Those who have chronic knee pain know all too much how difficult it can make life. Having chronic knee pain means that someone may have a knee that is in pain, swollen, stiff, red, and warm, and makes noises when being used. The condition can make people unstable and even lead to disability. Finding a treatment option that works for those who have it is a top priority not only for the person who has it but also for those who help people with the condition. Knowing the treatment options is the first step to finding one that may help bring some relief.
New research published in the September 2024 issue of the journal Pain Practice reports on treatment options for chronic knee pain [1]. The researchers report that chronic knee pain lasts for at least three months and is most commonly caused by degenerative osteoarthritis. They gathered information and summarized it to present the common route to diagnosis and treatment for the condition.
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They report that the first step when someone is experiencing chronic knee pain is to have a standard musculoskeletal and neurological exam of the knee. This is how most people are diagnosed with degenerative osteoarthritis, although some professionals may go a step further and have medical imaging done so they can get a more specific diagnosis and also rule out other conditions that could be causing the pain, such as bone and joint disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, infections, and others.
Once a diagnosis has been made, the focus turns to treatments that may help bring about relief. People will typically be started with conservative treatment methods to see if they are helpful, and if they are not, they will move up to such things as corticosteroid injections and radiofrequency. They report that both of these have been shown to be effective. They also recommend that hyaluronic acid infiltrations be conditionally recommended.
The researchers recommend that when conservative measures fail to provide pain relief, a multidisciplinary approach should be taken. Such options may include integrative treatments, psychological therapy, injections, radiofrequency ablation, and surgery.
According to the National Institutes of Health, osteoarthritis is a condition where the tissues in the joint break down over time [2]. One of the most common types of arthritis that older people experience, it impacts people differently. Some people experience mild symptoms, while others have significant pain and become disabled. They report that the facts that are linked to it include aging, being overweight or obese, a history of injury to a joint, overuse, a family history of osteoarthritis, and joints that are not formed correctly.
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This article was originally published on Confronting Chronic Pain by Dr. Steven Richeimer, Director Pain Medicine and Pain Science Certificates.
Sources:
- Pain Practice. Chronic knee pain. September 2024.
- National Institutes of Health. Osteoarthritis.
