Knee pain is a very common complaint that people of all ages may encounter. This health problem, which reduces the comfort of life of patients and may even lead to the inability to continue daily life as it progresses, should definitely not be neglected.
Dear patients, in this article, I will give you detailed information about knee pain, which we encounter frequently and negatively affects the quality of life.
Although knee pain is a very common problem, it can usually be controlled with rest and the use of muscle relaxants. However, it should not be forgotten that there may be different underlying reasons for this widespread pain. Knee pain, especially that occurs with advancing age, must be evaluated by a specialist.
Causes of Knee Pain?
Knee pain may have many causes. Common causes are injuries due to trauma, accident or strain. However, since the knee area is very mobile and there are many muscles, tendons and joints in this area, many different diseases can also cause knee pain.
If I had to briefly talk about the problems that cause knee pain;
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Anterior cruciate ligament injuries
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Fractures
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Meniscus
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Knee bursitis
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Runner's knee (Patellar tendinitis)
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Knee cap dislocation
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Osclerosis
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ITB Syndrome (Iliotibial band syndrome)
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Rheumatoid arthritis
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Septic arthritis
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Gout
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I can say that knee pain is among the symptoms of problems such as pseudogout.
How to Diagnose Knee Pain?
Dear patients, if you have knee pain and it lasts longer than a few days, I strongly recommend you to see a doctor. Different diagnostic methods can be used to find the causes of knee pain. Now I will tell you about these methods.
Physical Examination: To find the cause of knee pain, a detailed physical examination must first be performed. It is necessary. The knee is examined for swelling, burning, bruising or tenderness. Lower leg movement is examined and physical checks are completed with pushing and pulling movements to evaluate the overall integrity of the knee.
X-ray: An x-ray is required to detect any fractures or degenerative joint disease in the knee.
Computed Tomography: In this diagnostic method called CT, it is possible to diagnose bone problems and thin fractures. If there is no inflammation, gout can even be diagnosed with CT.
Ultrasound: Ultrasound is required to examine the knee and surrounding soft tissue.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging: In this diagnostic method, also known as MRI, ligament, tendon, muscle and cartilage tissue injuries are examined.
Dear patients, in addition to the diagnostic methods I mentioned above, blood tests can also be performed in cases of suspicion of infection and inflammation. Also known as joint aspiration, which we call arthrocentesis; The diagnostic method, which is performed by collecting fluid from the joint, is also a preferred method in the differential diagnosis of diseases such as arthritis, septic arthritis or gout.
How is Knee Pain Treated?
Knee pain treatment, in which the philosophy of "There is no disease, only the patient" is valid, is individualized. It should be determined according to the needs of the person. In the treatment of knee pain, the cause of the problem is decisive. For this reason, different treatment methods can be used depending on the main factor causing knee pain.
Rest: In cases of knee pain that occurs due to mechanical reasons, that is, trauma, injury or strain, it is recommended to first rest the knee.
Medication: If the severity of knee pain due to mechanical reasons is high, drug treatment may be used for the patient's recovery process. Drug treatment is also applied to diseases such as gout or rheumatoid arthritis.
Physical Therapy: Physical therapy planning can be done to strengthen the knee and surrounding muscles, taking into account the cause of pain. In this process, it is aimed to strengthen the region and increase its flexibility.
Medical Support: In addition to physical therapy, medical protectors can also be used to support the knee area.
Injection: Injection methods are widely used for knee pain. If I had to talk about the injection techniques frequently used today;
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Corticosteroids: Injections containing corticosteroids can be used to relieve knee pain in problems such as arthritis flare-ups.
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Hyaluronic acid: Hyaluronic acid, which increases joint mobility and prevents wear due to movement between joints. acid can be injected to increase mobility.
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PRP (Platelet-rich plasma): PRP is produced by centrifuging the person's own blood. It is a special serum that is prepared and supports healing. It may be preferred in cases such as tendon tears and sprains.
Surgery: Surgery is always the last resort for joint problems. However, surgical intervention can be performed when there is a need to remove damaged bones and reconstruct torn ligaments, especially the need for a knee prosthesis.
What is Good for Knee Pain?
When knee pain is due to mechanical reasons, it can be relieved by rest. Dear patients, I will share with you precautions that will improve your quality of life and protect against knee pain. However, I would like to remind you that you should not implement these suggestions without consulting an expert and having your examination.
Cold compress: Putting ice on the area is very soothing, especially for knee pain caused by inflammation. However, if you try to maintain this soothing effect, you may cause skin damage. For this reason, at most 20 minutes in 2-3 hour periods You can relieve knee pain by doing k applications.
Hot compress: If there is no suspicion of inflammation among the causes of knee pain, hot compress applications also provide a relaxing effect. As with cold applications, hot applications should also be done at intervals.
Be Careful: Avoid applying hot compresses for the first 48 hours, especially in case of sudden onset of knee pain. Considering the possibility of fractures, inflammation and inflammation, choose cold compresses.
Knee bandage: Bandaging, which prevents fluid accumulation in damaged tissues, also keeps the knee stable and reduces pain. However, the application should be done with a breathable bandage that does not hinder blood circulation.
Leg lifting: If there is swelling in the knees, placing a height under the legs or lifting the leg up at regular intervals to reduce swelling will provide relief.
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