Adam Rufa - 11/21/2006

Question
My husband is a 25 year old Army veteran who has been experiencing gradually worsening pain and stiffness in both of his knees for about four years. Despite his pride, I persuaded him to try using a cane and this helps some with the pain. He frequently "pops" his knee joints and his pain is worse after running, walking, or climbing stairs. The military doctors did not find a cause, although this is really not surprising considering he rarely saw the same doctor twice. We recently went to a civilian orthopedic surgeon and sports injury specialist who ordered an MRI. The MD who made the MRI report stated there appeared to be slight abnormal fluid on both knees and a greater likelihood of meniscus tearing in one knee (but not an actual meniscus tear.) We made a second appointment with the orthopedic surgeon to discuss the results but he was an hour late and only spent three minutes with us. He seemed to be ignorant of what was on the radiology report and didn't offer us any pain management options or ideas about what might be wrong or any other avenues to pursue. My husband's pain and stiffness are getting worse and we still do not know what is causing it. We can't afford to go to another doctor until we finish paying the $8oo we owe the hospital after our insurance payed their part but once we do, I'm scared it will be the same story all over again and we will end up with a large bill and no diagnosis. Could you offer any suggestions about what kinds of things could cause symptoms like his and give us an idea of what type of doctor we might try? Any help you could give would be very appreciated. We are starting to feel at the end of our rope.

Answer
I am sorry to here that your husband has not received the care he needs. As with any profession, their are good doctors and bad ones.

It is common in the realm of orthopedics to not get a diagnosis. It is often very difficult to find the exact cause of a person抯 pains. Even in cases where a diagnosis is given they are not always correct. The most important thing for your husband is to rule out any serious medical conditions.

If that has been done I would suggest going to see a good physical therapist. Go to www.apta.org and try to find a certified orthopedic specialist in your area. They may be able to help.