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Knee Pain: A Symptom of Osteoarthritis
Are you experiencing a dull or throbbing pain in your knee? Knee pain is the most common symptom of osteoarthritis of the knee. Osteoarthritis (OA), the gradual wearing down of the protective cartilage in your knee joint, disrupts the smooth glide of bone on bone, leading to inflammation, tenderness, and that telltale knee pain. Whether it’s a sharp pang with each step or a constant dull throb that worsens with activity, this pain can impact everything from your morning walk to climbing the stairs. Understanding the link between knee pain and osteoarthritis is important for early detection and effective management.
Knee Pain Symptoms
The first symptom of knee pain is often pain when bending or straightening your knee, or after activity if you have been standing or walking for a while. Other symptoms may include:
- Crunching or popping noises
- Dull and aching pain
- Difficulty walking
- Pain that affects your sleep
- Reduced range of motion
- Stiffness
- Swelling
- Tenderness
- Throbbing pain
- Warmth and redness
- Weakness or instability
Knee Pain Causes
Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis that causes knee pain. However, knee pain is a common complaint that can be caused by a variety of factors, from injuries to underlying medical conditions. Here are some other common causes of knee pain:
- Dislocated kneecap
- Bone fractures
- Bursitis
- Iliotibial band syndrome
- Osgood-Schlatter disease
- Overuse
- Patellofemoral syndrome
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Sprains or strains
- Tendonitis
- Torn cartilage
- Torn ligaments
How Does Osteoarthritis Cause Knee Pain?
Osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, can wreak havoc on your knees, causing pain that can range from a dull ache to a sharp, stabbing sensation. The main cause of knee pain due to osteoarthritis is the gradual breakdown of cartilage, the smooth, protective cushion lining your knee joint. As this cartilage wears thin and eventually disappears, the underlying bones come into direct contact. This bone-on-bone grinding creates friction, a major source of pain in osteoarthritis. The exposed bone in an osteoarthritic knee triggers an inflammatory response, your body’s attempt to heal the damage. The inflammation releases chemicals that irritate nerves and pain receptors surrounding the joint, contributing to the pain you experience.
The loss of cartilage and the weakening of surrounding tissues can destabilize the knee joint. This instability can also stretch and irritate the joint capsule, the fibrous membrane that encloses the joint, further adding to the pain. The muscles around your knee may become overactive and strained to compensate for the instability and pain. These strained muscles can trigger painful muscle spasms, adding another layer to the pain complex. Chronic pain from osteoarthritis can also lead to nerve sensitization. Over time, the pain signals sent to your brain from the knee joint become amplified, making even minor movements or pressure on the joint feel more painful. The severity and pattern of knee pain in osteoarthritis can vary greatly depending on individual factors like the extent of cartilage damage, the location of the affected area, and pain sensitivity.
Knee Pain Treatment
Osteoarthritis affects millions of people worldwide, often plaguing your knees with chronic pain, stiffness, and reduced mobility. Knee pain can significantly impact daily life, hindering simple activities like walking or even getting out of bed. Fortunately, at American Knee Pain Centers, we offer a minimally invasive treatment option, genicular artery embolization, to help manage osteoarthritis knee pain and regain control of your life. Alongside this treatment, our affiliated interventional radiologists offer suggestions for lifestyle changes to improve knee pain and your quality of life.
Lifestyle Changes
Managing knee pain caused by osteoarthritis often involves a combination of lifestyle changes. Your doctor may suggest some recommendations such as maintaining a healthy weight to reduce stress on the knee joints, low-impact exercises to help strengthen the muscles around the knee joint, building muscle strength, especially in the quadriceps and hamstrings, to provide better support to the knee joint, eating a well-balanced diet to support joint health, applying heat or cold to the affected knee can provide relief, and wearing supportive and comfortable shoes.
GAE: Knee Replacement Alternative
For those seeking a revolutionary knee pain treatment, we offer genicular artery embolization (GAE), which is a minimally invasive procedure used to treat knee pain for patients with osteoarthritis. GAE is a cutting-edge procedure that targets the genicular arteries supplying blood to the knee, aiming to reduce pain and inflammation associated with osteoarthritis of the knee. It’s a great alternative to knee replacement surgery and for patients who have not found knee pain relief from conservative treatments such as knee injections or anti-inflammatory medications. Although genicular artery embolization does not cure osteoarthritis, it can relieve knee pain for up to 1-3 years, compared to 2-3 months from cortisone injections.
What to Expect from Genicular Artery Embolization
Our Knee Pain Specialists
At American Knee Pain Centers, we prioritize compassionate care. Our affiliated physicians are board-certified interventional radiologists who are specialists in treating osteoarthritis. Our team is dedicated to supporting you at every step, from diagnosis to recovery, ensuring you feel heard and understood throughout your treatment journey. Our team provides detailed information about your condition, treatment options, and what to expect during and after your procedure. You can find the following doctors at our New York and New Jersey locations.
What Our Patients Are Saying
Don’t let knee pain limit your life any longer! Schedule an appointment with our specialist to start your pain-free journey today.