What is Good for Knee Pain? How to Relieve Knee Pain?

Although knee pain is a problem that can be seen in people of all ages, in some cases it can make daily life very difficult. Initially, there are methods that can be applied at home to relieve knee pain. If knee pain persists for a long time, it is recommended that you consult a specialist doctor.

What are the Symptoms of Knee Pain?

Although knee pain is a symptom on its own, sometimes there may be accompanying symptoms.

• Swelling and stiffness,
• Feeling of pain, warmth and redness when touched,
• Inability to fully straighten the knee,
• Cracking sounds coming from the knee,
• Weakness in knees.

What are the Causes of Knee Pain?

There are many causes of knee pain. These could be mechanical problems, types of arthritis, injuries, or other problems. Knee injuries include:

• ACL: This type of injury is a tear of the anterior cruciate ligament, one of the four ligaments that connect the shinbone to the femur. It usually occurs while playing games such as basketball, football or when sudden direction changes are made.
• Fracture: The kneecap may have been broken due to falling on it. Even taking a wrong step can lead to knee fractures in people with osteoporosis.
• Meniscus tear: The meniscus is a tough cartilage between the shin bone and the thigh. If the knee bends suddenly while bearing weight, the meniscus can tear.
• Bursitis: As a result of a knee injury, small fluid sacs on the tendons and ligaments can become inflamed. These fluid sacs are called bursae. Inflammation of the bursa is called bursitis.
• Tendinitis: It means inflammation of one or more tendons. This inflammation extends from the kneecap to the shinbone. It may occur during movements such as running, jumping, and kicking.

There are also multiple mechanical problems in the knee. They can be explained as follows:

• Loose body: Sometimes, as a result of bone or cartilage injury, that part may break off and float in the joint space. This is called loose stem. It may not be noticeable unless it obstructs movement.
• Iliotibial band syndrome: It occurs when the iliotibial band, which extends from the outside of the hip to the outside of the knee, begins to rub against the outer part of the thigh bone. It usually happens to long-distance runners and cyclists.
• Kneecap dislocation: It means that the patella bone, which covers the front part of the knee, becomes dislocated and slides to one side.
• Hip and foot pain: If there is pain in the hips and feet, the person can change the way he walks to be comfortable. Changing the gait may put pressure on the knee and cause pain in the knee.

There are more than 100 different types of arthritis and they can cause knee pain. The arthritides that most commonly cause knee pain are:

• Osteoarthritis: It is one of the most common types of arthritis. The cartilage in the knee deteriorates and wears out over time.
• Rheumatoid arthritis: It can affect most joints in the body and causes pain.
• Gout: May occur if uric acid crystals accumulate in the joint. Although it is a condition that most commonly affects the big toe, it can also occur in the knee.
• Pseudo-gout: It is a condition that is confused with gout. It is caused by calcium crystals in the joint fluid. The knees are most affected by pseudogout.
• Septic arthritis: It is an infection of the knee joint. Infection causes pain, redness and swelling.

What is Good for Knee Pain and How to Prevent It?

Depending on the cause of knee pain, the methods that may be beneficial vary. If there is a mild problem, it may heal on its own. There are methods that can be applied to accelerate self-healing.

• Rest your knee by taking a break from intense activities for a while.
• Cold compresses can be applied to reduce pain and swelling, if any. This can be done for 15-20 minutes, repeated every 3-4 hours. Continue doing it for 2-3 days until the pain subsides.
• Wrap your knee with a material such as a bandage. Wrapping reduces swelling and provides support to the knee.
• To reduce swelling while lying down or sitting, the knee area can be kept elevated by placing a pillow under the heel.
• Medicines can be taken to help relieve pain and swelling. It may be dangerous to use these medications without consulting a doctor. Stretching movements can also be done with the advice of a doctor.

In order to prevent knee pain, you can warm up before starting the exercise instead of taking action directly. Avoiding downhill runs is a good option. If you have to go downhill, walking slowly and with cautious steps should be preferred. Individuals who do a lot of running may prefer cycling or swimming instead of running. If an individual does not want to give up running, they should make sure that their running shoes fit well and provide good support.

Overweight people put more pressure on the kneecap, which can increase the severity of pain. Individuals who complain about this situation can look for ways to lose weight in a healthy way. Having flat feet can also cause knee pain. Shoes specially designed for flat feet may be preferred.

If you have knee pain, a feeling of warmth and swelling in the knee that does not go away for 2 weeks after these home remedies, it is recommended to be examined by a specialist doctor. If there is a serious problem, it needs to be resolved through medical treatment methods.

How to Treat Knee Pain?

To treat knee pain, it is first necessary to determine why the knee hurts. There are treatment methods used for different reasons. Medications may be used to help relieve pain. Medicines to treat conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis or gout may be prescribed by your doctor.

Another treatment method, physiotherapy, can be preferred to strengthen the muscles around the knee. Depending on the situation, the actions an individual can take vary. If the individual is physically active in his daily life or does sports regularly, he should consider the movements that may affect the knees and try to organize his sports accordingly.

Your doctor may also recommend injections in some cases. It is the injection of medicine or other substances into the joints. For example;

• Corticosteroid: Injecting a corticosteroid into the knee joint helps reduce symptoms by preventing arthritis flares and provides several months of pain relief. These injections do not work for every situation.
• Hyaluronic acid: Acid lubricates the joints and helps increase their mobility. It can also be injected to relieve pain. Symptoms may regress for up to six months.
• PRP: Used in many areas, PRP reduces inflammation and contains a concentration of growth factor that accelerates healing.

Some types of knee pain can also be treated with surgery. If there is a condition that requires surgery, surgery may not be necessary immediately. First, you can learn the pros and cons of the surgery by talking to the doctor. If an individual wants to have surgery, there are types of surgery depending on the problem.

With arthroscopic surgery, joint damage can be examined and surgery can be performed with the help of a fiber optic camera. This method is generally used in the treatment of loose body caused by bone and cartilage rupture. It can reconstruct torn ligaments. In partial knee replacement surgery, the damaged part of the knee is replaced with parts made of metal and plastic. In partial surgery, small incisions are usually made. The probability of recovery is higher with this surgery.

In total knee replacement, which is another surgery option, artificial joints made of metal alloys and high-quality polymers replace the damaged bones and cartilages from the femur to the shin bone and the kneecap.

Osteotomy is a surgery performed to better align the knee and prevent curvature in the leg bones. With this surgery, the individual can delay or avoid total knee replacement surgery.

Individuals with knee pain that does not go away for a long time can have the chance to intervene in the underlying cause of the condition before it is too late by being examined by a specialist doctor and can continue their lives in a better way.