Interventional Treatments for Knee Pain

Physical pain, just like emotional pain, tends to be a very unpleasant and uncomfortable feeling. That said, we often find ourselves suffering from chronic pain in various parts of our body from time to time. This often results from numerous reasons, and one of the most common types of body pain is chronic knee pain.

If you or a loved one have been suffering from chronic knee pain, below is a brief elucidation of everything you need to know about chronic knee pain and the suitable treatment options.

What Is Chronic Knee Pain?

This condition can be defined as long-term pain and sensitivity that occurs on either one or both knees, often occasioned by swelling. The knee joint is a complex body part that consists of ligaments, tendons, and cartilage. Therefore, chronic knee pain usually occurs whenever these components aren’t working properly- resulting in pain and inflammation.

Besides the pain, some of the other symptoms of chronic knee pain include:

• Popping sounds that emerge whenever you flex your knee.
• Occasional weakness on the knee which tends to make it difficult for you to stand straight.
• Stiffness and swelling on the knee.

With that in mind, it is essential to note that most of the symptoms are dependent on the cause of the pain.

Causes

Some of the major causes of chronic knee pain include:

• Injury: This is the most common cause of chronic knee pain. This can occur when you’ve been involved in an accident that severely damaged your knee. It also includes sports-related knee injuries.
• Medical reasons: Certain medical conditions often lead to chronic knee pain, such as degenerative tissue disorders, obesity, bursitis, arthritis, and tendinitis.

Treatment Options 

There is a myriad of treatment options that exist when it comes to chronic knee pain. The suitable treatment for you often depends on the cause of the pain. Some of the treatment options include:

Injections

Pain relief injections are often used to treat chronic knee pain that results from various conditions such as arthritis. According to a recent report, arthritis is the primary cause of chronic knee pain among older adults- those over the age of fifty. 

Therefore, to relieve this pain, physicians tend to administer joint injections, which help alleviate the chronic knee pain and inflammation, leaving you relaxed and comfortable. The relief that results from these joint injections tends to last for a maximum of six months- that’s six months of freely moving your knee without suffering from any pain and discomfort. 

Physiotherapy

Also known as physical therapy, this is a rehabilitation process that involves the use of exercises and training to help improve movement in the chronic pain-affected areas. A recent study suggests that physiotherapy is an ideal treatment option for chronic knee pain caused by degenerative tissue disorders- particularly osteoarthritis.

The study involved sixty individuals who were suffering from knee osteoarthritis. After being subjected to physiotherapy for a while, the results showed considerable alleviation of the chronic knee pain.

Exercise

If you are suffering from chronic knee pain, you should take part in exercise since it helps decrease the risk of certain conditions such as obesity and osteoporosis, which lead to chronic knee pain.

That said, it is crucial to stick to exercises that are light and don’t gravely strain the knee, since this is bound to cause more harm than good. These activities include swimming, walking, and cycling.

 Bottom Line

Although chronic knee pain is highly unpleasant, the fact that there are numerous treatment options at your disposal is undoubtedly a huge upside. Be sure to contact us for more information on chronic pain and the appropriate treatment options.