Your knees are the most vulnerable joints in your body. Knee pain can be caused by a sudden injury, an overuse injury, or by an underlying condition, such as arthritis. Treatment will vary depending on the cause. Symptoms of knee injury can include pain, swelling, and stiffness. Whether it is a temporary twitch in the muscle, a sudden resurfacing of an old injury or that post-workout agony - knee pain can bring your life to a standstill, quite literally. The debilitating pain in the biggest joint of the body can either last for some hours or at times for days altogether. In such a situation, it becomes imperative to figure out the underlying cause behind the excruciating pain. Pain has several categories; you could have mild pain through days and suddenly wake up one morning to find it gone. According to experts, in most cases, knee pain could just be a painful aftermath of physical exertion.
Knee Pain Treatment
Your knee pain could be an outcome of a damaged muscle, ligament or weakened bones. Just in case the pain persists for more than three-four days, or gets worse, it is extremely important to seek professional help. In case of minor injuries, you can try treating them in the comfort of your home without popping pills.
The Cold Treatment: In case of any injury, experts suggest cold compresses for the first 48 hours at least thrice a day. Applying ice to the affected area will help reduce the swelling.
The Heat Effect: In case it is an old injury that seems to have resurfaced or any kind of muscle pain you can try applying warm sesame oil or mustard oil with a pinch of turmeric onto the joint.
Exercise is one of the best things you can do to help your knees by helping maintain range of motion and strengthening the muscles that support them. Exercise can be helpful for other forms of arthritis, too, because it strengthens the muscles that support the joint. Proper exercise also may reduce the risk of knee injury.
Keep a food journal: In some people with OA, eating foods like eggplant, tomatoes, and citrus can cause painful flare-ups, while others get a reprieve from their symptoms, explains Reardon. That’s why it pays to keep a record of what you eat and how you feel each day, she suggests. Or you can experiment with various foods. Eliminate tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, and peppers for three weeks, and record your symptoms. Do the same with citrus. Then add each food back gradually and see if the pain worsens.
Medications for Treatment- Pain relievers, or analgesics, are an important part of treatment for many knee problems. If your knee pain is due to an inflammatory form of arthritis, other medications may be necessary to control the disease in your knee and elsewhere in your body. The medication used will depend largely on the specific condition or form of arthritis you have.
