoulder so I'll ask at the same time.


I did ask how/why the treatment works and she said that I have areas of torn and damaged cartilage, and these torn bits get in the way and cause pain. The 'grinding' removes the torn, loose and frayed bits of cartilage so that there is a smooth surface of cartilage again. She said that it doesn't remove healthy cartilage but obviously the daily wear-and-tear means that there will come a day when I'm through to the bone. She has assured me that the grinding will not hasten that day.

I will ask what it's called and whether it's a widely-recognised treatment.

Best wishes,
Dena

sounds like you have mild (not that it wont be very painfull) ostioartheritis the others cause swelling not cartilage dammage know when it gets bad you can have surfaces smoothed so glad it works for you hope it does for a long time val

dreamdaisy

I'm with valval on this, mild OA would seem to be what's ailing you and if this treatment is helping you then that's good. I have severe OA caused by PA damage and the thought of someone pummelling and grinding away at my already severely damaged joints does not appeal! My sports masseur does a great job of unknotting muscles etc but for those of us with the immune-based versions of this disease I suspect your type of physio will not help that much at all. If it's working for you then that's a good thing, I sincerely hope you do not go on to develop full-blown OA, it's utterly ghastly. I wish you well. DD

elnafinn

delboy wrote:

So where do these torn/worn bits of cartilage disappear to?

Good question Del, and even more interesting will be the answer. The treatment sounds a bit like an mini arthroscopy but with an arthroscopy you have a wash and rinse out to get rid of the bits.

Elna x

Dena

A very quick update - just spoke to the physio who said that it would be called 'mobilisation of the meta-carpal joint'. I'm seeing her again on Wednesday so I'll ask her then what happens to all the little bits of cartilage, and what types of arthritis it's appropriate for (and any other questions that arise).

Dena