Derek S. knee arthritis and TMS

[spdtdp]

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Question

I am a 64 year old woman experiencing serious knee pain & stiffness and also sciatica-type leg/butt pain. This has crept gradually upon me over last 2 years until now I cannot even walk a city block. Xray & MRI of lumbar spine show typical age-related arthritic condition. Xray & MRI of knee show severe arthritis & torn meniscus. I have read Dr. Sarno's and Dr. Schecter's books and see myself very much as a TMS-prone person. I really WANT that to be my diagnosis because otherwise the outlook is rather more bleak. Problem is that my MDs don't acknowledge that TMS is possible in my case and probably doubt that it is even a real thing. Even my therapist (psychologist) who's seen me for depression seems doubtful.
So my question is how can I know if it is TMS/PPD? And what do I do when the MDs suggest structural-based treatment? Very hard to "accept" and "believe" in TMS when the doctors I see don't accept or believe it. I will see an orthopod in about a week and think she will want to DO something about the knee. The nearest TMS therapist is 300 miles away & no TMS physicians at all.

 

[Derek Sapico MFT]

Answer

Thanks for your question.

I can understand why you are having a tough time buying in to the TMS diagnosis when you have so many figures of authority casting doubt upon the notion. It's really really hard to commit to a process when you have so little consensus from your healthcare providers.

Because your case is still murky, I would emphatically encourage you to invest in a trip to see a well-regarded TMS physician. It will cost you a plane ticket, a hotel room, and the cost of a doctor visit but the potential benefits that could result from it are truly priceless. Your quality of life is at stake here and I do not believe that there is anything more important than that.

Additionally, you can see a TMS therapist or coach online. Do not let these financial or logistical obstacles become barriers to your health and wellness. Invest in yourself and seek help from professionals who can help you to gain clarity about your approach to recovery.

Best of luck in your search.

-Derek

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[FredAmir]

"Xray & MRI of lumbar spine show typical age-related arthritic condition. Xray & MRI of knee show severe arthritis & torn meniscus."

These findings are absolutely normal, including a torn meniscus. Study after study has shown surgeries for knee arthritis and torn meniscus has not had a better outcome than simply opening and closing the knee.

According to the American College of Physicians Best Practices Advice abnormalities observed on scans are found in asymptomatic subjects and are absolutely normal.

I had sciatica in both legs and pain in both knees. I could barely walk a 100 feet or climb two steps. It was all TMS. In 2 days I was walking in the mall and climbed 17 steps.

I just worked with my oldest client ever. A ninety-year-old great grandmother who had been restricted to walking only 20 steps due to sciatica in her right leg.

She told me that once she reached 20 steps the pain was so bad she had to sit down. I helped her go through my Nine-Step Rapid Recovery Plan. As I was helping her learn the mental techniques used by Olympic athletes and design her Rapid Recovery plan she had a blank stair on her face.

I could tell she was quite skeptical. Took us about 30 minutes to have her understand and practice the steps. Then she started walking. She walked 120 steps without feeling any pain or discomfort. She was amazed herself and quite excited. it has been one week and she has been walking more every day. Now she is walking 400 steps and has started gardening again.

You can visit www.rapidrecovery.net and read the story of Allan Massison of MA who had sciatica in both legs, walked with a cane, and was scheduled for two back surgeries. He recovered rapidly and cancelled both surgeries.

There is no scientific reason why you need surgery or any treatment for a normal structural change. You can see the medical references in the introduction to Rapid Recovery from Back and Neck Pain.

If you need additional help, you can also schedule a free 30-minute consultation via the website.

Take care,

 

[Walt Oleksy (RIP 2021)]

Fred, you gave spdtdp an excellent reply. The grandmother example is wonderful. I too encourage her to try everything before getting surgery.

The rapidrecovery web site is very encouraging.

spdtdp, I have had some bad experiences with doctors recommending surgery including a cancer specialist wanting to open my neck because of a tiny pimple there. I insisted on a culture be taken first and over his objections, the culture was taken and found that the pimple was merely a water pimple and it went away by itself.

 

[FredAmir]

Good job Walt not going for surgery just because the doctor recommended it.

Study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (September 11, 2008) concluded that surgery for knee osteoarthritis showed no benefit. I beleive this was the third study of its kind.

Another study published in the same issue found that 60% of 991 patients without knee pain had torn meniscus. How can torn meniscus be cause pain yet more than 550 people in this study did not have any pain.

One more normal structural change being blamed for pain.

 

[nelliemaud]

My pain is the result of an injury. An orthopedist did shock wave therapy on my knee and I have not walked without pain since. I have used the Sarno method successfully before for foot pain -- but that was not an injury. It's clear to me that there IS a physical reason for my pain - tri-compartmental knee arthritis aggravated by too-aggressive treatment. But I am hoping that I can somehow disconnect from the pain so I can walk comfortably