Knee pain is one of the most common reasons why patients see their orthopedic doctor. Being a weight-bearing joint, our knees take a lot of wear and tear over the years or while playing a sport. Patients young and old may experience knee pain due to an injury or disease.
Treatments for knee pain are largely based on the reason behind the pain, so the treatment can range from conservative to invasive – with interventional medical treatments nestled in between. The success of the treatment will depend on the accuracy of the diagnosis and on how well your body accepts the treatment.
Most treatment plans for knee pain involve a combination approach, with the patient employing new habits and techniques that will help to prevent reinjury of the knee. Let’s take a look at some of the most popular treatments for knee pain and who can help you determine the ideal approach that will work for your body in the long term.
What Can I Do for My Knee Pain?
Here are the most frequently prescribed and recommended treatments for the relief of knee pain:
The RICE Method
RICE is an acronym that stands for rest, ice, compression, and elevation. This combination approach can usually relieve mild orthopedic pain that does not involve damage to the joint but is rather due to inflammation.
Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)
Pronounced “en-saids,” NSAIDs are pain-relieving medications that you can purchase over the counter – meaning without a doctor’s prescription. They act to reduce the inflammatory response that is causing symptoms such as pain, swelling, stiffness, redness, and warmth.
Braces, Splints, and Casts
Immobilization of the injured knee can help foster healing in patients with a knee injury. If a bone is broken, you will likely have to wear a cast for a number of weeks until the fracture has healed. A brace or a splint may be recommended by your doctor if the injury is a sprain or strain.
Joint Injections
Pain-relief injections into the joint may be recommended by your doctor for longer-lasting pain relief. These may be corticosteroid injections, hyaluronic acid injections, or platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections. All of these have had very favorable responses by patients who have received these treatments for knee pain, and the fact that they are simple injections and not surgery is a major benefit.
Physical Therapy
Special therapeutic exercises can promote healthy blood flow and relieve knee pain thanks to the strengthening of the surrounding muscles, thereby easing pressure on the injury. Your physical therapist can show you simple exercises that you can perform on a daily basis in order to help strengthen your knee and prevent future injury and pain.
Knee Surgery
For knee pain that refuses to go away despite conservative treatments, such as in advanced osteoarthritis, your orthopedist may recommend minimally invasive surgery. Joint replacement surgery can now be performed on an outpatient basis and through a minimally invasive procedure, which helps to reduce recovery time and to minimize infection from the operation.
Treatments for Knee Pain in Farmington Hills
Our highly skilled orthopedic doctors at Tri County Orthopedics are here to help you find much-needed relief from your knee pain. We will examine your knee and get you on the path to recovery quickly.
If you have any questions or would like to request an appointment with one of our physicians, call Tri County Orthopedics today at (248) 474-5575 or fill out our appointment request form online now. We look forward to helping you get back to the active lifestyle you enjoy!
