KNEE REPLACEMENT SURGERY? BEWARE!

Knee replacement surgery in most cases is counterproductive and dangerous. For 2 reasons: a) technically (crude technology with persistence of 10 years in average), and b) medicinally (side effects of surgery and body's biologic reaction in general).
But there are natural alternatives in line with your biologic state-of-the-art and metabolism. Just read on.

Gary McPherson from Ithaca, NY, ask:
My knees are hurting for quite some time like hell. With no lasting relief by respective prescription drugs. Therefore, my doctor recommended a knee replacement surgery. How do you see that?

Dr. Fritz:

Jeopardies of Knee Replacement Surgery

 While knee replacement can certainly reduce pain and facilitate movement, unfortunately, in many (most?) cases, this surgery is premature – and very dangerous. For different reasons (most patients are not aware of):

• The implant of an artificial joint is man-made of metal, high-grade plastic, ceramic, and polymer components, etc. and is all but a well-engineered technology, with frequent wear-out and instability. Because of that, there are many million-dollar lawsuits active with lots of pain and suffering money involved.
• Injections offered frequently before surgery, are expensive (up to $1,500 per shot), painful, and not at all lasting relief.
• Medical risks in a two-fold way – surgery-related (starting with general anesthetic which can even cause heart attack or stroke) and how your biologic system reacts. Including  swelling, blood clots (in leg vein or lungs), infections, nerve damage, bleedings – and pain, to be sure. Even worse, according to a most recent study of the University of Michigan, many knee (and    hip) replacement patients continue taking (most dangerous) opioids up to six months after surgery. (See my Blog ‘Opioids to Relieve Pain? Refrain!’ of June 4, 2016)
• In average, a knee (or hip) replacement lasts for 10 years, and needs to be re-replaced after. Despite of thousands of dollars involved.       
• Wrong Therapy

Above all, according to research at renowned Stanford University Medical School, surgery and injections are the wrong therapy. Accordingly, the reason for knee (& hip) pain is not 'wear and tear' but an inflamed fluid (synovial fluid) surrounding th joints.   

Natural Alternatives

Based on these findings, turn to inter alia following natural alternatives for successful self-management:

• Herbs such as Silymarin (Milk Thistle), Curcumin, and Boswellia.
  
• Weight loss (if your BMI is 30+), because the knees – the biggest joints of the body – have to carry your full body weight and therefore, overweight is extra strain on the joints which means more pain, and inflammation.
  
• Physical therapy (with special reference to low-impact exercises such as walking (30 minutes a day), riding a stationary bike, or swimming (2 reasons: buoyancy of the water relieves pressure from the joints, and the warm water soothes).
  

Followed by a healthy and well-balanced diet without saturated fats but Omega-3 fatty acids instead which helps to reduce pain, joint swelling, and stiffness. Fish like salmon, sardines, tuna and mackerel are especially good sources for Omega-3. Also up to daily 2 cups of fruits and 2-3 cups of vegetables are recommended. For a full spectrum of healthy diet in line with your individual metabolism, contact…. 

Emancipated Approach

In a nutshell, in most cases you don’t need costly and risky knee replacement surgery. But if your healthcare provider sees it different, ask him following basic questions:

• Are there other (and less risky) options to relieve pain and stiffness?
• Which way exactly will knee replacement help me?
• How long will the new knees last before wearing out again and requiring re-replacement?
• Can you give references of patients to contact who received your knee replacement surgery?
• What exactly are the risks of this procedure?
• How should I prepare to to improve my odds of success?    

 
In order to prove him – and yourself! – that you are an educated and emancipated patient.