With 100 million Americans suffering from knee pain, it’s no secret that this is the second most common cause of chronic pain. In fact, one-third of all Americans say they have experienced knee pain at some point in their lives. The CDC says pain caused by arthritis affects millions of people in the U.S. each year, with one about 15 million people reporting they have severe joint pain.
Knee pain can result from many things, such as an injury (ruptured ligament, torn cartilage) or a medical condition (arthritis, gout, infections). While minor knee pain responds well to self-care, such as knee braces, OTC medications, and physical therapy, more severe cases may require surgery. There is also another option: platelet risk plasma (PRP) injection treatment, a non-surgical procedure that relieves chronic knee pain with an injection of the patient’s own blood platelets to promote the natural healing of damaged tendons, ligaments, and cartilage.
Symptoms of Knee Pain
You may be experiencing some of the following symptoms:
- Swelling and stiffness of the knee
- Popping or crunching noises
- Redness and warmth to the touch
- Weakness or instability
- Inability to fully straighten your knee
Causes of Knee Pain
Many knee problems result from advancing age and decades of wear and stress on the knee joint. Other problems arise from a sudden injury or movement that can strain the knee. Here are some of the most common knee problems:
- Strained or sprained knee ligament or muscle: This is usually the result of a hit to the knee or a twisting of the joint, manifesting in pain, swelling, and walking difficulties.
- Torn cartilage: This results from some kind of trauma to the knee that tears the menisci, often occurring with sprains. You may have to wear a brace for protection from further injury and you may need surgery to repair the tear.
- Tendonitis: This is an inflammation of the tendons, usually due to overuse during cycling, running, or jumping. Jumper’s knee (tendonitis of the patellar tendon) most often occurs in sports like basketball where the tendon is strained due to the force of hitting the ground after a jump shot.
- There are many types of arthritis, but the most common that affects the knee is osteoarthritis. This is a degenerative process whereby the cartilage wears away over time. Added stress on the joint worsens this condition, such as a repeated injury or excessive weight gain.
Seek medical attention if you find it hard to bear weight on your knee, it feels unstable, you have swelling, you can’t flex your knee, or you have extreme knee pain after an injury. The most important thing to remember when it comes to treatment is that you have options!
Contact Summit Spine and Joint Centers for Knee Pain Relief
To learn how we can help you better manage your knee pain with procedures such as platelet risk plasma (PRP) injection treatment or genicular nerve radiofrequency ablation, call us at (770) 962-3642 or complete our online form to schedule your appointment.