Knee pain problems are very common. In the worst cases, it causes pain that interferes with daily activities such as walking. You may feel this pain when you bend your knee, when you put weight on it, or all the time. However, there are treatments and pain management options that can eliminate or reduce these problems. Pain therapists are especially prone to help. Physician anesthesiologists are pain management professionals trained to evaluate and develop treatment plans specific to each patient.
WHAT CAUSES KNEE PAIN?
The knee joint is a combination of bone, cartilage, ligaments, and fluid. Muscles and tendons support the movement of the knee joint. Knee problems occur when any of these structures are damaged. These are some of the common reasons for knee pain.
Osteoarthritis:- The cartilage in the knee slowly wears off.
Rheumatoid arthritis:- The knee may become swollen and the cartilage may be damaged completely.
Ligament injury:- Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are usually caused by sudden torsional movements. Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injuries are usually caused by a direct impact such as an impact due to a motor vehicle accident or sporting activity.
Tendon damage:- These can range from inflammation to lacerations and are most likely caused by overuse or falls during sports.
Cartilage injuries and conditions:- Muscle weakness, injury, overuse, or misalignment of the knee can cause the cartilage in the patella to soften, or a blow to the knee can tear the cartilage.
Broken Patella:- The small, round bone located in front of the knee joint (the patella) usually fractures as a result of a fall or direct blow to the knee.
The nature of your injury will guide your treatment. So are your preferences. We encourage you to consider the full menu of available options. These include:
RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation):- This works for acute pain, but treating chronic pain is different. For chronic pain, rest can weaken muscles that need to be strengthened to reduce or eliminate pain.
Exercise and physical therapy:- Some exercises help build or stretch muscles and reduce pain. You also need to know which exercises to avoid as they can cause more damage to your knees.
Lifestyle changes:- There are changes you can make to reduce pain. For example, maintaining a healthy weight puts less strain on your knees. You may also need to avoid activities such as running that put too much pressure on your knees.
Nerve block:- This treatment blocks the pain signals that travel through the geniculate nerve between the knee joint and the brain. This is done first with an anesthetic injection for short-term relief. If effective, patients may experience long-term relief with a nonsurgical procedure called radiofrequency ablation. This procedure creates heat that causes proteins in the nerve to clot, stopping pain signals.
Peripheral nerve stimulation:- Surgeons implant electrodes and small batteries near the peripheral nerves that carry pain signals from the knee. The electrodes deliver a low-level electrical current to the nerve (creating a tingling sensation), tricking the nerve into blocking pain signals to the brain. The frequency of electrical stimulation is controlled by the patient.
Complementary therapies:- Some people find relief through massage, biofeedback, relaxation, meditation, acupuncture, yoga, or visualization.
Medication:- This covers both less powerful medications like acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines as well as stronger ones like opioids. Steroids and other drugs can also be beneficial. It’s crucial to have a skilled pain management professional review your prescription strategy since opioids can be addicting. Anti-inflammatory drugs and steroids need to be used with caution since they might impair cartilage and knee joints.
Surgery:- The main purpose of this is to repair structural damage. Surgery is not always the best option, but it is occasionally the only one. Details on choices and pain management concerns are provided by our specialists.
Regeneration treatments:- Options like plasma injections and stem cell therapies are still being researched. The study is still in its early phases and has not produced any firm findings.
To know the root cause of your knee pain and to get proper treatment visit Specialty Care Clinics, call us now.