Knee pain: Causes and treatment

Severe knee pain means there is a problem with the wrist. The peculiarity of the knee joint is that it receives the main load during movement and physical exertion, so it is often injured. The affected knee is difficult to fix, so it is very important to take measures to eliminate the cause of the pain in a timely manner.

The main reasons

Causes of knee pain can be:

1. Injuries (acute injuries).They are the most common cause. They occur after a strong blow, excessive bending of the ankle and a sharp fall on it. With a mechanical injury, there is a sharp pain, swelling, there may be a tingling sensation, numbness, the color of the skin in the joint area changes.
2. Osteoarthritis (gonarthrosis)is the destruction of carpal tissues. Gonarthrosis is primary and secondary. The primary disease affects the elderly, while the secondary causes consequences of injuries or is a complication of other diseases (for example, rheumatoid arthritis). Symptoms: pain and stiffness in the joints. With a long course of gonarthrosis, movements in the joints can become impossible.
3. Arthritis (gonarthritis)- inflammatory diseases. Distinctive signs: pain that increases with movement, increase in the size of the joint, fever in the affected knee, occasional redness.
4. Meniscopathy- meniscus damage, which is manifested by sharp pain. In the absence of proper treatment, a transition to a chronic form is possible, as a result of which osteoarthritis develops.
5. Vascular diseases. Thrombosis or embolism (blockage) of the arteries that supply the knee joint leads to osteonecrosis of the articular cartilage, making walking impossible. There are no effective treatments for osteonecrosis. Arthroplasty of the affected wrist is performed.
6. periartritis- this is an inflammation of the articular sac and the tissues that surround it. With periarthritis, there is pain in the knee joint area without a clear localization. Periarthritis is most often a post-traumatic complication.
7. bursitisis an inflammation of the synovial sac (bursa). Bursitis can be caused by overuse of the joint, infection or injury. With this disease strong persistent pain is observed, but freedom of movement is preserved.
8. TendonitisIt is inflammation of the ligaments and tendons. Symptoms are swelling and pain in the affected area. They increase with flexion-extension of the knees. Prolonged tendinitis symptoms are indicative of tendinosis.
9. Baker's cyst- this is a complication after trauma, gonarthrosis or hemarthrosis. Baker cyst is a collection of joint fluid in the popliteal sac. The pathology is characterized by pain during knee flexion and a feeling of discomfort during movement. To avoid complications, it is highly recommended not to squat.
10. Osteomyelitis of the leg bonesis a purulent disease associated with infection, which is a consequence of hematogenous osteomyelitis, an open fracture or a postoperative complication. The most common infectious agent is staphylococcus.

Varieties of pain

There are types of knee pain:

1. During the meeting. It is usually caused by joint diseases, viral infection, lack of physical activity, poor diet. seen in athletes. If your knees ache during the session, then the exercises should be stopped. For prolonged and frequent pain, you should consult a doctor.
2. When bending the legs. This is one of the most common joint problems. It is observed with Osgood-Schlatter disease, ligament and meniscus damage, Baker cyst, infectious lesions, etc. When pain occurs, it is necessary to limit the load on the foot, refuse to play sports and wear comfortable orthopedic shoes.
3. After running. It is associated with diseases such as osteoarthritis, bursitis, synovitis, etc. In this case, the normal operation of the node stops, and under heavy loads, it begins to collapse. Timely treatment of these diseases is required, otherwise a complete loss of motor functions is possible.
4. crunch. If there is no swelling, pain and stiffness in movement, then there is nothing to fear. However, this symptom can be caused by a dangerous disease - osteoarthritis, in which the articular cartilage is damaged and severe pain appears. It is very important to start treatment on time of this disease.

Diagnosing

You can diagnose the cause of the pain in the following ways:

1. General blood test. Allows you to detect anemia, leukocytosis, etc.
2. Blood chemistry. Detects an increase in uric acid in gout.
3. X-ray study. This method allows you to detect bone tissue pathology. It is used to diagnose fractures, osteomyelitis and osteoarthritis. X-ray studies are supplemented by computed tomography (CT). Menisci, ligaments, bursae, and other soft tissues are not visible on x-rays and CT scans.
4. MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), NMRI (nuclear magnetic resonance imaging). This is a modern study. With its help, the pathology of the soft tissues of the ankle (meniscus, ligaments, etc. ) is diagnosed.
5. Bone drilling biopsy. It is performed in the presence of suspicions of osteomyelitis or bone tuberculosis.
6. Arthroscopy. It is performed for both diagnosis and treatment, for example, with a meniscus injury.
7. Ultrasound (ultrasound examination). This is a screening study conducted in cases of suspected traumatic injuries, osteoarthritis, meniscus disease, etc. Ultrasound results should be verified by radiography (CT) and / or MRI.

Treatment

Treatment should be comprehensive and include conservative methods and surgical intervention. Let's examine them in more detail:

conservative methods

During an irritation, treatment should relieve pain and swelling, and then restore normal joint mobility. For the first time after an injury, unassisted movement is not recommended.

The basis of treatment is anti-inflammatory therapy. It includes the use of the following agents: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, pyrazolone derivatives, indoleacetic acid derivatives, oxycams, glucocorticoids.

To strengthen the immune system, the following procedures are described: cryoapheresis, plasmapheresis, hemosorption, plasma filtration, immunostimulants.

The specific drug and method of treatment is chosen by the attending physician.

Also, conservative treatment includes ice packs on the affected area to relieve pain or hot compresses to improve blood microcirculation.

With hemarthrosis, the joint is punctured and the blood collected due to trauma is removed.

Also, conservative treatment includes physiotherapeutic methods: massage, therapeutic exercises and spa rehabilitation. If necessary, the doctor prescribes a special diet that provides a limited calorie content.

Chondroprotectors are used to nourish cartilage and reduce destructive processes.

The most common methods of physiotherapy are magnetotherapy, laser therapy, cryotherapy, acupuncture.

With gonarthrosis are used special shoes and knee pads - orthoses. These shoes contribute to the normalization of gait, and the knee pads fix the diseased joint.

Surgical intervention

If, after conservative treatment, it is not possible to achieve the required stability of the joint, surgical intervention is indicated.

The most common surgical techniques are arthroscopy and arthroplasty.

Arthroscopy is a technique that can relieve pain in a joint and increase its mobility. This method of treatment not only eliminates the underlying disease, but also allows you to insert medications into the joint cavity that reduce inflammation.

Doctor's advice

Significant therapeutic effect in stage 2 and even third-degree osteoarthritis is given by hyaluronic acid preparations, which are administered intra-articularly. The introduction of hyaluronic acid is considered as an alternative to arthroplasty when it is not possible due to therapeutic contraindications. This is a medical manipulation, there are contraindications.

The technique is performed with such problems:

• meniscus and cartilage damage;
• ligament rupture;
• the presence of foreign bodies in the joints;
• rheumatoid arthritis;
• intra-articular fracture.

During the postoperative rehabilitation period, it is recommended to strictly follow the medical recommendations by performing therapeutic exercises, avoiding the unreasonable early load on the limb.

Endoprosthesis (arthroplasty) is an operation in which the damaged parts of the knee joint are replaced with an artificial implant (endoprosthesis).

More than 95% of endoprostheses placed under compulsory medical insurance function for 10-15 years and then need to be replaced. Today, far from all regions, the replacement of an endoprosthesis, unlike primary surgery, can be issued under compulsory medical insurance. Not all patients after 10-15 years are able to undergo a second operation due to cardiovascular and other somatic risks. Therefore, it is not worth rushing with endoprosthetics. I recommend resorting to this surgery only when all other treatment options are exhausted.

Endoprosthetics are performed when the restoration of painless function of the knee joint is not possible with conservative methods and with the help of arthroscopy. Purulent complications are possible after arthroplasty. Antibiotics are prescribed to prevent them. After endoprosthetics a long-term rehabilitation of the patient is required (up to 6 months).

Folk remedies

Folk remedies may be helpful in relieving pain, but they should be done in parallel with conventional treatments.

When using folk remedies, be sure to consult a doctor.

Let's look at some popular methods:

1. Ointment. For knee pain prepare 1 tablespoon. l. hypericum and 2 tbsp. l. yarrow, crushing them. Melt 1 tablespoon in a water bath. l. Vaseline. The grass is poured into hot Vaseline and rubbed into a homogeneous mass. This ointment should be rubbed on sore knees at night.
2. Mixture based on rye seeds. You need to take 250 g of rye seeds, pour them with 2 liters of water and boil them. Once the mixture has cooled, filter and add 500 g of vodka, 1 kg of honey, 3 tablespoons. barberry root. The mixture is mixed well and left for 21 days in a dark place. It is recommended to use a mixture of 3 tablespoons. l. before eating. You are required to drink 9 liters of mixture during the treatment period.

If you have knee pain, do not be afraid. However, if the pain persists for a long time, you should definitely consult a doctor. This will avoid a lot of trouble.