Of all the joints in the human body, knee pain is the most common complaint of people. The knee joint is complex, it bears a large load during different types of physical activity, therefore, there can be many reasons for pain. Knee pain, although it happens occasionally and goes away on its own, shouldn't go unnoticed.
Causes of knee pain
- Gonarthrosis, or osteoarthritis of the knee joint. This disease is caused by excessive stress, trauma, excess weight, metabolic disorders. The pain usually gets in the way during and after physical activity, including walking up stairs, running, squatting, and gradually subsides with rest. Painful sensations are associated with a painful cracking in the joints, then swelling, deformation of the contours of the knee, restriction and pain during movement. Often, and in young people, there is a so-called patellofemoral (patellofemoral) arthritis, when it is the joint between the kneecap and the articular surface of the femur that wears out.
- Damageto the menisci. The knee joint has two cartilage formations - the inner and outer menisci, which provide better shock absorption. The internal meniscus suffers more often. It is important to know what are traumatic and degenerative meniscus injuries. The first occurs with a sharp turn of the body, when the foot is fixed, jumps, falls. The pain is sharp, the swelling of the joint develops rapidly, blood accumulates in its cavity, due to which swelling appears above the kneecap. The knee may not be fully extended, or the victim may experience a stuck sensation, "jumping" from a foreign object in the joint. Degenerative ruptures of the meniscus occur mainly in older people with knee osteoarthritis. They can occur simply by walking, trying to sit in a low seat, or carrying a weight. The pain gradually increases, accompanied by swelling, synovitis (inflammatory fluid in the joint cavity). Meniscus injuries also cause pain when turning the lower leg (clinical tests performed by the doctor are based on this), going down the stairs.
- Damage to the ligament apparatus. Trauma more frequent or associated with tears of the meniscus. The knee joint has the lateral external and internal ligaments, the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments, and the ligament of the patella. The lateral ligaments are more often affected when there is a violent deviation of the lower leg outward or inward from the axis of the limb. Cruciate ligaments are damaged by twisting the lower leg, hitting it. The patella's own ligament ruptures during its traumatic dislocation. Lesions of the ligamentous apparatus are characterized by pain, aggravated by walking, pressing on the leg. In addition, with significant damage, instability of the knee joint occurs in one plane or another.
- Arthritis. Inflammation of the knee joint of an infectious or non-infectious nature. The person experiences constant pain which increases with exertion. The joint is swollen, enlarged, hot to the touch, the skin is reddened. The general 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, that is, the patient complains about it at rest, especially after the night. The movement improves blood circulation and the pain is relieved. The pain is accompanied by prolonged stiffness (more than half an hour). There are also other signs of joint inflammation: swelling, redness, increased temperature of the skin above.
- Tumors of the knee joint. Pain is not a permanent symptom of tumors. With small formations, it may not be there, along with 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, which is more often disrupted in the second part of the night and in the morning.
- Osteochondropathy. These are lesions of the articular surfaces. In the knee joint, Koenig's disease can develop - osteochondropathy of the internal condyle of the thigh, while the cartilage is destroyed and its fragments can be freely localized in the joint cavity, resulting in an inflammatory process and blockage of l'joint. The pain is felt with exertion, and with the development of the disease and at rest.
Processing
Pain is only a symptom of an illness. Its nature, location, stress addiction, time of day helps, as well as other symptoms, to make a preliminary diagnosis.
Treatment should be aimed primarily at eliminating a specific disease or, if this is not possible, at achieving long-term remission (a period without exacerbations), preventing progression.
Treatment methods can be conservative or surgical.
Symptomatic treatment of pain, first of all, is 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).
For many diseases, the doctor may prescribe physical methods of treatment: physiotherapy procedures, dry heat or baths, semi-alcoholic compresses, therapeutic exercises in gentle mode, wearing a bandage or an orthosis.
Such therapy, together with drugs, helps improve blood circulation, relieve inflammation and reduce pain. If the pain is associated with mechanical reasons (part of a torn meniscus blocking a joint, a free cartilaginous body) or conservative treatment does not work, surgical techniques are used: joint debridement by arthroscopy, osteotomy, replacement of the knee joint by artificial, joint closure (arthrodesis).
If you experience knee pain, you should see an orthopedist or traumatologist (if an injury has occurred).