No one should have to suffer from knee joint pain. A pain in the knees not only causes discomfort, but also restricts mobility. This can have a detrimental effect on both your physical health and mental health, which can result in poor overall health. But what causes knee pain in the first place? What can you do to help reduce knee joint pain? And can you ever fully recover from it? Let’s find out together.
Your knee pain demystified: The causes
There are many different things that can cause knee pain, but today let’s talk about some of the most common causes of knee joint pain, swelling, and discomfort.
Firstly, injury. Not all injuries are easily visible. While some injuries may cause swelling and bruising, others may cause direct damage to the knee joint. If you often find yourself bumping into things, or pushing yourself too hard when exercising, then you may have a knee injury. An injury can range anywhere from a minor scratch to a serious joint fracture, causing considerable and long-lasting knee joint pain. That’s why it’s important to take knee pain seriously, especially if it causes acute pain, pain does not improve with at-home measures, or lasts for more than two weeks.
Secondly, osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is a type of arthritis. It’s a painful condition caused by the gradual wear and tear of joint cartilage. Osteoarthritis is common in people with physical lifestyles like athletes, sportspeople or factory workers – those whose work involves repetitive movements. This is because high intensity movement can start to wear down the cartilage. Osteoarthritis is most common in individuals over the age of 50. This is usually because of natural age-related factors. However, without an effective treatment plan, this pain can severely impact your quality of life, and even require surgery.
Another possible explanation for knee joint pain is rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that causes pain, stiffness, and swelling in different joints, including the knee joint(s). The most common symptom of rheumatoid arthritis is inflammation. This inflammation is primarily due to an autoimmune response in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks its own tissues, resulting in joint pain. The other thing to keep in mind is that RA symptoms are usually symmetrical. This means you’re more likely to experience joint pain, stiffness, and swelling on both sides of the body.
These are just a few examples of some of the most common causes of knee joint pain. There are also many other possible causes and explanations. That’s why it’s always best to seek medical advice – to get an accurate diagnosis. Visiting a private rheumatologist in London can help you get a better understanding of your condition and access treatment more quickly. A good rheumatologist can correctly diagnose your symptoms and recommend an effective treatment plan. Whether you’re a retired person with chronic knee pain, or a young athlete with a worrisome injury, a rheumatologist can help you get back your strength.
But what treatment options will the rheumatologist suggest?
How to fix your knee pain: Top treatment options
Many people fear that talking to a rheumatologist in London will lead to big medical bills, especially for lesser known specialist treatment options. To help curb this fear, we’re going to share some of the most common treatment options for knee joint pain, and explain what kind of treatments a rheumatologist might recommend. Please keep in mind that a good rheumatologist will always strive to offer personalised treatment plans. This means that a rheumatologist may still recommend additional treatment options, depending on your individual circumstances, and on the severity of your condition.
For starters, if your joint pain is not severe, and where some movement is possible, your rheumatologist may suggest special at-home exercises from a physiotherapist to help improve the condition. It is important to understand that only certain types of exercise will be helpful and a rheumatologist can recommend exercises that specifically target strengthening of your knee joints. These exercises can help alleviate pain and improve mobility – which can help improve your overall level of comfort.
A physiotherapist is a trained specialist who helps you learn how to move your stiffened joints using manual or electric therapy. A physiotherapist can also recommend helpful therapeutic exercises like stretching, balancing, and motion training. For those wondering, electric therapy refers to the stimulation of nerves using special equipment that reduces pain. For example, in this case, electrical therapy could include using a TENS (Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation) machine or going for specialist laser therapy. In addition to this, a physiotherapist can also teach you how to use heat and cold therapy, which can help reduce inflammation and alleviate joint pain to make you more comfortable. Along with these treatments, incorporating the Best Anti-Inflammatory Foods to Eat into your diet can further support joint health by reducing inflammation naturally.
If you find that, even with physiotherapy, you’re still experiencing significant joint pain or discomfort, then your rheumatologist may also suggest trying medication. For example, there are many different NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs), DMARDs (Disease Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs) and pain relievers available for people struggling with rheumatological conditions. These are often prescribed drugs for knee joint pain. It’s worth bearing in mind though that, in order to prescribe these types of medications, your rheumatologist may need to carry out a small number of joint scans and medical tests. This enables them to offer an accurate diagnosis and ensure that they are prescribing the right kind of medication to help control your condition. It also enables them to monitor your body’s response to the medication and reduce the risk of potential side effects.
Finding an expert rheumatologist in London is now easier than ever, thanks to multiple private rheumatology clinics setting up bases in the capital.
Get relief from knee pain
Knee pain is something that many people struggle with, and will affect most people at some point in their life. Whether you are a manual labourer, young professional with a hectic lifestyle or a retired person with ongoing health concerns, knee joint pain can restrict your mobility and negatively impact your health. Consulting a rheumatologist can help you recover from this pain and lay the foundation for a healthy, active lifestyle.