# torn meniscus??



## PamB (Jan 15, 2008)

just got the call from my dr office and I have a torn meniscus. anyone have any experience with that?? did you have surgery?? therapy??
all I know is the pain has been almost unbearable at times, not good when you have animals to care for and fields to fit, if it ever stops raining here!
thanks for your replies.
Pam


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## halfpint (Jan 24, 2005)

My daughter in law did and had to have surgery. It was quite painful, but a few days after the surgery she said most of the pain was gone.
Dawn


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

What is your goal? Do you want to have the surgery or would you rather have it heal on it's own, just treat the pain and encourage healing?

If you just want to control pain and try to let it heal on its own then I have a few suggestions--
1. Bionic Band. It's an EMF protection device like a qlink, shuzi, IRenew, etc. They are wonderful to help with pain relief.
http://www.bionicbands.com/
http://www.bionicfamily.com/Web/ww/en/index.dhtml
http://thebionicband.net/

2. Douglas Fir essential oil-- also used for pain relief

3. Magnetic pad used several hours daily to encourage healing.
http://www.magnetictherapysales.com/subs.asp?subid=12
http://www.therionmagnetics.com/area-of-body/hip-pain-remedy.html?discomfort_level=22
http://www.alibaba.com/showroom/magnetic-therapy-pads.html

4. Depending upon how recently your leg was injured, you might also consider arnica.


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## MontanaKJ (Aug 10, 2009)

Mom just finished PT for miniscus & ACL tear. The original miniscus tear occured 5 years ago. She dealt with the pain and kept going. By the time she finally went to the doctor, the ACL was torn and 3 new tears had formed.

Good news though. Within 24 hours she was walking around the house, @ 48 hours she was climbing stairs, and in less than a week she was pain free. The PT was required because she had let the injury go so long that the muscle around the area had weakened and needed rehab. But she says this is the best she has felt in 5-10 years.


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## Country Lady (Oct 2, 2003)

My DH had been having knee pain for several months before seeing an orthopedic doctor. He took an x-ray, but due to DH's other health issues, he can't have an MRI. The doctor diagnosed it as a torn meniscus and gave him a cortisone shot and set him up for 6 weeks physical therapy. At the end of six weeks the knee was no better, then went back to see his doctor. The only thing left to do, besides surgery, is five shots once a week of Hyalgan in the knee. Hyalgen is made from rooster comb. Some people get temporary relief from these shots. DH has had two of them and doesn't feel a difference so far. It's our understanding it's very hard and takes a long time for a torn meniscus to heal on it's own, though it's possible. Usually, surgery is needed. Since my DH can't have an MRI, at this point, we don't know that he has any other options. I'm sorry is this sounds dismal. I wish you success with whatever treatment you seek out.


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## Ed Norman (Jun 8, 2002)

I tore mine in the 80s and suffered along until I tore it better in the 90s. The knee would lock up like something was in the joint. Then the soft tissue on the back of the knee would puff up and swell tight for an hour. That might happen 4-5 times a day. After a few years of that I went to the doc for an MRI and had a "large bucket-handle tear of the lower meniscus." He said it would roll up like crumpled sheets and lock up the joint, then slowly unroll again to cover the end of the bone. I had surgery and they were not able to fix it because the damage was too great so they cut out the meniscus. It has been bare bone rubbing on bare bone for over 15 years now. When it gets bad enough I will get a fake knee. But it stopped all the locked joint and swelling immediately.


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

Country Lady-- tape a magnet on that knee for 8hrs a day for a week or two. And get a chiropractic adjustment to make sure your husband is walking correctly without adding any pressure to it from a twist or anything. 
It's not expensive, and has to be a lot less painful than repeated shots in the knee.

and to the OP-- hang a plumb line from a door frame, then stand straight in front of it. Have your wife look to see if it goes straight down your backbone from the top of the head to the crack of your rear. Have her check if there is a "twist" in your stance so that one hip is forward of the other, especially forward on the side of the bad knee. If so, then get a chiropractic adjustment. Just straightening the stance can take pressure off the knee too, so that it has an easier time healing. And she should look to see if the hips are level horizontally too, but the twist hurts knees the most. Even if you don't like chiropratic techniques, at least look. That way you will be able to see if your stance is normal, backbone straight, or if something in your back is causing repeated stress on your knee.

normal back stance
http://www.back2recovery.co.uk/images/spine.jpg
http://www.balancedhealthclinic.co.uk/images/ishta2.gif

abnormal stance examples
http://www.ishtaspinaltouch.com/Plumbline/images/10/DistortedBodies.gif

This is a picture of an abnormal before/after stance, but it's a real person not a drawing, so choose to view or not. It does show a human back.
http://vzone.virgin.net/susanna.terry1/images/beforeandafter1.jpg

A good chiropractic adjustment or body mechanic massage can do wonders to correct stance and relieve pressure on joints.


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## PamB (Jan 15, 2008)

thanks for the info everyone. I went to an ortho dr and he says at my age it won't do any good to fix the tear, so I am going to have some of it removed, along with some arthritis. I really don't have time to not use my knee and wait and see if it heals. 
I remember now that I did the injury while unloading some heavy pieces of wood and stacking them, I guess twisting while carrying a heavy load is a no no?? anyway the dr says he can not fix it perfectly, but I will no longer have pain, the locking up, and will get some strength back and mobility (now I cannot get down to weed the flower beds, change the grandson's diapers on the floor, mop floors-which I do on my knees, getting up off the floor when I go in the haymow is almost impossible.) I can't walk well either. the dr assured me with in two days I should be off crutches and pretty much pain free, we shall see. no therapy just excercises-I usually walk 3 times or more a week at a local park and am still doing that in spite of the pain and doing most all the normal work on our farm, but the pain is just about too much at times. the only downside is the dr says my other knee is really in worse shape and will eventually need to be replaced. oh well, I will not do that till it is absolutely necessary! And I will probably go to a chiro dr and see if I can get things lined up-which I can definately believe is part of the problem. 
thanks again for your replies.
Pam


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