PATIENT care
A NONSURGICAL WAY TO TREAT KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS BY AMBER SMITH
PEOPLE WITH CHRONIC KNEE PAIN may seek relief from physical therapy. ey may try over-the-counter pain relievers, prescription painkillers or steroid injections. A doctor at Upstate now offers another choice for people who are unwilling or unable to undergo a surgical knee replacement. Xiaoli Dong, MD, an assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation, provides a cooled radiofrequency procedure called “Coolief,” a blend of “cool” and “relief.” It has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration to relieve chronic moderate to severe knee pain caused by osteoarthritis. e procedure is accomplished without an incision, “using radiofrequency energy to deactivate the nerves responsible for sending pain signals to our brain,” Dong explains. Patients receive an anesthetic to numb the skin and reduce any discomfort from the needle. ey return to normal activities within a week or two. Dong says pain relief may last up to a year. Chronic knee pain is oen the result of osteoarthritis, a degenerative condition that develops as wear and tear thins the cartilage between bones. e result can be pain and stiffness, swelling and difficulty walking. ● To learn more, contact Dong’s office at 315-464-1569.
Back on the pitch continued from page 8
semester before her surgery. She spent the summer working with a physical therapist and personal trainer, in hopes of getting back to the soccer field by fall. It was important to her because, as she explains, “I’ve played soccer since I could walk. I’ve been playing my entire life. “All summer, my goal was to be ready to play.”
ARE YOU GRATEFUL? Lawrence Chin, MD
She progressed from walking to doing core work to running. She had to rebuild her strength and stability to be able to play, and she had to convince herself that she was strong enough to play such a physical sport. When team training began, Discenza participated in all but scrimmages. Gradually, as she got stronger, she played in some games. “I got to be 100 percent around early October.” Discenza is a sophomore majoring in sociology, on a pre-medicine track. She thinks she may want to go to an osteopathic medical school. “I might want to get into rehabilitation or become a functional medicine doctor.” She’s always been interested in health and wellness — and now she has experience as a patient. ●
winter 2019 l upstate.edu
A gift of gratitude is a meaningful way to both express your appreciation to special caregivers and to help patients during their time of great need. Friend in Deed, Upstate University Hospital’s annual fund, supports a variety of unmet patient needs, such as nutritional supplements for cancer patients, special pediatric needs, communication tools for the deaf and hard of hearing, and heart monitors, to name a few. To donate, visit upstatefoundation.org or contact the Upstate Foundation at 315-464-4416. To share your story, email FDN@upstate.edu
Foundation
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