Some people have resigned themselves to intense knee pain that disturbs their daily routine because they know that their actions caused the irritation. For example, many athletes assume that their sore knees are just part of the active lifestyle. However, pain is an indicator of damage. Ignoring symptoms that affect the knee could leave you with permanent scarring or nerve pain. Take care of yourself throughout your life and come in for treatment at Spinal Healthcare & Physical Medicine.
What is Knee Pain
Knee pain is a very common symptom. With just this complaint alone, there could be well over a dozen potential conditions or injuries behind it. As the center joint of the leg, the knee takes a lot of force with each step whether you run or walk. Just standing around could even lead to knee pain. Patients struggling with a severe case of arthritis may have similar symptoms in other major joints that indicates more than just wear and tear.
Knee Pain Symptoms
While knee pain itself is a common symptom, there are numerous other effects that can come along with it. We can help our New Haven clients with symptoms like:
- Tenderness on the surface of the skin or when the knee is pressed
- Pain that increases with exercise and activity
- Tinging and numbness around the knee or extending down to the knee
- Instability or buckling when weight is placed on the joint
- Swelling
- Popping, snapping, or creaking noises
Cause of Knee Pain
There are well over two dozen knee-specific conditions that trigger pain, not counting all of the systemic problems like diabetes or arthritis. The pain could be caused by:
- Bursitis of the knee
- Dislocation and injury
- Tendinitis
- Cysts on the cartilage or muscles
- Sprains and strains of the tendons around the bone
- Gout and pseudogout
- Hyper-extension during exercise or activity
- Wear and tear due to aging
- Infections of the knee
- Tears in the meniscus
- Illiotibial band syndrome
Knee Pain Risks
Your daily routine may be putting you at risk for severe or chronic knee pain, even if you aren’t experiencing any symptoms just yet. Some risk factors have been identified that are linked to the knee pain in general, regardless of which specific condition sets in. These factors include:
- Obesity
- Smoking
- Higher age
- Injuries due to work or athletic activity
- Stress and dissatisfaction with life
- Hard physical labor, especially involving repetitive action
Knee Pain Treatment Options
Should you compress the knee with a supportive elastic bandage, or ice it to reduce inflammation? Find the answers to your questions with an appointment with our medical team. We can provide simple but effective treatments like:
- A schedule for rest to ensure your knee can heal
- Soft massage to reduce tenderness and increase blood flow
- Guided movements and calibrated stretching that relieves muscle stiffness
- Recommendations for supplements that can improve joint health overall
Dozens Of Treatments For Dozens Of Problems
If your knee pain just won’t fade, your doctor may have recommended surgery to reverse the damage. However, there is no reason to resort to that choice before you at least try our non-invasive and comfortable treatments. We have helped patients in New Haven avoid knee replacement surgery or other major changes that require weeks of bed rest and long periods of physical therapy.
