Severe knee pain means there is a problem with the joint. The knee joint is characterized by carrying the main load during movement and physical exertion, and is therefore frequently injured. An affected knee joint is difficult to repair, so it is important to take prompt action to eliminate the cause of the pain.
main reason
Knee pain can be caused by:
- Injury (acute injury).They are the most common causes. They occur after a hard blow, hyperflexion of the joint and a sharp drop. With mechanical injury, there is severe pain, swelling, possibly tingling, numbness, and changes in skin color in the joint area.
- Arthropathy (knee disease)is the destruction of joint tissue. Knee arthropathy is primary and secondary. The primary disease affects older adults, while the secondary disease leads to the consequences of injury or complications of other diseases (eg, rheumatoid arthritis). Symptoms: Joint pain and stiffness. With long-term arthropathy, joint movement may become impossible.
- Arthritis (arthritis)- Inflammatory diseases. Visible signs: Pain that increases with movement, increase in joint size, fever and sometimes redness in the affected knee.
- meniscal disease- Injury to the meniscus, which presents with severe pain. Without proper treatment, it can transition to a chronic form, which can develop into osteoarthritis.
- Vascular disease. Thrombosis or embolism (blockage) of the arteries supplying the knee joint causing osteonecrosis of the cartilage of the joint, making walking impossible. There is no effective treatment for osteonecrosis. Arthroplasty of the affected joint is performed.
- arthritis- This is inflammation of the joint pocket and surrounding tissue. With arthritis, there is pain in the area of the knee joint with no clear localization. Arthritis is the most common post-traumatic complication.
- Bursitisis inflammation of the synovial sac (bursae). Bursitis can be caused by joint overuse, infection, or injury. With this disease, severe persistent pain occurs, but freedom of movement is maintained.
- tendonitisThis is inflammation of the ligaments and tendons. Symptoms are swelling and pain in the affected area. They increase with flexion and extension of the knee. Long-term symptoms of tendinitis indicate tendinopathy.
- Baker's cyst- This is a complication after trauma, knee arthropathy or hemoarthrosis. Baker's cyst is a collection of synovial fluid in the popliteal sac. Pathological features are pain when bending the knee and discomfort with movement. To avoid complications, it is strongly recommended not to squat.
- Osteomyelitis of the leg boneis an infection-related suppurative disease that results from hematogenous osteomyelitis, open fractures, or postoperative complications. The most common infectious agent is Staphylococcus.
all kinds of pain
There are several types of knee pain:
- while squatting. It is usually caused by joint disease, viral infection, lack of physical activity, poor diet. Seen in Athletes. If your knee hurts while squatting, you should stop the exercise. For prolonged and frequent pain, you should consult a doctor.
- when bending the legs. This is one of the most common joint problems. Osgood-Schlatter disease, ligament and meniscus injury, Baker's cyst, and infectious lesions were observed. When pain occurs, limit the load on the legs, refuse exercise, and wear comfortable orthopedic shoes.
- after running. Associated with diseases such as arthropathy, bursitis, synovitis. In this case, the normal function of the joint stops, and under heavy load, it starts to crash. These diseases require prompt treatment, otherwise there is a risk of complete loss of motor function.
- crunch. If there is no swelling, pain and stiffness during exercise, then there is nothing to fear. However, this symptom can be caused by a dangerous condition, osteoarthritis, in which the joint cartilage is damaged and severe pain occurs. It is very important to start treatment for this disease promptly.
diagnosis
You can diagnose the cause of your pain by:
- General blood analysis. Allows you to detect anemia, leukocytosis, etc.
- blood chemistry. Detects increased uric acid in gout.
- X-ray study. This method allows you to detect the pathology of bone tissue. With its help, fractures, osteomyelitis and osteoarthritis can be diagnosed. 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.
- MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), NMRI (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging). This is modern research. With its help, the pathology of the soft tissues of the joints (meniscus, ligaments, etc. ) is diagnosed.
- Bone biopsy. It is performed when osteomyelitis or bone tuberculosis is suspected.
- Arthroscopy. It is used both for diagnosis and for treatment, such as meniscal injuries.
- Ultrasound (ultrasound). This is a screening study for suspected trauma, osteoarthritis, meniscal disease, and more. Ultrasound results need to be verified by radiography (CT) and/or MRI.
treat
Treatment should be comprehensive, including conservative approaches and surgical intervention. Let's consider them in more detail:
conservative approach
During exacerbations, treatment should relieve pain and swelling, and then restore normal range of motion. For the first time after an injury, moving without assistance is not recommended.
The basis of treatment is anti-inflammatory therapy. It involves the use of the following drugs: NSAIDs, pyrazolone derivatives, indoleacetic acid derivatives, xicam, glucocorticoids.
To strengthen the immune system, the following procedures are prescribed: cryopheresis, plasmapheresis, blood aspiration, plasmafiltration, immunostimulants.
Specific drugs and treatments are chosen by the attending physician.
In addition, conservative treatment includes applying ice to the damaged area to relieve pain or heat to improve blood microcirculation.
With hemoarthrosis, the joint is punctured and the blood that has accumulated due to trauma is removed.
In addition, conservative treatment includes physical therapy methods: massage, therapeutic exercises and hydrotherapy. If necessary, a doctor will prescribe a special diet to provide a limited calorie content.
Chondroprotective agents are used to nourish cartilage and reduce destructive processes.
The most common physical therapy methods are magnetic therapy, laser therapy, cryotherapy, and acupuncture.
For arthropathy, special shoes and knee pads - orthoses are used. These shoes help normalize gait, while knee pads repair diseased joints.
operation treatment
If the desired joint stability cannot be achieved after conservative treatment, surgical intervention is required.
The most common surgical techniques are arthroscopy and arthroplasty.
Arthroscopy is a technique that can relieve joint pain and increase its mobility. Not only does this treatment eliminate the underlying disease, it also allows you to deliver medication into the joint cavity, which reduces inflammation.
doctor's advice
Hyaluronic acid preparations, which are administered intra-articularly, have a significant therapeutic effect on stage 2 and even stage 3 osteoarthritis. When this is not possible due to contraindications to treatment, the introduction of hyaluronic acid is considered an alternative to arthroplasty. This is a medical technique and has contraindications.
The technique is carried out for the following questions:
- Meniscus and cartilage damage;
- ligament rupture;
- the presence of a foreign body in the joint;
- Rheumatoid Arthritis;
- Intra-articular fractures.
During the postoperative recovery period, it is recommended to strictly follow the doctor's orders to perform therapeutic exercises to avoid unreasonable early loads on the limbs.
An endoprosthesis (arthroplasty) is a procedure to replace the damaged part of the knee joint with an artificial implant (endoplasty).
Over 95% of artificial prostheses require replacement after 10-15 years of mandatory Medicare functionality. Today, away from all areas, replacement endoprostheses can be issued under compulsory health insurance compared to primary surgery. Due to cardiovascular and other physical risks, not all patients after 10-15 years are eligible for a second surgery. Therefore, it is not worth rushing to use an endoprosthesis. I recommend doing this only after exhausting all other treatment options.
Endoprosthetic treatment is performed when pain-free function of the knee cannot be restored by conservative methods and arthroscopy. After arthroplasty, purulent complications may occur. Antibiotics are prescribed for prevention. After implantation of the prosthesis, the patient requires long-term rehabilitation (up to 6 months).
folk remedies
Folk remedies can help relieve pain, but should be done alongside conventional treatments.
Always consult your doctor when using folk remedies.
Let's look at some popular methods:
- ointment. For knee pain, prepare 1 tablespoon. l. Hypericum and 2 tbsp. l. Yarrow, crush them. In a water bath, melt 1 tablespoon. l. Vaseline. Pour the grass into the hot Vaseline and knead into an even mass. This ointment should be applied to the sore knee at night.
- A mixture based on rye seeds. You should take 250 grams of rye seeds, pour 2 liters of water and bring to a boil. After the mixture has cooled, filter, add 500 g vodka, 1 kg honey, 3 tsp. barberry root. The mixture was stirred well and left in the dark for 21 days. A 3 tablespoon mixture is recommended. l. Before consumption. Drink 9 liters of the mixture during treatment.
If you have knee pain, don't panic. However, if the pain persists for a long time, you should definitely see a doctor. This saves a lot of trouble.