Knee specialists

[Snowy79]

It's looking like I've managed to tear my knee cartilage or one of the ligaments and was wondering if anyone can recommend a decent specialist in the Manila are.

I'd also be grateful for rough costs for the MRI scan and operation if possible. I'll be paying full cash and not using insurance.

Thanks in advance.

[mogo51]

Hi Snowy,

Will be watching this post with much interest.  I have the same problem, severe pain inside section of right knee, bloody painful.  I am not sure whether I have damaged a cartilage or whether is is nerve pain from my spinal stenosis which has been really a problem lately.  The nerves down through my thighs are extremely painful and in the same direction line as the paid that occurs in the knee.  MRI is the only option I understand for finding the problem.

 

[Snowy79]

I've got similar pain in the outer right of my knee. Too sore now to put weight on. It's been sore for a few weeks and when I used to bend my knee so my heel touched my hip and held it for about ten seconds then released the pain would go. This was a similar thing I had previously and it resulted in the inner left of my knee requiring a tear on the cartilage to be removed. I could rest and the pain would go but if I started anything too physical it would return immediately.

Key hole surgery in the UK sorted it right away and within weeks I was running again. The specialist pointed out my cartilage was twice as thick as a normal persons which was a bonus but he warned me that by cutting away the tear it may put pressure on the outside of my knee. 7 years later he's been proven right I think.

[Snowy79]

A little update. There are various hospitals and centres in the Manila that offer MRI scans. Two types of machine are used. TESLA 1.5 and Tesla 2.5. The higher the Tesla the greater the definition on the scan. Scans vary from about just under 8,000 up to 9,800 php and you must be referred by a doctor before they will scan you. I just phoned Medicard in Taguig to see a general practitioner. It cost me 300 php and the doctor spent a good 40 mins with me. A nurse did the usual pre checks, height, weight, blood pressure etc.

I'm phoning around now to fit an MRI scan in. Some run 24hrs per day and you can pretty much get a same day appointment.

It would take months in the UK and maybe weeks just to see a specialist who chances are would refuse to recommend an MRI due to my age and the fact that I should just pack everything in physically in their opinion. This is from experience of my last operation. I had to argue for a scan then they lost the results and the specialist refused to give me another one as I was in my 40's at the time and should expect to slow down. If it wasn't for the fact I threatened to sit on his in tray until he found my results I wouldn't have got my way. Surprisingly they found my results and it showed an operation was needed. My friend is going through the same issues now in the UK. Two doctors refused him an MRI scan and he ended up getting one privately in Israel showing his cartilage was torn.

[mogo51]

On 3/27/2017 at 8:50 AM, Snowy79 said:

I've got similar pain in the outer right of my knee. Too sore now to put weight on. It's been sore for a few weeks and when I used to bend my knee so my heel touched my hip and held it for about ten seconds then released the pain would go. This was a similar thing I had previously and it resulted in the inner left of my knee requiring a tear on the cartilage to be removed. I could rest and the pain would go but if I started anything too physical it would return immediately.

Key hole surgery in the UK sorted it right away and within weeks I was running again. The specialist pointed out my cartilage was twice as thick as a normal persons which was a bonus but he warned me that by cutting away the tear it may put pressure on the outside of my knee. 7 years later he's been proven right I think.

I do not recall any particular incident that caused my knee pain, I am still not sure it is not referred pain from my back, which is a big problem.  Will have to have an Xray and see what is reveals I think.

[Snowy79]

4 hours ago, mogo51 said:

I do not recall any particular incident that caused my knee pain, I am still not sure it is not referred pain from my back, which is a big problem.  Will have to have an Xray and see what is reveals I think.

Back pain can lead to various hip and leg issues as can your gait when you walk. I've had both issues previously. A back pain through canoeing which trapped a nerve and made me walk with a slight twist. This led to me bending my leg inwards just a few mm but it was enough to strain my knee. I got my back fixed and was then sent to see a podiatrist.

The podiatrist had me walking and jogging on a tread mill then using special gauges he drew lines on my legs and measured my ligaments. Two in particular were out of line on one side. I was given special insoles and a list of stretching exercises to do which solved all my pains.

The knee now is just through overuse. 24 years in the military, Commando and Para course. Years of Tae Kwon Do with all its twisting and skiing. Mother nature is now telling me to slow down.

As a side note I phoned up Makati Medical Hospital and have an MRI scan at 7:30pm tonight for 9,300 php.

[Gratefuled]

I hyperextended my right knee once. It got swollen real fast. It was painful to step. I put ice packs on it until the swelling went down. I could not play sports for a while. Now that I'm a little older if I do not exercise daily the pain returns. My wife bought me an adjustable aluminium walking cane just in case. I have not had the need to use it yet. She calls me a Filipino name for not using it. 

[mogo51]

17 hours ago, Snowy79 said:

Back pain can lead to various hip and leg issues as can your gait when you walk. I've had both issues previously. A back pain through canoeing which trapped a nerve and made me walk with a slight twist. This led to me bending my leg inwards just a few mm but it was enough to strain my knee. I got my back fixed and was then sent to see a podiatrist.

The podiatrist had me walking and jogging on a tread mill then using special gauges he drew lines on my legs and measured my ligaments. Two in particular were out of line on one side. I was given special insoles and a list of stretching exercises to do which solved all my pains.

The knee now is just through overuse. 24 years in the military, Commando and Para course. Years of Tae Kwon Do with all its twisting and skiing. Mother nature is now telling me to slow down.

As a side note I phoned up Makati Medical Hospital and have an MRI scan at 7:30pm tonight for 9,300 php.

That is just over half what I paid last month in Oz!  So not a bad deal, 10k bht here in Pattaya, 14k pesos approx.  I am thinking more and more it is my back, as it comes and goes and differs in intensity.

[Snowy79]

I got my results back and basically if I was a horse they'd shoot me. The only saving grace was I went back to the original doctor that charged 300 peso for a 40 minute consultation and I got a free consultation as I'd been in only two days ago.

He went through every issue with my knee using photos. When I saw the results they looked pretty bad but he broke it down into about 5 main areas all that will heal to an extent and relieve the pain on other parts. I've got to chill for a few months doing nothing but swimming for exercise and long term lose some weight. That'll be the hard part as I'm carrying muscle not fat as I've trained all my life.

When I saw the results I'd pretty much resigned myself to a new knee so I can't complain. There goes my career as a male dancer in a strip bar though.

[Kuya John]

On 28/03/2017 at 2:51 AM, Snowy79 said:

the specialist refused to give me another one as I was in my 40's at the time and should expect to slow down.

The time to worry is when they put DNR on your notes (Do not Resuscitate)