The knee joint is one of the most complex joints of the human body. This "uneasy" device combined with a constant load makes the joint very vulnerable.
In this regard, it is not surprising that for life at least once we each experienced knee pain - dull, aching, sharp muffled or even intolerable. Sometimes unpleasant feelings bother people only during walking or flexing-extension of the leg, in some cases - regularly.
The nature of pain in the knee joint, as well as the causes that caused it, is very different, in this article we will try to understand in detail why the knee hurts, and what to do in this case.
Causes of knee pain
Pain syndrome in the knee joint can be caused by trauma or have a pathological nature. Sometimes it is a symptom of a serious disease, which can be determined by the nature of the sensations and a number of additional signs.
Among the most common reasons why the knees ache, the following are distinguished:
- Knee arthritis is an inflammatory disease. It can be both an independent pathology, and a symptom or complication of other diseases.
- Osteoarthritis of the knee joint is a degenerative process of destruction of the joint tissues, with prolonged flow causes deformation, deprives the joint of mobility.
- Due to the getting an injury due to a very strong knee hit, its impact on a solid object, falls. In this case, the joint is excessively damaged and unnaturally bent.
- Damage to ligaments - any activity associated with physical exertion can lead to knee injury. Often this happens during sports and during active rest, at the same time immediate sharp pain is felt, the joint swells. If this happens, it is necessary to exclude further stress on the damaged leg until medical help is provided, so as not to aggravate the injury.
- Damage to the meniscus .The meniscus is a rounded cartilage in the knee joint, which is easily damaged by sharp squats or twists. This reason the doctor diagnoses after an internal examination, ultrasound, X-ray.
- Bursitis. Many people are wondering why knees hurt when bending. There may be many answers to this question, but sometimes this is the usual excessive formation of fluid in the joint, or rather in the bag where it is located. The pain does not have a local location and can often give away to neighboring areas, even toes. Bursitis can manifest itself in an acute form, but often it flows into a chronic one. Bursitis acute is expressed as a sharp pain in the leg above the knee or in the knee, redness of the skin and a significant restriction of leg mobility. The accumulated liquid can be easily probed even through the skin, the puffiness has a clear contour.
- Pain occurs with forming a cyst under the knee( Becker's cyst) .Education appears in the pit because of the previously observed inflammatory process in the knee joint. The substances accumulated during inflammation in the joints penetrate into the tendon areas of the popliteal fossa and are localized on the inner side of the fossa.
- Tendinitis ( inflammation of ligaments and tendons) is characterized by edema and an unpleasant sensation in a particular area. It is strengthened by flexing and unbending the knees and contracting the muscles associated with the affected tendon and giving the shins and thighs to the adjacent muscles.
- Ischemic pain - is caused by a violation of blood supply in the knee joint. The reason may be a sharp change of weather, a long stay in the cold and excessive physical stress. As a rule, the pain is localized symmetrically, that is, in both laps, has the same intensity and does not affect the mobility of the joints.
Acute acute or chronic pain in the knees should not be ignored, so it is necessary to consult a doctor. The specialist after the diagnosis, will tell you what to do in a particular case. Treatment can consist of tablets, ointments, rubbings, physiotherapy, and surgical intervention.
Diagnosis
At first, the orthopedist examines the patient's knee, conducts motor tests and collects an anamnesis for an accurate diagnosis. In addition, the doctor may order to undergo such examinations:
- Instrumental - using radiography. Ultrasound, CT, MRI or densitometry.
- In the laboratory study, the takes general, biochemical analyzes, smear and blood tests for bacterial microflora, conducts serological tests, bone marrow and joint fluid puncture.
- Invasive methods of suggest carrying out arthroscopy.
Based on the results of the tests and examinations, the specialist determines the diagnosis and tells you how to treat knee pain in your case.
Treatment of knee pain
Why joints hurt, doctors can identify. Therefore, a timely visit to a specialist is an important component for quickly and correctly eliminating the problem that has arisen. However, whatever the cause of pain in the knees, the first thing to do is to reduce the burden on the joints. Often during a period of acute pain, the patient needs a bed rest with the subsequent activation of the leg. It is recommended when walking to use a cane or crutches, to wear soft and comfortable shoes. In some cases, the doctor appoints orthopedic insoles.
At home, the primary means of drug treatment for pain in the knees are chondroprotective, analgesic and anti-inflammatory drugs. The forms of release of these drugs can be different( gels, creams, ointments, injections, tablets).The specialist appoints one or another form of the drug, depending on the type, extent and location of the lesion.
- The most effective pain and inflammation of NSAIDs, for example, Ibuprofen, Diclofenac. But they do not influence the cause of the disease.
- If the knee is swollen and sore, will help you with the ice pack .You can take the package with ice and attach it to the damaged place. After a while, the pain will begin to recede.
- Chondroprotectors , on the other hand, do not reduce pain, but with prolonged use they contribute to the restoration of damaged cartilaginous tissues, restore joint function and reduce the number of relapses of the disease. Among the most common allocate - Alflutop and Don.
- The application of the fixation bandage can also help. But you must be sure that it can be done with your injury, otherwise you can only aggravate the situation.
- If the knee hurts, when you sit in one place for a long time, needs to move a bit .Sedentary lifestyle or sedentary work is very dangerous - the risk of gaining excess weight develops, which will put stress on the knee joints, and all the time without movement - it is very harmful, the knees stagnate.
Medication is usually supplemented by a course of physiotherapy. This allows you to quickly remove pain, reduce treatment, reduce the dose of drugs.
It is equally important to follow a diet - the use of vegetable, vitamin-rich food, fish dishes and seafood promotes the restoration of articular cartilage. And, of course, when the pain can be defeated - we must try to make it no longer come back: to lead a healthy lifestyle, strengthen the body and not subject it to excessive stress.