Relief for Achy Knees

As you get older, there are many different conditions that lead to pain or discomfort in your knees. Because your knees take the brunt of your weight throughout the day, they’re prone to wear and tear over time. Injuries may also happen, leading to aching or pain in your joint. So how can you get this pain under control?

At Delmarva Pain and Spine Center, we can help you find the perfect treatment for the discomfort in your knees. Our pain management specialist, Dr. Shachi Patel, specializes in many different treatment options for the joint pain in your knees.

Causes of knee pain

Your knees are very important, as they allow you to walk and run, and bear a lot of your weight while you’re on your feet. For this reason, they’re also prone to injuries and degenerative conditions over time. 

So why do your knees hurt? There are a lot of reasons that you might be having trouble with your knees, especially if you’ve suffered an injury recently. Injuries can happen from playing sports or from other trauma like falls or car accidents. Some of the most common knee injuries include:

• ACL tears
• Meniscal injuries
• Fractures
• Tendinitis
• Bursitis
• Dislocation

However, injuries aren’t the only cause of knee pain. Arthritis is another condition that can lead to problems within your joint. Although there are many different types of arthritis, osteoarthritis is the type that is most common in your knees.

Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage that’s within your knee joint becomes worn down over time. This leads to inflammation and pain, as the cartilage is meant to protect your joint.

When to see a doctor

Depending on what’s causing your pain, you might be able to take care of your knee pain on your own. If your pain is mild and goes away within a few days, you might be okay to continue with at-home care. However, if your pain doesn’t get better in a few days, or you notice symptoms of an infection, you should see Dr. Patel as soon as possible.

Other than signs of an infection, how do you know when you should get treatment for your knee pain? There are some signs that help to clue you in to a bigger issue, which include:

• Joint deformity
• Severe pain in your knee
• Unable to flex or extend the knee
• Inability to put weight on the leg
• Redness, swelling, or fever 

Along with the above symptoms, you should also see Dr. Patel if you’ve recently suffered an injury to your knee, and you don’t feel like it’s getting better with conservative measures.

How you can get some relief

Because the severity of knee pain varies depending on the cause, Dr. Patel does a thorough exam to determine what treatment will work best for you. If she determines your knee would benefit from conservative treatment, she recommends things like:

• Physical therapy
• Pain medications
• Ice or heat
• Rest and elevation

If your pain is mild, these therapies might work just fine for you. However, if you’ve tried conservative treatment without relief, or your pain is severe, Dr. Patel may recommend other types of therapies.

One of the therapies she may recommend is a joint injection in your knee. Joint injections are considered minimally invasive, and help you get the knee pain relief you need. Dr. Patel offers several different types of injections, including:

• Hyaluronic acid injections
• Corticosteroid injections
• Platelet rich plasma injections
• Stem cell therapy injections

Platelet rich plasma and stem cell therapy are types of regenerative medicine. This type of treatment uses your own blood to help heal your tissues from the inside out. 

If the aching in your knees is caused by excess fluid, Dr. Patel may opt to aspirate your knee before moving on to other injections. Aspiration allows Dr. Patel to remove excess fluid in your joint, which could be causing your pain.

Stop going through your daily routine with knee pain. Call our office today at 302-355-0900, or you can book an appointment with us online today.