There are many knee joint pain causes such as frequent falls, injuries, or medical conditions like arthritis. It can be crippling and put your body under a lot of stress. So, if you’re looking for some pain relief tips that you can try at home, and best treatments then you’ve come to the right place.
Read the following article to understand the causes of severe knee joint pain and the common cure for knee joint pain that will provide you great relief. Swipe Up!
Knee Joint Pain Causes
Knee joint pains are never really due to a single cause. Though temporary knee pains resulting from an injury might subside on their own, the on-and-off pain experienced in the knee could be attributed to some underlying causes that must be treated. If the causes of extreme knee joint pain causes are through injury, then what works like medicine for you would be physical therapy and ample rest.
Some of the chronic knee pain-causing conditions or diseases include the following:
- Osteoarthritis:
The knee joint’s osteoarthritis may cause joint pain, swelling, and inflammation. It is one of the most common knee joint pain causes in the elderly. - Tendinitis:
Pain at the front of the knee that makes physical movements such as climbing the stairs painful. - Bursitis:
It is inflammation caused by overuse or injury of the knees. It can make your knees swollen and stiff, which may feel tender to the touch. - Gout:
The uric acid content in the blood increases, leading to arthritis. It can lead to redness and stiffness in the joint and can make it difficult to even stand for long. - Baker’s cyst:
It is the accumulation of synovial fluid directly at the back of the knee. This can obstruct your leg movement and can cause pain as you try to bend your knee. - Rheumatoid Arthritis:
It is autoimmune; symptoms include persistent pain and redness in the affected joint, which ultimately leads to bone erosion in most cases. - Meniscus Tear:
It is the injury in a single or more cartilages of the knee. It usually happens when you suddenly pivot, putting all your weight on the knees. - Torn Ligament:
A tear in any one of the four knee ligaments common among those who are active in sports. It can lead to sharp, stinging pain in the knee when you try to move.
Knee Joint Pain Treatment
You can have some immediate relief from knee pain with a few knee joint pain treatment options that you can try at home. Some of these are:
1. Take Medications
Non-steroidal and anti-inflammatory medications are usually prescribed to treat knee pain from arthritis and are administered by the physician. However, some can be self-administered at home with or without a prescription. These include:
- Oral or topical NSAIDs
- Topical capsaicin
- Injections of steroids directly into the joint
- Tramadol
- Acetaminophen
2. Try Aromatherapy
Essential oils may help reduce pain and may act as one of the best cure for knee joint pain. In fact, as per a 2008 report, using an oil infusion with ginger and orange can help improve pain and knee function in severe osteoarthritis pain.
Applying ointments infused with cinnamon, ginger, mastic, and sesame oil produced a similar therapeutic effect on knee pain, stiffness, and motion.
Most importantly, aromatherapy relaxes the mind and reduces tension related to physical pain. As your nervous symptom calms down, you may perceive less pain with aromatherapy. However, aromatherapy may not work for everyone.
3. Protection, Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation (PRICE)
Rest, ice, compression, and elevation can be used for knee joint pain treatment, caused by an injury to the soft tissues, such as a sprain.
- Protection protects the knee from injury through rest, possibly during withdrawal from the source of the injury.
- Rest can decrease the potential for further insult and afford tissues time to heal. Still, all movement needs to be avoided because stopping all movement can cause stiffness and, eventually, muscle weakness over time.
- Use ice to reduce swelling and inflammation by placing ice in a cloth and applying it to the knee for 15-20 minutes, often on the day of injury. Avoid putting ice directly on the skin, which may further injure the tissues.
- Compression with a knee support can enhance comfort and reduce strain. The compression should be firm and not too tight.
- Elevation, or elevating the leg, can help promote circulation and decrease swelling. Ideally, the knee should be at a higher level than the heart.
When to See Your Doctor?
When you experience any type of knee injury, it is important to see a doctor for a proper diagnosis of the knee joint pain causes. Also, if you have tried a few of the home remedies (PRICE technique, tried Aromatherapy too and so), but the pain is constant you should consult with the doctor to know the exact cause behind your knee pain. If the symptoms don’t go away or if there is increased stiffness, pain, and swelling, it is time to schedule a doctor’s appointment and undergo the recommended knee joint pain treatment.
To Sum Up
There can be many knee joint pain causes, such as arthritis, gout, injuries, or osteoarthritis. And at the same time, various methods one can try to soothe severe knee joint pain, such as taking medications, trying aromatherapy, and practicing Protection, Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation (PRICE) therapy. Although they may be effective to some extent, do not skip going to a doctor if the pain is extreme or does not subside in a day or two.
