Choosing a Doctor

Choosing a Doctor

Ask the Doc……..
“What kind of doctor should I see for the pain in my right knee?”

If you had a problem with an old, valuable piece of furniture you would do well to take it to an antique furniture refinisher and not someone inexperienced. But we often don’t treat ourselves that way; and insurance companies love that. They often mandate that you to go to your general practitioner to keep their costs down.

Now don’t get me wrong, we need general practitioners, and more of them! And seeing these wonderful physicians first is often best. But when indicated, you should see a specialist simply because they will know more about your problem since that’s all they do.

That said, be careful. Think of today’s specialist as someone who knows more and more about less and less. They are often brilliant in their very narrow scope of expertise, but often know little outside of that particular area. So choosing the right doctor is important or you may end up being one of the “wandering wounded,” going from doctor to doctor seeking relief.

If your knee pain is due to an injury or overuse, see a good orthopedic surgeon; if possible, one that just does knees. But remember, orthopedists are surgeons. So if your knee pain is due to arthritis, a far better choice might be a rheumatologist.

Rheumatologists are board certified internists who have sub specialized in arthritic problems of the joints. So they are like “super” internists, not surgeons, and are experts on the best medications to take for arthritic problems. Physical therapists can also be helpful, but it’s best to find out what you’re treating first.

And if your knees hurt for any reason, see someone who specializes in structural analysis, because other specialists usually don’t evaluate or treat the abnormal structural components we all have, that can either cause or make your knee pain worse. And without fixing your “bent frame,” only part of the problem is being addressed.

Remember that none of us are built perfectly, and structural problems increase the wear and tear on our joints, in the same way that poor wheel alignment causes abnormal wear on our tires. For example, if you have a tendency to roll your foot in and flatten your arch (pronation), this will cause your knee to rotate inward, causing a great deal of stress on it. If you have a longer leg (and we all do to some extent), the stress on one of your knees is greatly increased.

Recent studies at the famed Mayo Clinic showed that even the smallest alignment problems can increase the stress on your knees significantly. As a matter of fact, structural problems are the major cause of arthritis in our weight bearing joints (feet, ankles, knees, hips and back). So by correcting these problems patients can often get significant relief.

A former reconstructive foot and ankle surgeon and past Clinical Instructor of Medicine at Emory, Dr. Pack practices at MCG in Greensboro. He specializes in biomechanical structural analysis and works with patients who have arthritis and wish to decrease joint symptoms and remain active. Dr. Pack also treats athletes at all levels. In the 2004 Olympics he had a silver and gold medalist. He also helps the UGA Golf Team (2005 NCCA National Champions). For further information please see www.drloupack.com, drloupack.blogspot.com or contact him directly at 706-454-0040.