Knee and Joint Pain – Common Causes and Treatments
Knee and joint pain, as well as pain in other large joints can come from a multitude of causes. Infections such as mumps, rubella, chickenpox, and infections or septic arthritis can all cause treatable knee and joint pain that will eventually go away once the condition is treated. However, knee and joint pain from chronic conditions such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or bursitis requires ongoing treatment and stems from a variety of causes. Osteoarthritis comes with age and can usually be traced back to previous injury or repetitive joint use. Rheumatoid arthritis, however, is an autoimmune disease where healthy tissue is attacked by the body’s own immune system.
Treatment for everyday knee and joint pain from overuse or injury ranges from a simple warm bath to the use of over the counter pain relievers or anti-inflammatory medications. Treatment for knee and joint pain stemming from chronic conditions such as arthritis or bursitis tend to be more varied and intense. They may include soaking in Epsom salt baths, taking over the counter pain relievers, or using prescription medications to manage knee and joint pain. Treatments may also involve physical therapy, dietary supplements, and even joint replacement surgery if knee and joint pain become severe enough.
knee and joint pain, whether from injury or chronic condition, can be bothersome and limit physical activity. However, doctors and therapists often recommend against allowing knee and joint pain to inhibit activity levels except in cases of injury where the joint needs time to properly heal. In chronic conditions such as arthritis, limiting physical activity can often lead to further knee and joint pain by allowing muscles to become too weak to support deteriorating joints. In such cases, the cause of knee and joint pain can actually be the knee and joint pain itself.
Regardless of the specific cause of your particular knee and joint pain, the key to successfully managing the pain is to follow your doctor or health care provider’s recommendations. If they recommend physical therapy to manage chronic knee and joint pain, be sure to make all of your appointments. If they prescribe prescription pain relievers for knee and joint pain stemming from injury, be sure to take it as directed. It is far easier to stay on top of knee and joint pain than to try to get the pain back under control after medications have worn off. Likewise, chronic pain sufferers should stay on top of their pain management routine as well.
