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Reliable TKR Information

Posted , 8 users are following.

CHICO_MARX
CHICO_MARX

This is not just about TKRs, but pretty much about all information on the Web...

Note on "Googling" from an IT pro for 46 years:

The first returns on any search engine are always the most popular or ones paid for or ones rigged to come up near the top of the list.  They are rarely...

THE MOST CURRENT!!!

Especially with medical information, you must look at the date of the article or research.  Some of this stuff is 10 years old or more.  Always find the latest information on any medical issue before using that data to make decisions (and those decisions should be made along with your healthcare team).  Even more so...

CHECK THE SOURCE!!!

 Be careful what information you rely on!!!  WebMD, NIH, the Mayo Clinic, all the professional medical associations, etc. are all good, reliable sources of information.  A website like "ohmyachingknee" is probably not.  Also, beware of sites that...

REVIEW MEDICAL PRODUCTS!!!

Most of these will be pushing THEIR OWN PRODUCT (or the one they make the most profit on) as the #1 solution.  Find INDEPENDENT review articles.  A lot of scammers use very official sounding names...don't be fooled!!!  Finally...

STOP GOOGLING!!!

"Sophomore Syndrome" is a REAL THING in medical schools.  The students start to read about all these diseases and then convince themselves that they have every one of them!  Don't do that!!!  Stop Googling everything...you'll drive yourself crazy.  Yes, be a well-informed medical consumer, be able to talk to your doctor on a knowledgeable level but don't try to become an expert in human physiology from the Internet.  Not going to happen.

One more thing...

STOP POSTING MRI PICTURES!!!

No one here is going to diagnose you from a tiny jpeg!!!  Only an orthopedic surgeon can do that from the HIGH-RESOLUTION original films.  Plus, we are NOT doctors!!!  Spend the money on an office visit.

2 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • dolores84206
    dolores84206 CHICO_MARX

    Posted

    Good and sound advice Chico, sometimes I myself is guilty of googling too much! I however only believe the reliable sources such as WebMD, Mayo Clinic etc. You can drive yourself crazy if you believe every source out there sounding like experts. Thank you for posting this!
  • Guest
    Guest CHICO_MARX

    Posted

    You make some valid points Chico but i would still encourage people to google things as research. After all, this IS the way most people have to write school papers etc. Its a great resource if you are looking but true, dont take any one article as the holy grail!

    :D

  • davidjk22
    davidjk22 CHICO_MARX

    Posted

    I agree with everything you say . Googling? can cause more problems than soloutions . NHS websites are good . It is important to know every person is an individual , and the results are not the same for everyone . Better to rely on positive results and answers rather than the doom and gloom some provide . Follow the advice of your surgeon , physio , and any other medical professionals involved with your treatment . The man in the papershop who's sister had the operation is not qualified to give advise on medical matters. If you read the comments on this forum , most people have different results . I'm almost 20 years and 19 with my new knees and have had no problems at all .

  • Mkhp
    Mkhp CHICO_MARX

    Posted

    yup..... yes i concur

    p.s. did you have that surgery yet, if so hope your healing well |!!!

    • CHICO_MARX
      CHICO_MARX Mkhp

      Posted

      Just got home 2 hours ago.  Immediate stenosis pain relief.  Just dealing with some minor post-op pain since they moved a few muscles around and pulled the bone graft out of my hip.  Google "Globus RISE-L" to see an animation of what they did.  Amazing...

  • chris00938
    chris00938 CHICO_MARX

    Posted

    I absolutely agree with these.  But I think if there are proper studies done on a subject they are worth reading - but make sure who is paying for them - studies done by someone with a financial interest are often biased!  But for many of us here, seeing our doctor isn't easy or fast, so googling is our best option.  And how did most of us find this group - it came up on google LOL!

    • CHICO_MARX
      CHICO_MARX chris00938

      Posted

      I agree.  There is another consideration...

      There are some great new techniques out there.  I had an LLIF fusion 5 weeks ago instead of a full re-fusion.  Overnight hospital, zero rehab versus 10 days in the hospital and a 6-month rehab.  If you see a doc who is not trained in the latest technology, you could be in for a lot more pain than necessary.  Have to be an informed consumer.

    • chris00938
      chris00938 CHICO_MARX

      Posted

      Absolutely!  So often I've found we were more up to date with information than the GP!  I ended up with endometrial cancer after being overdosed with estrogen by the GP and it was only when I looked up on google about dosage instructions that I discovered what she'd been doing and the warnings to prescribers by the manufacturers.  So I think that googling meds and conditions is part of taking responsibility for your own health.  But as you said, you can't believe everything you read on the net, so you have to keep that in mind!  Anyone can write anything!

  • jan01779
    jan01779 CHICO_MARX

    Posted

    thanks sound advice of yours which i had read before. not had time yet but will try the  Medcial  database at work.
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