Knee joint pain can be intense enough to interfere with your daily life, causing you to miss out on the best parts of your day. There are many causes of knee pain ranging from chronic arthritis to sports injuries. Finding the cause of the pain is the only way to find a treatment that will provide long-term relief.
Common Causes
One of the most common causes of knee joint pain is injuries. You may not even notice that you have an injury until your knee becomes painful, or you may notice the injury instantly. In some cases injuries can push the kneecap out of the groove that it sits in, and in others the meniscus or another ligament can become torn. Injuries are often treated with a combination of treatment including surgery, rest, and compression bandages. Each treatment option will be determined by evaluating the injury and the extent of the damage to the knee.
For example, knee joint pain that is caused by a strain is less serious than that which is caused by a torn ligament. For light injuries rest and alternating hot and cold packs may be enough to promote healing. For more serious tears in the ligaments of the knee surgery is needed to repair the damage. Since the knee is mostly made from bone, cartilage and ligaments there isn’t a lot of blood flow through the area. This lack of circulation makes the knee one of the most difficult to heal without treatment from a medical professional.
Chronic Pain
Knee joint pain that is caused by a disease or other long term condition is a chronic condition that needs to be professionally evaluated, as well. Conditions such as arthritis affect the joints and bones of the body. Arthritis often results in a lack of lubrication between the joints and may also be related to the lack of cartilage between the bones of the knee. The cartilage acts as cushion between the joints and once it has been damaged or wear and tear has reduced the cartilage to a much smaller amount the result is osteoarthritis. This is often referred to as arthritis that is caused by wear and tear on the body.
Knee joint pain is also caused by other conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, bursitis, and gout. Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammation of the tissues surrounding the joints and is a chronic type of illness. Rheumatoid arthritis is characterized by redness, swelling, the inability to use the affected join and chronic pain. You may want to note that gout has similar characterizes to arthritis but is caused by calcium deposits on the joints of the body. Bursitis is also a condition that affects the joints, but is an inflammation of the bursa that provides lubrication to joints to make movement easier.
Bursitis can be caused by infection or by overusing the joints. Both arthritis and gout are chronic conditions that tend to be lifelong once they have developed. Both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis must be treated by a doctor to relieve the knee joint pain that comes along with having the condition. Gout is also treated by a physician but may not be as severe as arthritis. Each of these conditions can lead to pain in the joints especially those that are used more often such as the knees, elbows and fingers.
Treatment Options
The treatment that you receive for knee joint pain will be based on the cause of the pain. Chronic conditions such as arthritis are often treated with prescription medications while injuries can be treated based on their severity. In some cases, injuries can lead to conditions such as osteoarthritis. Proper care and treatment of injuries is the best prevention for ensuring the injury doesn’t become worst over time. Some of the most common treatments for different types of pain include the following:
- Physical therapy is often recommended for injuries that require surgery or when your mobility is affected by the injury. Physical therapy helps you regain the full range of motion that you had before the injury.
- Medications can include anti-inflammatory prescriptions that come in injections or in pill form. These anti-inflammatory drugs can reduce the swelling and pain associated with many conditions that cause knee joint pain.
- For conditions such as arthritis heat has been shown to reduce pain significantly. For injuries that have swelling ice packs can also provide some relief.
- Capsaicin, the ingredient in peppers that makes them taste spicy, is used in over the counted creams to produce a warming effect on the skin. This can also reduce joint pain, as can products such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen.
Over the counter medications are often used when treating knee joint pain at home. These treatment options are good when you have a slight injury but can also mask the pain of a serious illness. If you have redness or swelling with your knee pain, or you find that you can’t walk, then you should see your physician immediately. Some bacterial infections are common in joints and cause pain. Without treatment a bacterial infection can spread and can even be fatal in severe cases.
When to See Your Doctor
You may be tempted to treat knee joint pain at home but there are some things to watch out for when doing so. If you don’t have a cause for severe pain, such as falling or another injury, then you may want to see the doctor for a diagnosis. Many chronic diseases begin producing symptoms suddenly and without treatment may become worse. Infections also may suddenly appear and are accompanied by redness, swelling, and pain in most cases.
Finding the cause for knee joint pain ensures you are getting the proper treatment. There are many different treatment options today for injuries and diseases that allow you to enjoy the activities that you love without enduring the pain that comes with walking. With the right treatment you can also reduce your pain levels significantly.
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