Knee Pain

What is the Structure of the Knee?

Your knee is comprised of the following:

• Three bones — your tibia, femur, and patella
• Ligaments
• Tendons
• Muscles
• Articular cartilage
• Menisci
• Bursae

The list gives you a general idea of the number of areas where knee pain can strike.

What are the Most Common Causes of Knee Pain?

Knee pain is often the result of one of two things:

• Acute Injury: On any given day, especially if you’re active, your knee constantly works as you move forward, backward, and side to side and stop, turn, rotate, and jump. Any one of these movements can cause an acute injury. The most common injuries are:
  • Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear
  • Fractures
  • Torn meniscus
  • Bursitis
• Degenerative Issues: Arthritis, in its many forms, can cause considerable knee pain as your joint is robbed of lubrication and your cartilage breaks down, causing painful swelling. The most typical forms of arthritis that can affect the knee are –
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Gout

While less common, mechanical issues or systemic conditions, such as complex regional pain syndrome, may also cause knee pain.

When Should I Seek Help for Knee Pain?

If you have an acute injury and have applied the RICE (rest, ice, compression, and elevation) method for more than 24 hours with little or no improvement, you should make an appointment at Delaware Pain Relief.

If you have chronic knee pain of any kind, you should see an expert at Delaware Pain Relief. Most chronic pain causes are progressive conditions that will only worsen over time, making early intervention a good idea.

Diagnosis

During the physical exam, your doctor is likely to:

• Inspect your knee for swelling, pain, tenderness, warmth, and visible bruising
• Check to see how far you can move your lower leg in different directions
• Push on or pull the joint to evaluate the integrity of the structures in your knee

Imaging tests

In some cases, your doctor might suggest tests such as:

• X-ray. Your doctor may first recommend having an X-ray, which can help detect bone fractures and degenerative joint disease.
• Computerized tomography (CT) scan. CT scanners combine X-rays taken from many different angles to create cross-sectional images of the inside of your body. CT scans can help diagnose bone problems and subtle fractures. A special  CT scan can accurately identify gout even when the joint is not inflamed.
• Ultrasound. This technology uses sound waves to produce real-time images of the soft tissue structures within and around your knee. During the ultrasound, your doctor may want to move your knee into different positions to check for specific problems.
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) uses radio waves and a powerful magnet to create 3D images of the inside of your knee. This test is instrumental in revealing injuries to soft tissues such as ligaments, tendons, cartilage, and muscles.

Lab tests

Suppose your doctor suspects an infection or inflammation. In that case, you’re likely to have blood tests and sometimes a procedure called arthrocentesis, in which a small amount of fluid is removed from within your knee joint with a needle and sent to a laboratory for analysis.

How is Knee Pain Treated?

The team at Delaware Pain Relief has several effective treatment options, including:

• Anti-inflammatory medications
• Corticosteroid injections
• Hyaluronic acid injections
• Stem cell therapy
• Platelet-rich plasma therapy
• Physical therapy

Your doctor’s mission is to “Restore Function & Relive Life.” If you require surgery, your doctor works alongside your orthopedic team to ensure that your pain is remedied, allowing you to regain an active lifestyle.

Lifestyle and home remedies

Over-the-counter medications, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) and naproxen sodium (Aleve), are proven to be effective in easing knee pain, providing you with reliable relief.

Some people find relief by rubbing the affected knee with creams containing a numbing agent, such as lidocaine or capsaicin, which makes chili peppers hot.

Self-care measures for an injured knee include:

• Rest. Take a break from your usual activities to reduce repetitive strain on your knee, give the injury time to heal, and help prevent further damage. A day or two of rest may be all you need for a minor injury. More severe damage is likely to need a longer recovery time.
• Ice. Ice reduces both pain and inflammation. A bag of frozen peas works well because it covers your whole knee. You also can use an ice pack wrapped in a thin towel to protect your skin. Although ice therapy is generally safe and effective, don’t use ice for 20 minutes because of the risk of damage to your nerves and skin.
• Heat. You may experience temporary pain relief by applying a heat pack or hot water bottle to the painful area on your knee.
• Compression. This helps prevent fluid buildup in damaged tissues and maintains knee alignment and stability. Look for a compression bandage that’s lightweight, breathable, and self-adhesive. It should be tight enough to support your knee without interfering with circulation.
• Elevation. To help reduce swelling, try propping your injured leg on pillows or sitting in a recliner.

Alternative medicine

Research suggests that acupuncture may help relieve knee pain caused by osteoarthritis. Acupuncture involves placing hair-thin needles into the skin at specific places on the body.