If you are someone who suffers from severe knee pain, you know how debilitating it can be. This type of pain can make simple tasks like walking or climbing stairs extremely difficult. It is crucial to seek proper treatment and management to alleviate the pain and improve your quality of life.
Many people with severe pain from arthritis choose to have surgery to relieve their symptoms and help repair the joint. Surgery or injections into the knee are not recommended as a treatment for most types of knee pain. This is because people often recover as well, or better, with non-invasive treatments.
But the good news is treatment can relieve some of the symptoms. Treatment might even slow down or stop the disease from getting worse. Ask your healthcare provider if it’s OK for you to try the over-the-counter medications and supplements for arthritis of the knee. Arthritis in your knee will likely always affect you.
Discover ways for women to help prevent this common injury. People of all ages can get arthritis, including arthritis of the knee. If you’re age 50 or older, you have a higher risk of getting knee arthritis.
Causes of Severe Knee Pain
The acid tends to collect in your feet, but it can also affect both knees. The PCL, LCL, and MPFL ligaments in your knee can also become torn. These ligaments connect the bones above and below your kneecap. Tightness, swelling, and a dull ache are the signature symptoms of tendinitis in your knee. You may also be unable to move the affected joint until after you rest it.
The hips are complex ball-and-socket joints, in which the thigh bone (femur) connects into a depression in the pelvis (acetabulum). Because we bear weight on this joint, and it has many ranges of motion, it is prone to injury. To understand the causes of pain that radiates from the hips down the legs, it’s important to first understand the joints in this area of the body.
Severe knee pain can be caused by a variety of factors, including:
- Arthritis
- Meniscus tears
- ACL injuries
- Bursitis
- Patellar tendinitis
Cellulitis develops when bacteria enter the body through a cut or scrape causing an infection. There may be only very minor damage to the surface of the skin around the knee such as a small graze or tiny cut, but that is enough for the bacteria to enter the body. Depending on the location and extent of the damage to the cartilage, this can cause severe knee pain and swelling as well as limiting knee movement. The most common ligament tears to cause severe knee pain are ACL injuries and MCL tears.
Treatment Options
There are several treatment options available for individuals suffering from severe knee pain, including:
- Physical therapy
- Medication
- Injections
- Surgery
FAQs
Q: Can severe knee pain be prevented?
A: While some causes of knee pain cannot be prevented, maintaining a healthy weight, staying active, and wearing supportive footwear can help reduce the risk.
Q: When should I see a doctor for my knee pain?
A: If your knee pain is severe, persistent, or interferes with your daily activities, it is important to consult a healthcare provider for an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment plan.
