Of all the joints in the human body, knee pain is the most common complaint of people. The knee joint is complex, withstands heavy loads during various types of physical activity, so there can be many causes of pain in it. Knee pain, even if it occurs from time to time and goes away on its own, should not go unnoticed.
Causes of knee pain
- Gonarthrosis or arthrosis of the knee joint. This disease is caused by excessive stress, trauma, overweight, metabolic disorders. The pain is usually bothersome during and after physical activity, including walking up stairs, running, squatting, and gradually subsides with rest. Painful sensations are combined with painful crunch in the joints, followed by swelling, deformity of the knee contours, limitation and pain during movement. Often in young people there is the so-called patellofemoral (femoral-patellar) arthrosis, when the joint between the patella and the articular surface of the femur wears out.
- Damage to the menisci. The knee joint has two cartilage formations - internal and external meniscus, which provide better absorption of the impact. The inner meniscus suffers more often. It is important to know what traumatic injuries of the meniscus differ from degenerative ones. The first occurs with a sharp turn of the body, when the leg is fixed, jumps, falls. The pain is sharp, the swelling of the joint develops quickly, blood accumulates in its cavity, which causes swelling above the patella. The knee may not be fully extended or the victim may feel a wedge, a "jump" of a foreign body in the joint. Degenerative ruptures of the meniscus occur mainly in older people with gonarthrosis. They can occur simply when walking when trying to sitin a low seat or to carry weight. The pain increases gradually, accompanied by swelling, synovitis (inflammatory fluid in the joint cavity) . Menicus injuries also cause pain during the rotation of the lower leg (this is the basis of clinical tests performed by a doctor), going down the stairs.
- Damage to the ligament apparatus. Trauma more common or associated with meniscus rupture. The knee joint has external and internal lateral ligaments, anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments and its own patellar ligament. Lateral ligaments are more commonly affected when there is a strong deviation of the lower leg outward or inward from the axis of the limb. The cruciate ligaments are damaged by twisting the lower leg, hitting it. The patella's own ligament breaks during its traumatic sprain. Ligament injuries are characterized by pain aggravated by walking, leg support. In addition, with significant damage, instability of the knee joint occurs in one or another plane.
- Arthritis. Inflammation of the knee joint of infectious or non-infectious nature. One experiences constant pain that increases with exertion. The joint is swollen, enlarged, hot to the touch, the skin is red. Total body temperature may also rise.
- Rheumatoid arthritis. It is an autoimmune disease that affects many joints, often the knee. The pain in this case is inflammatory in nature, ie the patient complains of it at rest, especially after the night. Exercise improves blood flow and relieves pain. The pain is accompanied by prolonged (more than half an hour) stiffness. There are other signs of inflammation of the joints: swelling, redness, fever above the skin.
- Tumors of the knee joint. Pain is not a permanent symptom of tumors. In small formations it may be absent, as well as other signs. But if the tumor grows, affecting all the new structures of the joint, the patient begins to complain of pain. They are not associated with physical activity, more often they are disturbed in the second half of the night and in the morning.
- Osteochondropathy. These are lesions on the joint surfaces. Koenig's disease can develop in the knee joint - osteochondropathy of the inner condyle of the thigh, while the cartilage is destroyed, and its fragments can be freely located in the joint cavity, leading to inflammation and blockage of the joint. The pain is felt with exertion, with the development of the disease and at rest.
Treatment
Pain is just a symptom of a disease. Its nature, location, dependence on stress, time of day help, along with other symptoms, to make a preliminary diagnosis.
Treatment should be aimed primarily at eliminating a specific disease or, if this is not possible, achieving long-term remission (period without exacerbations), preventing progression.
Treatment methods can be conservative or surgical.
Symptomatic pain therapy is primarily a group of drugs such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. They are used in the form of intravenous, intramuscular injections, tablets, capsules, rectal suppositories and topically (ointments, gels, creams, aerosols).
In many diseases, the doctor may prescribe physical methods of treatment: physiotherapy procedures, dry heat or baths, semi-alcoholic compresses, therapeutic exercises in a gentle mode, wearing a bandage or orthosis.
Such therapy, along with medications, helps to improve blood flow, relieve inflammation and reduce pain. If the pain is due to mechanical causes (part of a torn meniscus blocks the joint, free cartilage) or conservative therapy does not work, surgical techniques are used: arthroscopy, osteotomy, replacement of the knee joint with artificial, joint closure (arthrodesis).
If you experience knee pain, you should consult an orthopedist or traumatologist (if an injury has occurred).