By Bill Hobba on Monday, June 05, 2000 - 06:05 pm:

I have servere swelling in my left knee but not much pain.

About a 15 months ago I had an arthroscope that showed servere cartledge damage behind the kneecap and associated femula region. The surgon said this was
caused by a bad form of patella mistracking.

I did my own research and suspected differently, I thought it was Hypermodility Syndrome (I have most of the signs of it). Of course the surgon could be trying to
say the same thing but not being really precise.

I did extesinsive physio and got regular accupuncture after the scope but while the pain was reduced the swelling never went away. Recently my phsio and doctor
thought it got worse so I wnet for a trip to anoter surgon. He confirmed the servere damage via X ray but when asked the cause said straight out - Hypermobilty.

Provided the pain is manageable he did not want to do another scope. My GP wanted to do an operation to right the ligiments but the specialists I have seen say this
is a major operation that is a bit risky and do not seem keen.

The feeling I get from my reading and discussion with some knowledgeable people (including my GP in the city I had the operation done) that the best course is to
put up with it until I am in my mid fifties (I am 45) then have a knee replacement done.

What do people on this forum think? I find accupunture good. Does anyone else have a similar expereince? My accupuntuist is very well qualified, having 7 years
training in china in both western mdacine and accupuncture.