One of the most common complaints these days is of knee pain. Although knee pain is unpleasant and irritating, the good news is that it is often a treatable issue.

According to Dr. Avtar Singh, one of the best orthopaedics surgeon in Punjab, there is a set pattern to diagnose any knee pain. The process embarks upon with the focus on the medical history, where the details of the pain are sorted, such as what does the pain feels like (e.g. sharp, aching or burning), when did the pain begin (e.g. gradually or suddenly), or if there was any trauma (e.g. blow to the knee) etc.

Besides the medical history, the doctor also recommends knee joint examination and possibly asks for imaging tests in order to have an accurate diagnosis.

Once this is done, it gets easier for you and the doctor to figure out the key causes for the knee pain and an effective treatment plan is chalked out, that speeds up the knee healing process.

Causes Of Knee Pain-

Osteoarthritis

This is the result of the wear and tear of the cartilage present in the knee, and people above the age of 50 are more prone to this problem. As the problem worsens, the pain aggravates and at times also leads to swelling.

Dislocated Kneecap

When the knee cap slides out of its original position, it causes sharp pain in the knee, swelling, and even stiffness at times. In medical terms, it is called ‘patellar dislocation’.

Meniscal Tear

This happens when the injury in the knee leads to ripped cartilage. Consequently, the harsh edges intervene in the joints which further results in pain and swelling. However, most of the times when people are active, they sense catching in the joint.

IT (iliotibial) band syndrome

The iliotibial (IT) band is a type of tough tissue that runs down from the hip to the external part of the knee. When someone exaggerates the activity, it can lead to a burning sensation over a period of time. This causes a peculiar pain on the outer part of the knee. This problem is common among the runners while descending.

Bursitis

Just beneath the skin and above the knee joint is a sac called bursa that contains fluid. This helps in preventing friction that is caused during the joint movement.
Their certain activities such as bending, overuse, falls or repeated bending and kneeling that are responsible for troubling the bursa placed on the top of the kneecap. This further result in pain and swelling. In medical terms, it is known as ‘prepatellar bursitis.

Patellar Tendinitis

When one feels inflammation in the tendon that links the kneecap and the shinbone, it causes knee pain. Tendons are considered to be the hard bands of the tissues that join your bones to the muscle.
So, with the overdose of any physical activity, they become ignited and painful. The most common term used for this tendinitis is ‘jumper’s knee’ since repetitive jumping is the most frequent cause of this problem.

Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

In this the knee pain is the consequence of muscle imbalance, stressful muscle, and alignment issues of the legs usually result in this problem. Besides knee pain, one might also get occasional buckling, in which the knee is suddenly unable to bear the body weight. This problem is not because of injury. And women are more prone to this syndrome as compared to men.

Treatments For Knee Pain-

Some of the common knee pain treatment are listed below, although not every remedy works in every situation:

Self-Care Tips

Rest- Most of the times it is recommended to rest the knee joint, so as to abate the inflammation caused.

Icing-Apart from rest, icing is one of the tried and tested methods in lessening the knee pain. One can apply a cold gel pack or a bag of ice or frozen veggies on the affected area, to relieve it. Also, one should be cautious of not applying the ice directly to the knee and the treatment session should not be more than 15-20 minutes at a time.

Knee Support-It is believed that knee support should be recommended to an individual depending upon the diagnosis. For instance, in the cases of patellar tendonitis, supportive taping and patellar tendon straps are highly advisable to the patients. Also, there are times when the knee is unstable and to resolve this problem, a knee brace is recommended the concerned person. Similarly, in some kneecap fractures, a cast or splint is placed for a speedy recovery.

Physical Therapy

Dr. Avtar Singh, the best orthopedic doctor in Amritsar considers physical therapy as the most predominant aspect of treatment in almost every orthopedic condition. With the help of the various activities performed under this therapy the patient’s bones’ strength increases making them regain mobility.

Medications-

NSAID-These Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, addresses all kinds of arthritis by easing the pain and inflammations caused.

Injections-Even after taking NSAIDs or various therapies, the pain persists, then the doctor might inject cortisone into the knee which treats the inflammation. While hyaluronic acid injections are also used that are really helpful in relieving the pain of osteoarthritis.

Knee Replacement Surgery-

Dr. Avtar Singh, a renowned orthopedic surgeon in Amritsar considers that there are certain cases where only surgery is the option to treat the problem. With considerable experience in this field of medicine, he thinks that some acute cases of chronic knee dislocation, certain knee fractures, severe cases of knee osteoarthritis, anterior and posterior cruciate ligament injuries and many others can be treated with surgeries.

A Word From Dr. Avtar Singh-

Treatment of any kind of knee pain is entirely based upon the cause of that problem. Thereupon, it is very crucial to understand the causes and symptoms of the prevailing problem before initiating any treatment plan. If you are doubtful of your diagnosis, or the seriousness of the problem, you should consult a doctor before commencing any joint pain treatment.