RDUSA201905

A Medical Illusion

May Help Knee Pain

For a small and un-

usual study, 12 patients

with osteoarthritis in

their knees wore head-

mounted displays that

showed live video

feed—of their own

knees. As an experi-

menter gently pulled

or pushed on a partici-

pant’s leg, the video

feed was digitally

altered to make the

knee appear to change

size. Participants re-

ported up to a 40 per-

cent decrease in pain

when they “saw” and

felt their knees being

stretched as if to ease

stiffness. When the pro-

cedure was repeated,

the patients said their

pain decreased further.

“It seems that seeing is

believing,” says Tasha

Stanton, PhD, who ran

the study. The percep-

tion of the stretch may

ease pain as effectively

as physical therapy or

pain medication.

STEAM SHRINKS

ENLARGED PROSTATE

The prostate tends to grow over time, caus-

ing about a third of older men to experience

weak urine flow, a frequent need to urinate

at night, and other symptoms. Until recently,

these men had to live with the condition,

treat it with medication, or have surgery.

But a relatively new option involves shrink-

ing the prostate with a few quick blasts of

hot steam administered via a tiny needle in

a doctor’s office. The outpatient procedure

takes about 15 minutes and carries a low

risk of lasting side effects.

Photograph by The Voorhes

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48 may 2019 | rd.com