Knee Pain

What is knee pain?

Knee pain is a common form of chronic pain that affects patients of all ages. It can result from an injury, arthritis, or normal wear-and-tear associated with aging. Symptoms of knee pain include:

• Weakness
• Instability
• Swelling
• Stiffness
• Warmth
• Redness
• Crunching or popping sounds
• Decreased mobility
• Reduce range of motion
• Inability to fully straighten your knee

Knee pain can be short-lived, come and go, or lead to long-lasting discomfort. It might feel like a dull, aching pain or a severe sharp pain. The type of knee discomfort you experience is an indication of the disease or injury that’s causing it.

What causes knee pain?

The following diseases and injuries can contribute to knee pain and its symptoms:

• Tendinitis
• Fractures
• Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries
• Bursitis
• A torn meniscus
• Other knee injuries
• Inflammation
• Arthritis

If knee pain prevents you from staying active or completing simple everyday tasks comfortably, the pain management doctors at NovaSpine Pain Institute offer simple solutions.

How is knee pain diagnosed?

To help determine the cause of knee pain and its severity, your pain doctor reviews your medical history and symptoms. They examine your knee and can use blood tests or imaging procedures like X-rays, CT scans, or MRIs to diagnose your condition.

How is knee pain treated?

Your doctor works with you to develop a personalized treatment plan for knee pain that best suits your needs. They could recommend one or more of the following:

At-home treatments

At-home treatments for knee pain often include rest, elevation, ice, compression, taking over-the-counter pain relievers, and/or wearing a brace while an injury heals.

Physical therapy

Physical therapists at NovaSpine Pain Institute help strengthen your knee joint using stretches and exercises.

Steroid injections

Your doctor might inject steroid medications into your knee joint to reduce inflammation and pain and speed up healing.

Viscosupplementation injections

During a viscosupplementation injection, your pain specialist injects hyaluronic acid into your knee joint to lubricate it and reduce the swelling and pain associated with arthritis.

Radiofrequency ablation

Radiofrequency ablation is a procedure your pain specialist does in the office using small needles under X-ray guidance near medial branch nerves. The needles gently heat tiny pain nerves using radiofrequency technology to stop pain signals from being sent to your brain. Recovery after the procedure is minimal.

Surgery

While often the last restore, knee surgery is sometimes the best way to fully restore your knee’s function and ease your pain long term. Your doctor lets you know if you’re a candidate for surgery. The experts at NovaSpine Pain Institute also resolve knee pain if you’ve had a total knee replacement.

Don’t live with knee pain if it prevents you from enjoying life. Schedule an appointment with NovaSpine Pain Institute over the phone or use the online contact form today.