When to See an Orthopedic Doctor for Knee Pain
Are you experiencing knee pain? This article discusses when to go beyond ice and heat treatments and seek help from a doctor.
Are you experiencing knee pain? This article discusses when to go beyond ice and heat treatments and seek help from a doctor.
Knee pain is one of the typical daily life complaints of many older adults. Problems with knees are increasing rapidly in this fast-paced world.
When recovering from a total knee replacement, it can hard for some people to give up their freedom to drive even for a short time. A big question for many patients is when they can start to drive again. There are several factors to consider when deciding when is the right time.
Older athletes experience increased physical injuries including back pain, heel pain, hamstring pulls, stress fractures and knee injuries. This increase is primarily due to changes in muscles, bones, ligaments, and tendons due to aging. It is crucial for older adults to be conscious of these body changes and to alter their regime to avoid injuries while maintaining their physical fitness.
There are different forms of arthritis all of which can affect the knee resulting in knee pain and swelling.
Knee replacement surgery is a practical option for treatment when a patient's knee does not respond to medication and other forms of treatment. The surgical types of knee replacement are: Total knee replacement or Partial knee replacement.
Osteoarthritis (OA), a chronic condition that causes the cartilage between the joints to wear out, is the most prominent form of arthritis. The absence of cushion causes bones to rub and grind together, causing swelling, stiffness, and pain. Doctors may prescribe physical therapy, a knee brace, or oral medication. However, if a patent continues to experience severe pain, swelling or extensive joint damage, knee injections or a full knee replacement is recommended.
In 1982, researchers from the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities came up with a set of questions that could be used to test an osteoarthritis victim's quality of life, and these questionnaires were called the WOMAC Osteoarthritis Index.
The overall inflammation and degeneration of the cartilage cause pain, sometimes to the point that mobility becomes a problem. When mobility becomes a problem knee or hip replacement surgery may become necessary.
Most often, people go about their daily life without knowing a simple knee pain has a story to tell. People commonly blame exhaustion, overwork or an unusual sleeping position for their aching knee joint. The logical modus operandi is to self-diagnose and treat as if it is a temporary condition, but how do you know if it is something chronic like arthritis?