What Else Can They Do To You?

Procedures

Joint Draining

The first time I had this done, I thought I was going to pass out.  I was 15 years old and had what was at that time called  “water on the knee” or “housemaid’s knee”.  Swell.  That’s what a teenage boy wants to be diagnosed with…  My right knee was about the size of an average cantaloupe and was almost immobile.  So my Orthopedist whips out a 25 cc glass syringe (to give you an idea how long ago this was) and a monster # 10 needle.

Seeing this combination alone was enough to unhinge my knees, so It’s a good thing I was lying on an examination table…

When he jammed what felt like a 16 penny nail into my knee, I thought my head was going to explode.  Then he proceeded to fill the syringe completely, disconnect it and empty the syringe, then reconnect the syringe to the needle and repeat – for a total of 4 times – or 125 cc of fluid drained from my knee.  This, of course, felt like an eternity.  And just when I thought we  were done…  Not so fast there, speedy.  NOW we’re going to inject some cortisone to quiet your knee down a bit.

OMFG!  The entire world turned vivid blue and started swirling and pulsing.  A free “trip”?  Needless to say, at the age of 15, I was a sissy with zero tolerance for pain…

Steroid Injections

Fast-wind ahead to several years ago when I met my Rheumatologist.  He’s the man I  see whenever I need a steroid injection now.  I literally can’t even feel it.  There’s a big difference between doctors…  And there’s a big difference between needles and techniques.  There’s not justification in using a #10 needle to deliver steroids into a joint, when a #25 or #26 will accomplish the same task with a lot less pain.  Since you have to drive in a #10 with a wooden mallet (not really – it just seems that way) and the smaller gauges are the once diabetics use to inject themselves with – you do the math.

 

As I think of more valuable information to add, I will do exactly that.  For the moment, this is it.