By Becky Wiese
The human body contains many complex systems that function interdependently to enable us to do the things we want to do. These systems interact with one another on multiple levels, so that activities, deficits, and excesses that affect one system will likely affect others in direct or indirect ways. All of these different systems, including physical, emotional, and mental, work together to make individuals who they are: similar in some things, but altogether unique in many others.
All of these “moving parts” or pieces of the puzzle can, at times, go off kilter, and when this happens, the other parts are affected — often resulting in sickness or pain. Sometimes, the correlation or cause and effect are obvious. Other times, it’s harder to figure out what’s causing the discomfort.
Knee pain is a common reason for seeking medical care. Knee pain could be caused by many different conditions. A surgical procedure may be a solution, but many people do not want to have surgery or are still battling pain even after a surgical procedure. This is why Dr. Ben Taimoorazy, of Guardian Headache & Pain Management Institute, has created a subsidiary practice, The Laser Knee Institute, that focuses specifically on knee pain. Dr. Taimoorazy considers all the various factors that could be contributing to the pain and offers a comprehensive range of alternative treatment options to mitigate the pain. These treatment options are non-surgical, and include cold laser application, steroid or visco-supplement, Botox injections, radiofrequency ablation, and regenerative procedures using stem cells and platelet-rich plasma.
He performs his own physical exam and gets a well-rounded perspective of the patient’s past and current life, which can yield important clues about their pain. A patient’s emotional and behavioral health comes into play — if not as a cause, then certainly as aspects of life that are affected detrimentally by pain. Dr. Taimoorazy knows that the big picture can be colored by a lot of different things — the body’s multiple systems require a multidisciplinary investigative approach and he takes care to consider as many causes as possible.
There are cases, however, when it is necessary to have other specialists consult with him regarding a patient. The “multidisciplinary approach” means he utilizes the knowledge base outside his own office to solve the mystery of a patient’s pain and ultimately bring relief. “If, for example, a patient’s primary care physician refers a patient to me and during the course of my exam, I can’t find the information I need, or if the information I do find leads me to conclude that the patient needs to see a different type of specialist, I consult with these other doctors so that we can work together to solve the problem.”
Other experts may include pain psychologists who can teach patients various types of coping skills using biofeedback or other methods for dealing with their pain, or in other instances, ways to handle mental and emotional stress that may be complicating the pain. Physical therapists can help with issues such as ergonomics in the workplace, proper ways to do repetitive motions, and strengthening weak muscles to alleviate strain on other body parts.
While the education and expertise of these various professionals can be very helpful in treating the patient, Dr. Taimoorazy finds that it’s extremely important to educate the patient as well. “I give the patient a lot of information about what is wrong, why it has happened, and how it can change over time,” he explains. The more a patient understands, the more they can affect their own outcome, becoming, in a very real way, an important part of their own pain management team.
If you missed previous articles on knee pain, you may read them online at www.HealthyCellsBN.com or contact Cheryl at 309-664-2524, or ceash7@gmail.com.
For more information about solutions to knee pain available at the Laser Knee Institute, call Dr. Taimoorazy at 888-KNEE-DOC (888-563-3362), or online at www.laserkneeinstitute.org. His office is located at 2203 Eastland Dr. in Bloomington.